FM27's Launch Preview opens at 2 PM ET today on PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate, and Witchbrook, Tanuki: Pon's Summer and Dumpster Gang all have locked-in Game Pass dates. Here's your calendar.
Game Pass had a busy couple of days. SEGA’s Football Manager 27 opens its Launch Preview today, and the October Nintendo Indie World show gave real dates to three games already lined up for Game Pass day one. Here’s every date, platform and price in one place.
Football Manager 27: play it free starting today
The FM27 Launch Preview is free to play on PC and Mac from today, October 29 at 2 PM ET (6 PM GMT) until November 3 at 1 PM ET (6 PM GMT), per Sports Interactive.
What you need to know:
- Where: Steam, Epic Games Store, the Microsoft Store, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. On Game Pass, the Launch Preview is only for Ultimate and PC Game Pass members.
- No sign-up: every game mode is available. Just download it.
- How to find it on Xbox PC: Sports Interactive says that on any Microsoft platform, the “Launch Preview” option is on the FM27 store page, in the section where add-ons and extra purchases show up. It may take a few minutes after 2 PM ET for store pages to update, and signing out and back in can help, per the SI community post.
- Your save carries over: saves from the free period continue into the paid Launch Preview and the full game. If you’re on Game Pass, you keep going through your subscription.
- Full launch: November 10.
- Price if you buy: $59.99 (£49.99, €59.99), with 10% off if you pre-purchase on Steam, Epic or the Microsoft Store during the free window, per the Steam FAQ. Buying keeps your Launch Preview access going from November 3 until launch.
- Console: no pre-purchase for the console version, but you can wishlist it starting today.
SEGA calls a fully free play window for a yearly game “believed to be an industry first,” per its press release. The Launch Preview replaces what used to be called Beta or Advanced Access, and some licensed club and player assets may be missing in this build.
Three Game Pass day one games get dates
All three were shown at Nintendo’s October Indie World, and Pure Xbox rounded up the Game Pass side.
Tanuki: Pon’s Summer: November 10, 2026
- A cozy delivery game: you play Pon, a laid-back tanuki with a part-time Post Office job, delivering packages around a fictional Japanese island on a BMX to fix up the shrine before the summer festival.
- Coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC, per the Xbox Store listing cited by eXputer. Already announced for Game Pass.
Dumpster Gang: December 3 on PC, March 2027 on console
- A 1 to 4 player co-op sandbox where you play a gang of raccoons, steal junk, raid snacks, rescue captured teammates and dodge an Exterminator.
- PC: December 3, 2026 on Steam, Xbox on PC and PC Game Pass.
- Console: Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Game Pass in March 2027, per the official trailer description.
- Try it now: a demo is out on Steam and Xbox on PC.
Football Manager 27 Is Free to Play Starting Today, and Three Game Pass Day One Games Just Got DatesWitchbrook: January 28, 2027
- Chucklefish’s long-awaited witch life sim, first revealed back in 2018. You enroll at Witchbrook College in the seaside city of Mossport, with online co-op for up to 4 players.
- Platforms: PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, plus Nintendo platforms, all on day one, per Chucklefish.
- Game Pass: day one, per Pure Xbox and eXputer.
- Price: $24.99 at launch. A physical Standard and Collector’s Edition is in the works and will come a little after the digital release.
- What’s new in the trailer: the ghostly Chancellor (nicknamed “The Deadmaster” by students), spellcasting, studying, potion-making, tarot, and a new gothy covenmate, Kiara Chandra.
Football Manager 27 Is Free to Play Starting Today, and Three Game Pass Day One Games Just Got DatesChucklefish’s note to fans: “Thank you for all of your support and patience, especially within the last year, while we took the additional time to make a game we’re truly proud of.”
More Xbox games from the same show
Pure Xbox counted 12 Xbox games in Indie World. A few worth circling:
- Sword of the Sea: from the artist behind ABZÛ, The Pathless and Journey. Surf sand and water on a Hoversword. Out today, October 29.
- Threads of Time: an era-hopping, turn-based RPG inspired by the classics. Summer 2027.
- Super Battle Golf: 1 to 8 player online golf where everybody plays at once. March 25, 2027.
- Raccoin: Chaos Max Edition: a coin-pusher roguelike deckbuilder. November 10, 2026.
- Everything Is Crab: an animal evolution roguelite with 125+ evolutions. January 26, 2027.
OnPoint’s take: FM27 letting you play the whole thing free for five days is a big deal, and Game Pass members get the best version of the deal because the save just keeps going through your sub. No buying, no restarting. That’s the Game Pass value pitch in one sentence. On the indie side, these are not “Xbox maybe someday” games. Witchbrook, Tanuki and Dumpster Gang are all day one on Game Pass, and people have been waiting on Witchbrook since its 2018 reveal. Indies aren’t always my thing, but a co-op raccoon heist game on PC Game Pass in December? I’m in. Join this side or just go ahead and subscribe to Game Pass.
Sources
- Sports Interactive: Play Football Manager 27 Launch Preview for Free
- SEGA press release: Play Football Manager 27 for Free (Oct 21, 2026)
- Steam: FM27 Launch Preview FAQ
- Sports Interactive Community: Preparing for the FM27 Free Play Launch Preview
- SEGA on X: FM27 free preview
- Chucklefish: Witchbrook Release Date Announcement (Oct 27, 2026)
- Pure Xbox: Three Xbox Game Pass Release Dates Revealed At October’s Nintendo Indie World Showcase
- Pure Xbox: 12 Upcoming Xbox Titles Get New Announcements Following Latest Nintendo Event
- eXputer: Xbox Game Pass Dates Set for Witchbrook, Tanuki: Pon’s Summer and Dumpster Gang
- IGN: Dumpster Gang Official Console Announcement Trailer
Image: SEGA / Sports Interactive, Chucklefish, Curve Games
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