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| Vampire Crawlers and Kiln will be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one. |
If you’re an Xbox Game Pass subscriber, you’ve learned to expect the unexpected. Just when you think you’ve got your backlog under control, Microsoft drops another batch of games to keep you glued to your controller. The week of April 20 through April 26 is no exception. While four titles are arriving across various tiers, two of them are genuine day-one releases that deserve a spot on your radar.
Let’s break down everything coming to Game Pass (Ultimate and PC Game Pass, mostly) and why one of these new arrivals might just surprise fans of a certain indie phenomenon.
What’s Coming to Xbox Game Pass Between April 20 and 26?
First, the logistics. Between April 20 and 26, subscribers can expect four new additions. Two of these aren’t entirely fresh faces – they’ve been available in other Game Pass tiers and are now making their way to the higher-tier subscription. Those are Little Rocket Lab and Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato, both previously included in Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Think of them as the welcome wagon for anyone who missed them the first time around.
But let’s be honest – the real excitement revolves around the other two titles. These are brand-new releases arriving on Game Pass from day one. And they couldn’t be more different from each other.
Vampire Crawlers (April 21) – Turn-Based, Deck-Building, and Nothing Like Vampire Survivors
The standout of next week’s lineup is almost certainly Vampire Crawlers, launching on April 21. Why the buzz? Because it comes from poncle, the studio behind Vampire Survivors – a game many players still consider one of the best roguelikes ever made. If you’re expecting more of that fast-paced, bullet-hell auto-shooter chaos, however, you’re in for a surprise.
Vampire Crawlers goes in a completely different direction. This is a turn-based roguelite with deck-building mechanics. You explore dungeons from a first-person perspective, carefully building a deck of attacks and abilities as you go. Each run challenges you to find increasingly powerful card synergies, manage resources, and survive encounters that demand strategy over reflexes.
Think Slay the Spire meets old-school dungeon crawling, wrapped in poncle’s signature dark-humored aesthetic. For Game Pass subscribers, this is a no-brainer to at least try – especially if you love games that reward careful planning and replayability. Vampire Crawlers will be available through Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass from day one.
Kiln (April 23) – Potter’s Wheel Meets Multiplayer Chaos
Just two days later, on April 23, another day-one release arrives – and it’s built around one of the most unusual concepts I’ve seen in a while. Kiln somehow combines crafting and brawler elements in a way that immediately makes you do a double-take.
Here’s the pitch: one moment, you’re calmly shaping ceramic creations at a potter’s wheel. The next, those handmade clay bodies are flying across an arena in frantic, physics-driven multiplayer battles. It’s part art simulator, part chaotic party fighter. You craft your own weapons (or projectiles, or shields) from clay, then test them against other players in ridiculous combat.
Kiln feels like the kind of game that was born from a late-night “what if?” conversation, and honestly? That’s refreshing. It will also be available through Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. If you can’t wait and want to own it outright, Kiln can already be pre-ordered on Steam with a 10% discount, dropping the price from $20 to $18.
The Rest: Little Rocket Lab and Sopa Join the Higher Tier
For those keeping score at home, Little Rocket Lab and Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato round out the week’s additions. Both are solid indie titles that previously required Ultimate or PC Game Pass access. Now they’re being added to the higher-tier subscription (likely Game Pass Standard or Core, depending on your region), meaning a wider audience can finally jump in.
Little Rocket Lab is a cozy automation puzzle game about building rockets. Sopa is a narrative-driven adventure with hand-painted visuals and a touching story about family and memory. Neither is a day-one blockbuster, but both are well worth your time if you missed them earlier.
As confirmed in the official announcement from Xbox, this lineup is part of the first wave of April 2026 additions. You can read the full details here: Xbox Game Pass April 2026 Wave 1
Which One Should You Play First?
That depends on your mood. If you want a thoughtful, turn-based dungeon crawler that rewards careful deck-building and has the pedigree of Vampire Survivors behind it, Vampire Crawlers is the obvious choice. It drops on April 21, so mark your calendar.
If you’re looking for something utterly weird, wonderfully creative, and best played with friends, Kiln (April 23) is your game. There’s nothing else quite like throwing a handmade ceramic golem at your buddy’s face after lovingly sculpting it for five minutes.
And if you’ve already played Little Rocket Lab or Sopa? Well, you can still be happy that more Game Pass subscribers will finally get to experience them.
Final Thoughts
The week of April 20-26 isn’t the biggest Game Pass drop of the year, but it’s a fascinating one. Two day-one indies from wildly different corners of the design spectrum, plus two former exclusives opening up to new audiences. That’s the beauty of Game Pass – you get to take risks on games like Vampire Crawlers and Kiln without paying a cent beyond your subscription.
So clear some hard drive space, charge your controller, and get ready for a week of clay-flinging, card-slinging action. And don’t forget to check the official Xbox announcement (linked above) for any last-minute additions or changes.
Happy gaming.