BT has apologised after it emerged that some broadband customers are being charged for Xbox Game Pass subscriptions without their knowledge.
17.01.2024 - 13:38 / screenrant.com / Xbox Game Pass / Ben Brosofsky / Xbox Game
Xbox Game Pass is known for its continually expanding library of games, but along with the frequent additions to the subscription service, it does occasionally lose some titles as well. Games that are set to be removed are usually announced alongside additions, so it's often easy to prepare for the changes coming in a month ahead of time. Even with an active subscription, games can't be played after they leave the service, so having enough heads-up for a decent window to play the game tends to ease a lot of potential frustration.
Although the announcement of games coming to Xbox Game Pass in January gave advance notice for titles departing on January 5 and 15, no losses in the lineup were initially confirmed for the rest of the month. As officially revealed through the Xbox Wire blog, however, is leaving Xbox Game Pass on January 31 after roughly a year of availability via the service. Although this is technically just a single title being removed, anyone wanting to play through it in advance might need to carve out an impressive chunk of spare time.
Although the title doesn't offer much clarity on what's included, is actually a package that includes the campaigns from all three modern games. This is an especially convenient way to enjoy the adventures of master assassin Agent 47, especially considering the fact that the first game in the trilogy was originally drip-fed as an episodic release. Outside of Xbox Game Pass, the full bundle can be purchased for a fairly standard price of $69.99, and the older standalone releases of and are no longer available digitally.
For many fans, the trilogy included in was a return to form after the more linear experience of, and its sandbox nature gives it an absurd amount of replayability that makes its removal from Xbox Game Pass especially unfortunate. Agent 47 has the freedom to eliminate targets through a wide variety of methods, from simple silenced pistol shots to much sillier techniques. A free DLC added a roguelite mode to the game in 2023, forcing improvisation and making things feel new even for veteran players.
There are enough new games coming to Xbox Game Pass to ease the sting of losing, but it's still a regrettable departure for the service. Even subscribers who don't have time to play through the trilogy before it leaves could benefit from checking out a level or two, as long as stepping into the shoes of an unfeeling killer sounds appealing. A new Xbox Developer_Direct on January 18 is likely to reveal some upcoming games and news that could further soften the blow, although January 31 will still be a sad day for Xbox Game Pass with the departure of
Xbox Wire
BT has apologised after it emerged that some broadband customers are being charged for Xbox Game Pass subscriptions without their knowledge.
As part of major changes to Apple’s App Store policies to comply with EU regulations, the company has also announced that game streaming apps are now to be accepted on the App Store for the first time. This opens the door for Xbox Game Pass, GeForce Now, PlayStation Plus, Amazon Luna and other game streaming subscriptions to have dedicated apps on iPhone and iPad – they were previously only accessible via built-in web browsers.
The January 25 Xbox Game Pass update is adding a new day-one title in the form of Go Mecha Ball. This hectic indie release promises to add to the already sizable collection of high-quality roguelike games on Xbox Game Pass.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate added additional perks for subscribers to redeem. The perks cover a wide variety of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate titles, so users should consider checking them out to see if any of their favorite games are included.
The multiplayer monster-collecting game Palworld is now available on Xbox Game Pass in early access. Developed and published by Pocketpair, the game is available to play on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, as well as PC via Game Pass and Steam. Palworld has been dubbed “Pokemon with guns” by the developer and offers players the chance to fight and team up with creatures called Pals, while also crafting and exploring the game's vast open world and dungeons.
The recent Xbox Developer Direct has confirmed previous leaks that Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is launching for PC and Xbox Series X/S on Tuesday, May 21 as a day one Xbox Game Pass game. The original Hellblade is a critically-acclaimed, award-winning game, and so expectations are high for Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2.
Xbox Game Pass growth is slowing down, a newly emerged analyst report suggests. This bit of unofficial insight into the popular service could help explain why there are currently no up-to-date Xbox Game Pass subscriber figures to speak of.
Based on a recent series of tweets from Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke, it doesn't sound like Baldur's Gate 3 will be coming to any subscription service like PS Plus or Xbox Game Pass anytime soon. Vincke's discussion comes shortly after discourse surrounding a Ubisoft CEO saying fans should get used to not owning their games was shared in many online circles; in short, it seems Vincke wholeheartedly disagrees.
The talk of video game subscription services has come from many different places over the last week or so. You might remember an article we wrote yesterday about statements Ubisoft made about gaming subscription services in the wake of their upcoming Ubisoft+ service. But the “king” of such services is easily the Xbox Game Pass. The point of the service is to make scores of games available to players for just $10 a month. Plus, some games will be “day one releases” of significant gaming titles. Microsoft has been quick to tout the success of their service, but how well is it really doing?
The January 18 Xbox Game Pass update will introduce two additional games to the service: F1 23 and Turnip Boy Robs a Bank. These releases mark the second expansion of Microsoft's subscription catalog since the turn of the week, arriving just two days after Xbox Game Pass added two acclaimed horror games in the form of Those Who Remain and the Resident Evil 2 remake.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is coming to Xbox Game Pass on Thursday, September 5, 2024 as a day one game. STALKER fans have well over a decade to get their hands on STALKER 2. Unfortunately, the ambitious first-person shooter has been delayed multiple times, with this latest delay seeing it pushed out of its previously-announced Q1 2024 release window.
Xbox Game Pass has been busy this week, adding two new games on January 16, revealing new games coming later this month and in February, and also confirming a new day-one Xbox Game Pass title for some time this year: Frostpunk 2. This highly anticipated sequel follows the original apocalyptic survival city-builder game and asks a dangerous question in a frozen wasteland: what's next? The biggest external threats are gone, and only internal ones remain.