If you're asking is Elden Ring on Game Pass, here's the quick answer: no, and that is still true across the board in 2026. That means the base game, the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, and the standalone co-op spin-off Elden Ring Nightreign are all missing from Microsoft's subscription lineup. Whether you use Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, or the standard console tier, you still need to buy each part of the Elden Ring lineup separately.

Is Elden Ring on Game Pass Right Now

Right now, Elden Ring is not on Game Pass. A check against official Xbox Wire Game Pass announcements through April 2026 shows no sign of it at all — not as a day-one release, not as a late catalog addition, and not even as one of those quiet drops that sometimes appear between bigger waves.

That matters more than it might seem. When Microsoft locks in a Game Pass deal for a major title, it usually gets announced clearly and well in advance. In Elden Ring's case, both Xbox and Bandai Namco have stayed completely silent, and honestly, that silence says a lot.

You can verify the same thing yourself through the Xbox Game Pass app or the Microsoft Store. Elden Ring is listed as a normal premium purchase, not a subscription perk. There is no trial tag, no coming-soon note, and nothing suggesting a catalog launch is around the corner.

If you're checking availability, it's best to stick with official sources:

• Xbox Wire

• The Xbox Game Pass app

• Bandai Namco's official channels

Anything else is mostly speculation unless those sources say otherwise.

Elden Ring Game Pass Availability Breakdown

The question gets a little more specific once you split the Elden Ring lineup into individual releases. As of mid-2026, the status is pretty straightforward across every version.

Title	Xbox Console Game Pass	PC Game Pass	Cloud Streaming
Elden Ring (base game)	Not available	Not available	Not available
Shadow of the Erdtree DLC	Not available	Not available	Not available
Elden Ring Nightreign	Not available	Not available	Not available

The base game launched back in February 2022 and has never entered the Game Pass library on Xbox or PC. That has not changed.

Shadow of the Erdtree followed the exact same pattern. The DLC launched in June 2024 at $39.99 as a paid expansion, and while it has shown up in seasonal discounts — including the Xbox Spring Sale 2026 — it has never been folded into Game Pass.

The same goes for Elden Ring Nightreign. The three-player co-op roguelike spin-off released in May 2025 and skipped the subscription route entirely. There is no real Xbox-versus-PC split here either; both platforms are equally locked out.

Why Elden Ring Is Not on Game Pass

To understand why Elden Ring is still missing, it helps to look at FromSoftware's broader track record. None of the studio's major games have landed on Xbox Game Pass. That includes Demon's Souls, the Dark Souls trilogy, Bloodborne on PlayStation, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Armored Core VI. So this is not some weird one-off situation. It's a pattern.

A big part of that comes down to Bandai Namco's publishing approach. The company has generally favored premium sales over subscription placement, especially for games with strong long-tail demand. Elden Ring is exactly that kind of game. It sold massively at launch, kept moving copies well after release, and then got another major boost from Shadow of the Erdtree.

There is also the simple money side of it. Microsoft usually pays for Game Pass additions through licensing fees or revenue-sharing agreements. For a game that still sells near full price in many regions and continues to generate DLC revenue, putting it into a subscription service just does not make much business sense yet.

And Elden Ring is still very much alive in the wider gaming conversation. Between ongoing community interest, more FromSoftware-related content, and the planned A24 film adaptation directed by Alex Garland, the franchise has not really cooled off in the way older Game Pass additions often do. Because of that, the odds of a surprise drop in 2026 look extremely low. No leaks, no partner hints, no Xbox Wire preview — nothing official has pointed in that direction.

Best Ways to Play Elden Ring Without Game Pass

If you're tired of waiting for a Game Pass version that may never happen, the simplest move is just buying the game outright through the Xbox Store or an authorized key seller. During the Xbox Spring Sale 2026, the base game dropped by 35%, landing at roughly $38.99 / £32.49. That's a much better entry point than paying full retail.

For the DLC, prices have softened too. Shadow of the Erdtree has gone as low as around $29.51 through authorized marketplaces, which is a decent cut from its original $39.99 launch price.

