Ethan Crossfield 
If you want a new open-world survival-crafting game to play right away, Xbox Game Pass has you covered: The Planet Crafter arrives as a day-one download for subscribers. It’s a combat-free planet-building experience that’s already proven popular on Steam, and the timing also matters because several other Game Pass favorites leave on July 31.
What’s new on Xbox Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass subscribers can now download The Planet Crafter as a day-one addition. The game is positioned as an open-world survival-crafting title where the player doesn’t just survive on a hostile world—your goal is to reshape it. After crash-landing on a dangerous alien planet, you gather resources, establish and expand a base, create machines, and gradually transform the environment until it can support life.
What sets it apart is the focus on exploration and progression rather than fighting. The Planet Crafter has no combat, and the gameplay loop centers on evolving the planet through systems like oxygen levels, temperature, water, and new ecosystems. The result is a slower, more relaxed approach to open-world survival that still offers long-term objectives and meaningful world change.
In terms of where players can find it, the source indicates it’s available on Xbox Series X/S via Xbox Game Pass and also coming to PS5.
Who should play it (and why it’s getting attention)
The Planet Crafter has already built a strong reputation on Steam, where it sits at an “Overwhelmingly Positive” level with 36,000 reviews. The source also frames the overall reception as a practical 10/10 for most players, noting that while there are some minor nitpicks, they don’t meaningfully damage the experience.
Fans on Steam particularly value the relaxing gameplay loop, basebuilding, the lack of combat, and the exploration-forward design. Automation is another point of praise, with players enjoying how systems and machines support your planet transformation over time.
If you’re used to open-world survival games built around combat or “checklist” tasks, this is a different angle: fewer traditional open-world underpinnings, more freedom, and a unique premise that puts you in charge of a planet’s future rather than just collecting resources for yourself.
What comes next for Game Pass subscribers
For subscribers, the practical takeaway is simple: you can try The Planet Crafter at no additional cost beyond your subscription. The catch with any Game Pass library is retention—games can be removed periodically, and the source flags that you shouldn’t wait too long even if there’s time now.
The next scheduled removals on Xbox Game Pass are set for July 31. On that date, subscribers lose Celeste, Crusader Kings 3, Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord, Rain World, and Sniper Elite: Resistance. Some of these titles have been on the service for years, while one is described as having a shorter stint, but the message is the same: if you’ve been meaning to play any of them, plan ahead.
Meanwhile, The Planet Crafter’s arrival gives subscribers a fresh open-world option—especially for players who want a survival-crafting experience without combat and with a clear, evolving world goal.
What players should know
- The Planet Crafter is a day-one Xbox Game Pass addition, available on Xbox Series X/S via the subscription.
- The game is open-world survival-crafting with no combat—exploration and progression drive the experience.
- Your main objective is to transform a barren alien planet using systems like oxygen, temperature, water, and ecosystems.
- Steam reception is strong: 36,000 reviews at an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating (per the source).
- Game Pass removals are scheduled for July 31, including Celeste, Crusader Kings 3, Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord, Rain World, and Sniper Elite: Resistance.
Expert View
The Planet Crafter looks like a smart Game Pass pick for players who want the satisfaction of survival-crafting and basebuilding without the friction of combat. Its Steam track record suggests it delivers a genuinely engaging loop—especially through world evolution and automation. The only real “wait-and-see” point is how it ultimately lands on each console platform, but based on the design pitch and Steam momentum, it’s a strong candidate for your next download.
