The next batch of video games will be leavingXbox Game Passtoday. But not as many as initially anticipated, as bothDishonored 2andPanzer Dragoon Ortawill remain onXbox Game Pass.
Four games will leave theXbox Game Pass subscriptiontoday, meaning they will no longer be free to play with a subscription.Yooka-Laylee,theBanjo-Kazooie-like platformer andWesterado: Double Barreled, the stylistic action-adventure title will be leaving the Xbox today. Additionally,Bad North, the real-time-strategy, and DiRT 2 are leaving both Xbox and PC. For those who have been enjoying any of the games and would like to continue playing them once they leave Game Pass, purchasing the game at a 20% discount is possible until the end of the day.
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The games staying on the service are just as interesting as the ones that are not.Dishonored 2, specifically, is intriguing as it may be the first example of Microsoft taking action in regards to its$7.5 billion purchase of ZeniMax Studios/Bethesda. As the dust is settling on the monumental acquisition, Xbox is certainly putting plans in place as to how it will be handling the Bethesda games moving forward. WithDishonored 2now being a game that Xbox owns, and Game Pass being a service that is supposed to house all first-party software, it makes perfect sense for the stealth and action-adventure game to remain on Game Pass.
As far as titles that are being added to the service,Brutal Legend(which stars Jack Black) and id Software’sDoom Eternalare coming to Xbox Game Passin October. Of courseDoom Eternalis also under the Bethesda Umbrella, and therefore owned by Microsoft.
Xbox is seemingly juggling its new software and IP behind the scenes after the huge acquisition. On one end,Microsoft will still honor the timed-exclusivity of Bethesda games on the PS5, such asDeathloop. On the other end, adding as many Bethesda titles to Xbox Game Pass will add to the value of the service, and provide evidence as to why Xbox fans should be so excited about the purchase of Bethesda.
Some aspects of Xbox Game Pass are up in the air, including the fact thatxCloud and Game Pass may be coming to iOSand other screens soon. For now, players can look forward to Bethesda games on the service, and the fact thatDoom Eternalwas added andDishonored 2has remained is step one in that process.