If you do not own anything yet, the best-value route is usually the Elden Ring + Shadow of the Erdtree bundle. It combines the base game and expansion in one purchase, and it tends to show up during major Xbox sales like:

1. Spring Sale

2. Summer Sale

3. Black Friday

Physical copies are still worth considering as well, especially on Xbox One and Xbox Series X. Secondhand retail prices can be very competitive. That said, digital is more convenient if you want instant access and do not want to deal with discs.

If you already own the base game, waiting on the DLC sale is usually the smarter play. Shadow of the Erdtree has steadily become cheaper since June 2024, and major sale windows often bring it into the $25–$30 range. On top of that, Game Pass Ultimate members can sometimes stack Microsoft's member purchase discount with sale pricing, which helps cut the cost a bit further.

Elden Ring Alternatives on Game Pass

Even though the answer to is Elden Ring on Game Pass is still no, there are a few solid alternatives in the library if you want something with a similar feel.

Lords of the Fallen is probably the closest direct Soulslike option for many subscribers. It keeps the deliberate stamina-based combat, tough boss fights, and layered world design, but adds its own twist with the dual-realm system between the living world and Umbral. If you're looking for a warm-up before tackling something like Nightreign, this is a pretty reasonable pick.

For players more interested in co-op action RPGs, Deep Rock Galactic and Remnant II are both worth a look. They are not one-to-one Elden Ring replacements, obviously, but they do scratch some of the same buildcraft and teamwork itch.

• Deep Rock Galactic leans harder into co-op coordination and replayable runs

• Remnant II offers stronger boss-focused progression and randomized elements

• Remnant II especially feels relevant if you're curious about Nightreign's run-based structure

Another strong option is Hades II, which joined Xbox Game Pass in April 2026. It is not a Soulslike, but it absolutely works as a skill-builder. The game pushes quick reactions, repeated mastery, and flexible build choices in a way that can genuinely help if you're trying to sharpen up before a harder action RPG. For newer players, it is also a much friendlier on-ramp than jumping straight into Nightreign's punishing format.

Elden Ring Game Pass FAQ

PC Game Pass

On PC, Elden Ring is not included with PC Game Pass. The native PC version is sold through Steam, and you cannot unlock it through the Xbox app just by subscribing.

There is no cloud workaround either. Since Elden Ring is not part of Xbox Cloud Gaming through Game Pass, you cannot stream it to PC the way some players do with certain console titles. In other words, if you want to play on PC, you need to buy the game normally.

A couple of important limitations are worth keeping in mind:

• Steam saves do not transfer to Xbox

• Xbox saves do not transfer to Steam

• Game Pass does not provide a hidden PC version

• Cloud streaming is not available for Elden Ring through Game Pass

So if you buy on Steam, your progress stays on Steam.

Xbox Game Pass

On Xbox, some of the confusion usually comes from the difference between Game Pass Ultimate and Game Pass Standard. Players sometimes assume one of those tiers might include Elden Ring through a limited event or special access window. That has not happened.

One thing people often bring up is Free Play Days. That program is separate from the normal Game Pass catalog and gives temporary access to selected games over a weekend or short event period. As of 2026, Elden Ring has not appeared in a Free Play Days lineup either.

If you're watching for a future change, these are the signals that actually matter:

Signal to Watch	Why It Matters
Xbox Wire announcement	This is where major Game Pass additions are officially confirmed
Bandai Namco press release	Would confirm a licensing or subscription deal from the publisher side
Verified industry leak	Sometimes reveals deals before public rollout, but only if the source is credible

Without one of those showing up, you should assume Elden Ring's Game Pass status is staying exactly where it is.

Conclusion

As of 2026, the answer is still clear: Elden Ring is not on Game Pass, and neither are Shadow of the Erdtree or Elden Ring Nightreign. That applies across Xbox console, PC Game Pass, and cloud streaming.

FromSoftware's history, Bandai Namco's premium-first strategy, and Elden Ring's continued sales momentum all point in the same direction. A near-term Game Pass release looks very unlikely. If you want to play now, the best route is usually grabbing the base game or the bundle during a major Xbox sale. If you'd rather wait and keep an eye on things, stick to Xbox Wire and Bandai Namco's official updates. For now, though, Elden Ring remains a buy-to-play title — plain and simple.