Xbox Game Pass Is Getting a 10/10 Free Game in October, But There’s a Catch

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A much-awaited game from a popular series will be available in October, but there’s a significant drawback for fans, particularly those who are already playing on Xbox.

Despite recent layoffs and price increases for Xbox consoles – leading some to believe the brand is struggling – Game Pass has seen significant success this year. Several highly anticipated 2025 releases, such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Hollow Knight: Silksong, were available on Game Pass from day one.

Xbox Game Pass Is Adding Ninja Gaiden 4 in October

On October 21, 2025, Xbox Game Pass is adding Ninja Gaiden 4 as a day-one release. Throughout its history, the Ninja Gaiden series has created some truly outstanding action games, starting with the very first game in arcades. The original is a classic, and subsequent games in the series are ideal for players who enjoy a difficult but rewarding experience.

What makes Ninja Gaiden 4 particularly interesting is that it’s being created jointly by Team Ninja and PlatinumGames – two of the most well-known and respected developers in the action game world. These studios are behind iconic games like Bayonetta, Nier: Automata, and the Nioh series. Because of the impressive history and talent of these developers, anticipation for the next Ninja Gaiden game is incredibly high.

Featuring a new main character named Yakumo, Ninja Gaiden 4 is adopting a combat style similar to Metal Gear Rising, heavily relying on parrying to defeat enemies as you battle through hordes of demons and soldiers. The trailers released for Ninja Gaiden 4 have been fantastic, making it a game to watch out for in what’s already shaping up to be a great year for gaming.

All Is Not Well For Ninja Gaiden On Game Pass

As a big fan, I was excited to hear Ninja Gaiden 4 is coming to Xbox Game Pass in October, but there’s a pretty big catch. It looks like a bunch of other games in the series are actually *leaving* Game Pass right around the same time. People over on the Xbox Game Pass Reddit page have confirmed that three Ninja Gaiden titles will be removed on September 30, 2025. It’s a little disappointing, to be honest, because I was hoping to play through the whole series without having to rebuy them!

The following games will soon be removed: Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge. They are all fantastic games-though quite challenging-and it’s disappointing to see them leave Xbox Game Pass right before the new installment is released. It would have been logical to keep them available leading up to the launch of Ninja Gaiden 4, allowing players to familiarize themselves with the series.

We hope this change isn’t forever, and that players will be eager to return after getting a feel for the challenging gameplay of ninjutsu in the current version, allowing them to fully enjoy Ryu’s story. Microsoft has also assured us that there are many more games coming soon, so hopefully, we can look forward to a lot of new content.

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2025-10-01 06:41