Xbox Game Pass Expands In March With Control And SpongeBob

The first wave of Xbox Game Pass titles for March have been finalized, and this month, subscribers can look forward to a whole lot of action. Following hot on the undead heels of Dead Island 2’s surprise arrival last month is Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun. Set in the grim–and dark!–universe of constant conflict across the stars, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a charming throwback to ’90s first-person shooters. Inspired by the games of yesteryear, this boomer-shooter expertly combines the fast pace of those classics with an arsenal of brutal Space Marine weaponry.

Arriving on March 7 is PAW Patrol World, a 3D adventure game starring the lovable pooches as they take on a series of missions, and for more kid-friendly entertainment, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated joins the Game Pass library on March 12. It’s up to SpongeBob, Patrick, and Sandy to save the day when Plankton unleashes an army of robots on Bikini Bottom, and you can expect to hear all the original voice actors from the animated series in this remake of the 2003 game. Just don’t expect it to be a good remake, as even with a new coat of paint, Battle for Bikini Bottom has not aged well.

On March 13 you can pay a visit to the Oldest House in Control. Originally released in 2019, Control has held up pretty well and is a compact package of action, mystery, and spooky vibes. This will be the Ultimate Edition version of the game, so you’ll be able to experience both the original story and DLC expansions in their current-gen upgraded glory.

Another big release this month is No More Heroes 3, as it’ll be available on Game Pass starting March 14. Once again starring otaku assassin Travis Touchdown, No More Heroes 3 pits the almost unstoppable killer against 10 of the deadliest fighters in the galaxy. It’s not quite as good as the previous games in the series, but No More Heroes 3 is still memorable for its general weirdness.

For something cozier, Lightyear Frontier will launch in Xbox Game Preview on March 19. First revealed in 2021, this game is essentially Stardew Valley with mechs as you’ll build your sustainable exofarm, grow alien crops, and keep your mechanized suit in tip-top farming condition. Finally, MLB The Show 24 will be a day-one release on Xbox Game Pass, also on March 19. In addition to all the new content included in this year’s release like Road to the Show: Women Pave Their Way and new Negro Leagues stories, Game Pass members can get up to four days early access and bonus content by purchasing the digital deluxe add-on bundle.

Toward the end of March, Game Pass subscribers can look forward to a very big release when Diablo 4 arrives on the service on March 28. As for the games exiting Game Pass this month, there’ll be three departures on March 15 to make space for the new arrivals.

Game Pass March 2024 wave 1 additions

Available now

• Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (Cloud, Console, and PC)

March 7

• PAW Patrol World (Cloud, Console, and PC)

March 12

• SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated (Cloud, Console, and PC)

March 13

• Control Ultimate Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC)

March 14

• No More Heroes 3 (Cloud, Console, and PC)

March 19

• Lightyear Frontier (Game Preview) (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
• MLB The Show 24 (Cloud and Console)