Xbox Game Pass' first October announcement includes The Casting of Frank Stone

Xbox Game Pass is set to add The Casting of Frank Stone and Ninja Gaiden 4 in its latest update, following a significant price increase that has left many gamers feeling the pinch.

There's a fresh batch of games on the horizon for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. Normally, news of new additions would be welcomed with open arms, but given the recent price hike, it feels more like rubbing salt into the wound.

Gamers are still reeling from the shock of the hefty Xbox Game Pass price increase. Despite the introduction of new features to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, it doesn't seem to justify the steep rise in cost, leading many players to learn how to cancel their Xbox Game Pass subscriptions.

It's a poor show from Xbox, who have spent years claiming that the subscription service is profitable, only to send the price skyrocketing.

Regrettably, even though gamers will have to fork out considerably more for the best aspects of the Xbox Game Pass service, they're still being provided with enough games to keep them occupied, at least. Fortunately, there are some real gems among the most recent update.

So what exactly does the first October announcement for Xbox Game Pass entail? Here's what you need to know.

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Xbox Game Pass October update 1

A new blog post has revealed the games set to join Xbox Game Pass across its newly-renamed tiers:

Xbox Game Pass Premium

• Supermarket Simulator (console, cloud, PC) –available today
• Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate 2: Enhanced Editions (PC) – available today
• The Casting of Frank Stone (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, PC) – Tuesday, October 14
• The Grinch: Christmas Adventures – (console, cloud, PC) – Wednesday, October 15
• He Is Coming Game Preview (PC) – Wednesday, October 15
• Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, PC) – Wednesday, October 15
• Pax Dei (PC) – Thursday, October 16
• Evil West (console, cloud, PC) – Tuesday, October 21

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC

• Ball x Pit (console, cloud, PC) – Wednesday, October 15
• Keeper (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, PC) – Friday, October 17
• Ninja Gaiden 4 (Xbox Series X|S, cloud, PC) – Tuesday, October 21

Plus, these games are part of the new additions to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate that were overshadowed by the noise surrounding the price increase:

• Hogwarts Legacy (console, cloud, PC) – available now
• Little Rocket Lab (console, cloud, PC) – available now

This is a pretty good lineup, but whether it's enough to keep subscribers distracted is another matter entirely. However, Ninja Gaiden 4 is a big deal, and long-time fans of the series are likely to stick around for it.

Xbox Game Pass games leaving

Despite the recent bad news surrounding Xbox Game Pass, there are more games yet to leave the service. Here are the titles on their way out:

• Cocoon (console, cloud, PC)
• Core Keeper (console, cloud, PC)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutants Unleashed (console, cloud, PC)

It's not a massive list, but the loss of Cocoon is sad due to its immense quality. However, at least it's in the PS Plus Essential October drop, which means you won't go without if you own consoles on both sides of the fence.