Xbox lineup Oct. 26-30: The Séance of Blake Manor, Mouthwashing

Xbox players have a full week of new games ahead. Xbox Wire's weekly preview, posted Oct. 23, names the titles headed to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC and Game Pass from Oct. 26 through Oct. 30.

The list mixes subscription additions with paid releases. Three games land on Game Pass during the week, while the horror title Mouthwashing and a remaster of The Wolf Among Us arrive Thursday.

Key facts

• Scramble Knights Online enters Game Preview on Game Pass on Oct. 26.
• The Séance of Blake Manor, published by Raw Fury, comes to Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere on Oct. 27.
• Terrible Lizards is added to Game Pass on Oct. 29.
• Mouthwashing, from Critical Reflex, launches Oct. 29 and sells for $12.99 as a pre-order.
• Xbox Wire warns that any of the listed release dates could still shift.

Background

Xbox Wire publishes a "Next Week on Xbox" roundup to show which games are coming across the company's consoles, its PC app and its subscription service. The post for this week was published on Oct. 23 and covers Oct. 26 to 30. It does not give a single total count of games, so this story focuses on the titles it names.

The week opens on Monday. Scramble Knights Online starts in Game Preview on Game Pass on Oct. 26.

Tuesday is one of the busier days. The Séance of Blake Manor from Raw Fury arrives on Oct. 27, and Xbox Wire lists it for both Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere. The same day, Dog Man: Bark in Action and Remothered: Red Nun's Legacy are also scheduled.

On Oct.

Thursday is the headline day for many players. Mouthwashing, a first-person horror game from Critical Reflex, launches Oct. 29. Its pre-order listing shows a price of $12.99. Also on Thursday, Telltale's The Wolf Among Us Remastered arrives. The game is a noir thriller drawn from DC's Fables comics, now reissued in a remastered form. Terrible Lizards joins Game Pass the same day.

The week closes on Friday. Queen's Domain and Corner Shop: NightShift are among the games listed for Oct. 30.

The weekly list lands at a time of change for Xbox. Asha Sharma became Xbox CEO in February, and Engadget reports the division has since seen layoffs and studio sales.

What it means for you

If you already pay for Game Pass, three of this week's titles come at no extra cost within the service, based on Xbox Wire's listing for Scramble Knights Online, The Séance of Blake Manor and Terrible Lizards. That makes the week a low-risk time to try something new, especially an early-access game in Game Preview.

If you do not subscribe, it may help to compare the plans before buying games one at a time. Engadget reports that Game Pass Ultimate costs $23 a month. That tier includes more than 500 games, day-one releases and up to 15 hours of game streaming, according to Engadget.

There are cheaper tiers, too. Engadget lists Game Pass Premium at $15 a month with a library of over 200 games. The Essential plan costs $10 a month and covers over 50 games, Engadget says.

PC players have a separate option. According to Engadget, PC Game Pass is $14 a month and offers more than 300 PC games, plus day-one releases and EA Play.

Horror fans have two clear picks this week. Remothered: Red Nun's Legacy is listed for Oct. 27. Fans of noir mysteries can pick up The Wolf Among Us Remastered from Telltale on Oct. 29.

Dog Man: Bark in Action is also listed for Oct. 27.

Practical steps

• Check the official Xbox Wire post on the day you plan to play, since the company says release dates may change.
• If you want Mouthwashing on day one, the Xbox Wire listing shows a $12.99 pre-order price.
• Compare your current plan against Engadget's breakdown of Game Pass tiers and prices before you renew or switch.
• If you play on both console and PC, note that The Séance of Blake Manor supports Xbox Play Anywhere.
• If you subscribe, try Scramble Knights Online in Game Preview on Game Pass from Oct. 26.

What happens next

The games roll out day by day across the week. The first is Scramble Knights Online on Oct. 26. Queen's Domain is among the last, on Oct. 30. Dates on the current list are subject to change, so it is worth checking again before launch day.

For now, the current tiers listed by Engadget are the ones that apply. Those run from $10 a month for Essential to $23 a month for Ultimate.

FAQ

Which games join Game Pass this week? Scramble Knights Online joins Game Pass on Oct. 26. The Séance of Blake Manor follows on Oct. 27. Terrible Lizards joins Game Pass on Oct. 29.

How much does Mouthwashing cost? On Oct.

Is The Wolf Among Us Remastered a new story? Xbox Wire describes it as Telltale's remastered noir thriller based on DC's Fables comics, so it is a refreshed version of an existing game.

Can release dates still change? Yes. Xbox Wire notes that the dates in its weekly post are subject to change.

What does Game Pass cost right now? Engadget lists Essential at $10, PC Game Pass at $14, Premium at $15 and Ultimate at $23 a month.