I hate the way Game Pass rotates games from their service. Game Pass should be an ever-expanding collection of curated games that become more and more valuable over time, but the value of a subscription is in constant flux as games are added and removed each month. The thought of someone just enjoying a game they paid for with a subscription and then suddenly one day it’s gone scares me. It hasn’t happened to me yet, but eventually has a Game Pass game I’m investing in and I know I’ll be leaving before I get a chance to finish it.
Due to the fact that games can be removed from Game Pass, you should act as if all games will eventually be removed. My favorite games to play on Game Pass are those that can be finished in a few sessions. This is because if you take a break and come back weeks or months later, you don’t have to worry about losing access to those games. Multiplayer games like Darktide and Monster Hunter Rise are purchased on Steam even if they are included in Game Pass. This is because we plan to play it for many years to come and we do not know when it will be removed from the Game Pass library.
We know there are reasons why games can’t stay on Game Pass forever. License agreements for music and other copyrighted material may expire, forcing Microsoft to withdraw the game. Publishers can also make their games available for a limited time for a variety of reasons, such as dealing with other subscription services if their game hits Game Pass, or negotiating with Microsoft. Given how fickle and short-sighted the entire gaming industry is, it’s unrealistic to expect Game Pass games to last forever, but Microsoft wants to do more to take the pain out of subscribers. I can.
Expiration dates shouldn’t be so mysterious. At the beginning of each month, find out which games end. He only has two weeks before those games are gone. To find these games, scroll down halfway through the Game Pass menu and look for the “Leaving Soon” category, which aligns with all the other recommended categories. Xbox and PC let you know when to unsubscribe, but the mobile app doesn’t show an expiration date at all.
From a player’s perspective, there is no rationale or reason for when or why a game leaves Game Pass. He has lost seven games this month. The likes of Panzer Corps 2 and Life is Strange: True Colors are on his Game Pass for a year, while others like Moonglow Bay and The Riftbreaker are available for 18 months. Quantum Break is one of his games coming out in two weeks and has been on Game Pass since 2018. Not only that, it was an Xbox exclusive published by Microsoft. You never know which game will end or when it will happen.
Microsoft needs to be more transparent about how long these games will be available. Every game’s store page should have an expiration date on it, and if the clock is ticking to his last two weeks, rather than being buried in hidden categories, the front page must be prominently displayed on If Game Pass gave you advance notice of when each game would be available, you wouldn’t feel too bad about missing a game.
It’s true that Game Pass adds more games than it takes away, but when it seems like you’re just removing games you like and adding games you don’t need, it starts to feel like your subscription is depreciating in value. It’s possible. Microsoft doesn’t offer any kind of compensation for expired games other than the standard 20% discount you get on all games as a subscriber. Instead, heavy discounts should start in the last two weeks before the game goes out of service. It’s both a way to celebrate your time on Game Pass and a way to make up for players when they’re gone. It will go a long way in solving your biggest problems.