The next batch of video games will be leaving Xbox Game Pass today. But not as many as initially anticipated, as both Dishonored 2 and Panzer Dragoon Orta will remain on Xbox Game Pass.
Four games will leave the Xbox Game Pass subscription today, meaning they will no longer be free to play with a subscription. Yooka-Laylee, the Banjo-Kazooie-like platformer and Westerado: 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.
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. With Dishonored 2 now 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's Doom Eternal are coming to Xbox Game Pass in October. Of course Doom Eternal is 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 as Deathloop. 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 that xCloud and Game Pass may be coming to iOS and other screens soon. For now, players can look forward to Bethesda games on the service, and the fact that Doom Eternal was added and Dishonored 2 has remained is step one in that process.