Is Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn coming to Game Pass?
Yes, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is coming to Xbox Game Pass. Specifically, you'll be able to play it through the console version of the service, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate when it comes out on July 18. It's less clear if it will be available through the console-specific variant of Game Pass after the service's upcoming changes go into effect, though.
Flintlock will launch on Game Pass day one
For fans of third-person action games, one of the biggest new releases that's about to drop is Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, a "Souls-lite" from Ashen developer A44 Games and publisher Kepler Interactive that aims to bring fans a fast-paced, story-driven adventure through a sun-soaked fantasy realm in which its inhabitants are fighting back against an invasion by the Gods with melee, magic, and good old-fashioned gunpowder. Originally teased way back in March 2022 and delayed in 2023, the game is now just days away from launching on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via several platforms), and PS5.
Though not exactly a "full" Soulslike — it has adjustable difficulty settings, which are options Souls-style games typically avoid giving players — Flintlock has a similar, albeit faster, combat flow, along with a semi-open world filled with side quests and secrets off the beaten path that Elden Ring players will likely enjoy. Excitement for the game has grown daily as its July 18 release date approaches, and unsurprisingly, many interested players are wondering if they'll be able to check it out through Xbox Game Pass.
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Ahead of launch, it's been confirmed that Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn will indeed launch on Xbox Game Pass day one, meaning you can play if you're a member of Microsoft's all-you-can-eat gaming subscription service. Whether you're subscribed to the console variant of Game Pass, PC Game Pass, or the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier that gives you access to games on both Xbox and PC as well as Xbox Cloud Gaming, you can jump into A44's new adventure as soon as it arrives later this week.
What about after the new Game Pass changes?
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn will be available on Xbox Game Pass when it launches, but what about after Xbox Game Pass' major upcoming changes go into effect? Soon, Xbox Game Pass for Console will be shuttered in favor of a new tier called Xbox Game Pass Standard, and Microsoft confirmed to Windows Central that this new version of the service won't include day one game releases.
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While most generally assume this refers to first-party titles like Avowed and other Xbox Game Studios exclusives, there hasn't been official confirmation that it doesn't include new games from third-party developers and publishers as well — at least not yet. I suspect Microsoft will likely provide fans with a clarification soon, but until it does, it's impossible to say for sure if new Xbox Game Pass Standard members will be able to play Flintlock through the service right away.
With that said, I'd say it's unlikely that Microsoft will timegate access to new third-party games with Xbox Game Pass Standard, especially for something like Flintlock that's coming out before it takes the place of Xbox Game Pass for Console. By the way, keep in mind that you don't have to worry about this at all if you're a PC Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member, as these tiers aren't losing access to day one game releases.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (through Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store), and PS5 on July 18, and is poised to become one of 2024's best Xbox games and best PC games. Though it has a $39.99 MSRP, you can play it through Xbox Game Pass.
