I still remember the crisp November air of 2023, sitting on my couch with a controller in hand, scrolling through the Xbox Game Pass library and feeling that familiar buzz. The service had been on an absolute tear for months—August gave us Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Sea of Stars, and Age of Empires 4; September dropped Starfield and Lies of P; October added Forza Motorsport, Gotham Knights, and Dead Space. It felt like every time I refreshed the dashboard, another gem appeared. But all good things must come to an end, right? Or so I thought. November 2023 was shaping up to be a quieter month, with only seven games confirmed. Was this the brakes finally being applied? I wasn’t so sure.

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Let’s be honest: seven games isn’t nothing, especially when two of them were Persona 5 Tactica and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. As a fan of both JRPGs and Yakuza-style brawlers, I was genuinely excited. Persona 5 Tactica promised a tactical spin on one of my favorite RPGs, and Like a Dragon Gaiden offered that signature blend of crime drama and absurd side activities. Then there was PlateUp!, a chaotic restaurant-management roguelike that looked like it could steal hours of my life. But even with those highlights, I couldn’t shake the feeling that November needed a few more heavy hitters to keep the hot streak alive. What would I have given to see a couple of surprise additions? And more importantly, which games would have been perfect fits?

My mind immediately went to Hogwarts Legacy. The highest-selling game of 2023 so far—and likely to retain that crown by year’s end—it was an absolute dream pick for Game Pass. Yes, the series creator’s controversial politics were a cloud, but her lack of creative involvement gave the game a small degree of separation. And for any Harry Potter fan, the world inside Hogwarts Legacy was worth experiencing. With a Nintendo Switch port slated for that same month, the game was about to be back in the conversation anyway. I remember thinking: why not double down with a Game Pass release? It would have been a megaton drop.

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Then there was RoboCop: Rogue City. I’d just watched the Xbox Partner Preview showcase, and the game looked like an unashamed love letter to 1980s action—tongue-in-cheek satire, over-the-top violence, and clever plays on RPG tropes. The only thing holding it back for me was the lofty price point. Game Pass could have fixed that in an instant. Wouldn’t that have been the ideal candidate for a November surprise? I certainly thought so.

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And what about Dredge? Seven months after its release, people were still talking about it—and for good reason. A cozy fishing game with a gorgeous art style and an eerie Lovecraftian twist, it was front-running for Indie Game of the Year at The Game Awards. It might not have made it to Game Pass in time for Halloween, but November felt like a hopeful window. Plus, it was getting a big DLC expansion that month, so there had never been a better time for Dredge to come to the service. I remember picturing myself sailing into foggy waters, wondering if Game Pass would answer my call.

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Finally, my long-shot wish: Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. Xbox had clearly stated that Activision-Blizzard games wouldn’t be coming to Game Pass too soon, so the chances were very slim. But if any Activision game deserved to break the seal, it was that trilogy. A classic platformer collection that defined a generation? Yes, please. I could almost hear the “Woah!” as I imagined it appearing in the library.

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Now, sitting here in 2026, I look back at that November with a mix of nostalgia and amusement. Game Pass has changed a lot since then—new tiers, new partnerships, and a constant churn of games. But that month taught me something: even a “quieter” wave can be memorable if you find the right games. Persona 5 Tactica and Like a Dragon Gaiden kept me busy, and PlateUp! became a surprise co-op favorite. Did I ever get Hogwarts Legacy or RoboCop on the service? Let’s just say the wishlist remains a fun “what if” for a long-time subscriber. And honestly, isn’t that part of the fun of Game Pass? The endless speculation, the surprise drops, the occasional heartbreak. What would you have added to that November lineup?