Is Black Myth: Wukong on Xbox Game Pass?
Though developer Game Science hasn’t directly stated Black Myth: Wukong won’t be on Game Pass, it won’t be available on Xbox consoles or the Microsoft Store on Windows PC at launch. Therefore, it won’t release on Game Pass, though there’s always a chance it could come to the service at a later date.
Black Myth: Wukong will miss Game Pass at launch
After its initial announcement on August 20 in 2020, Black Myth: Wukong — an action RPG from developer Game Science that has the potential to be one of this year’s biggest blockbuster titles — is finally launching four years later on the exact same date. Directly inspired by Chinese mythology and based on the famous literary work Journey to the West, it’s one of 2024’s most-anticipated games, and even holds the top spot on Steam’s most-wishlisted games list at the time of writing.
When big titles like Black Myth: Wukong come around, whether they’ll be available on Xbox Game Pass or not is always a frequently asked question. The service is Microsoft’s all-you-can-eat offering to Xbox and PC gamers, allowing subscribers to play hundreds of classic, recent, and new titles in exchange for a recurring monthly fee. As of February 2024, Xbox Game Pass has 34 million subscribers, solidifying it as one of the most popular gaming services in the world.
Many third-party games launch onto Xbox Game Pass day one, but unfortunately for Xbox and PC users, Black Myth: Wukong won’t be one of them. While Game Science hasn’t directly stated that the ARPG will miss the service, it’s also not coming to Xbox at release and won’t be playable through the Microsoft Store that serves as a platform for PC Game Pass titles, either. Therefore, Black Myth isn’t coming to Game Pass — at least not at launch.
Could Black Myth: Wukong come to Game Pass?
While Black Myth: Wukong won’t be on Game Pass when it launches on August 20, it’s entirely possible that it will eventually come to Microsoft’s subscription service further down the line. After all, there’s always new games coming to Game Pass, and it’s not uncommon for titles to release on it a while after they launch normally. Remnant 2, for example, surprised everyone when it dropped onto the service four months after its release date last year.
With that said, it still needs to actually release on Xbox or the Microsoft Store before there’s any chance of Xbox Game Pass or PC Game Pass availability, respectively. We know it’s coming to Xbox eventually — Game Science said in a preorder FAQ that the Xbox version was delayed for optimization, though rumors and a statement from Microsoft suggest there might be an exclusivity deal with Sony in place — but there’s been no official word about a Microsoft Store edition.
It’s worth noting that if Black Myth: Wukong does end up releasing on both platforms, you’ll be able to play it on both through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The ultimate tier of the service would also give you the option of playing it on mobile and other devices through Xbox Cloud Gaming, provided you’ve got a stable internet connection.
Black Myth: Wukong is one of the biggest upcoming games of 2024, and has the potential to be one of the best PC games and best Xbox games (whenever it does finally come to Microsoft’s consoles). It’s scheduled to launch on Steam, the Epic Games Store, WeGame, and PS5 on August 20, 2024, and preorders for it are live now.
