Xbox Game Pass Everything You Need To Know

Wondered what the Xbox Game pass is? This post will tell you everything you need to know about the subscription but just so you know it is probably the best deal in gaming and it is worth buying an Xbox One just for the service.

The Xbox Game Pass is a video game subscription service from Microsoft designed to work with Xbox One & Windows 10. It is the Netflix of video games as more than 100+ games can all be accessed from a base price of $9.99/month.

You might think surely the games must be of low quality? However, in reality, the service includes tons of AAA Microsoft exclusives such as Gears 5 new & CrackDown 3 and has new AAA releases all the time. More will be explained but I think it is the best deal in gaming and it is worth purchasing an Xbox One just for this service.

What Is The Xbox Game Pass?

For the price of a small indie game, you have access to a massive library of 100+ Xbox games which include games from the previous 2 generations the Xbox 360 & the original Xbox. You need a game pass subscription to play games and although the game pass caters to the whole family certain games will be locked to account holders younger than 18 years of age.

Is it just Netflix for games? Not exactly as unlike the popular content streaming service, Xbox Game pass actually requires you to download the game fully prior to playing the game. Yes, you will need to wait to download big chunky titles and require the space to download them. However, after they’re downloaded they will play without pesky buffering because everything will be local and you will have no lag.

Take a look at this official Microsoft video showcasing you the dashboard and what the library looks like

Xbox Game Pass How Much Is It?

Xbox Game Pass is $9.99/month which includes 100+ Xbox games. This is such a fantastic deal simply because of the quality the library has. For example, I bought Outer Worlds for $58 on PS4 not knowing it was available on the game pass for less than $10/month!

For the same price of one game, I could nearly paid for half a year of the game pass subscription! Also, amazing games such as Devil May Cry 5 and Gears 5 which I missed are all on the game pass! I will sell all of my physical games that are available on the game pass because it’s free money why wouldn’t you sell them if you can download them via the subscription anytime you want? It’s a no brainer.

You can also try classics from console generations gone by such as the Fable series, Ninja Gaiden and Fallout New Vegas. Really the value you get in incomparable with other subscription services and whilst Playstation Now is similar you stream the games so they have negative latency, and the service falls short of Microsofts game pass in other areas.

Differences Between Xbox Game Pass & Xbox Gold

The differences are Xbox game pass allows you to download games via the game pass library which are playable for as long as you maintain a Gamepass subscription. This gives you discounts to purchase the games if you choose to do so whilst your subscription is active.

Whereas Xbox Live gold unlocks the option to play multiplayer with Xbox games and costs around $68 annually which you can purchase from Amazon here. You will get special discounts called ‘deals with gold’ that are special discounts to Xbox 360 & Xbox One games only accessible with a gold subscription. Also, you get free games every month in the ‘games with gold‘ plan not to be confused with the Xbox game pass. You can also purchase the subscription from most big retailers.

You need an active internet connection for both these subscriptions but only to download games for the game pass. The main differences are one is a gaming subscription service the other unlocks the ability to play multiplayer games online with free games & game discounts thrown in.

Check out a more extensive view of Xbox Live and what gaming benefits it gives you.

Differences Between Xbox Game Pass & Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is a combination of both of Microsofts gaming subscriptions: Xbox Game pass & Xbox Live Gold. If you subscribe to ultimate you will have access to both subscription plans for only one monthly cost instead of two different payments. The PC Xbox Game Pass subscription is also included with ultimate.

The standard pricing is around $14.99/monthly but different countries will vary. For an extra $5 to play online this represents fantastic value as all the big multiplayer Xbox exclusives on the game pass such as Gears 5 & Halo 5 can all be played & enjoyed under one subscription fee.

FAQ’s

Do You Need Xbox Live For Xbox Game Pass?

You will need Xbox Live to play multiplayer games in the game pass such as Gears 5 & Halo 5 but aside from an online internet connection to download the games, you don’t actually need an active Xbox Live subscription. Now both are included in the Xbox Game Pass ultimate as mentioned above.

Check this video out for more clarification

Do You Need An Xbox One For The Xbox Game Pass?

Although the Xbox game pass does include PC gaming you do need an Xbox One for the game pass.

If You Cancel The Subscription What Happens To Your Games

If you cancel your subscription your games will still remain on your Xbox one hard drive/PC but they will be unplayable if you don’t have a current Xbox One Game pass subscription.

As soon as you renew your subscription or physically buy the games or download them, you will be able to resume your playthrough.

Do Games Leave Xbox Game Pass?

Just like Netflix the subscription service that the Xbox Game Pass is compared to titles will leave from time to time to make room for new ones. Microsoft will always givenotice whenever changes are being made so keep your eye out.

The following are being removed in December 2019 as quoted by gamerant “Life is Strange, Life is Strange: Before the Storm, Ashen, and Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 are all being removed from Xbox Game Pass at some point in December 2019.”

Do I lose My Game Progress If My Subscription Expires?

No, you will not lose your gaming progression as your saves will still be on your Xbox’s hard drive. Whenever you renew your subscription or buy the game physically or download it, your game progression will start off immediately where you left it.

However, be careful as maybe your game will leave the game pass subscription so you would need to purchase the game to resume your game content.

Future Of The Xbox Game Pass

X019 is a massive event celebrates everything that is Xbox the last one was in London in 2019. It unveiled a lot of features and content that is soon coming to Xbox and importantly uncovered a lot of information about the Xbox Game pass which has become very popular over time.

Check out this video of XO19

Microsoft has stressed on making the game pass as accessible as possible which is showcased by it’s Black Friday deal of both the Game Pass ultimate & Game Pass being a ridiculous $1 for 3 months of the service! Most interesting Xbox is taking a serious look into cloud streaming to compete with Google stadia as digital-only content will only continue to develop in the gaming community.

The service is Microsoft xCloud and is available in 2020 you can read more about the service here

All of the Halo games will be available including one of the best games Halo Reach but interesting there will be a MASSIVE collection of Final Fantasy games available in 2020. The following will be included.

Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII Remastered, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster, Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age, Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII-2, Lightning Returns Final Fantasy XIII, and Final Fantasy XV will all be included.

What Games Are Included In The Xbox Game Pass?

Xbox Game Pass is constantly being uploaded with new games but the following videos will tell you the very best games on the subscription, but I will list ALL of the games down below.

Watch here for the top 10 best campaigns in the Game Pass

#IDARB (Xbox One)
10 Second Ninja X (Xbox One)
Absolver
Abzu (Xbox One – leaving Xbox Game Pass November 30th)
A Kingdom for Keflings (Xbox Live)
A World of Keflings (Xbox Live)
Afterparty (added October 29th 2019)
Age of Booty (Xbox Live)
Agents of Mayhem
Aftercharge (Xbox One)
Alien Isolation (Xbox One)
Ape Out (added August 22nd 2019)
Ark: Survival Evolved
Ashen (Xbox One)
Ashes Cricket (added August 1st 2019)
Aven Colony (Xbox One)
Bad North (added September 26th 2019)
Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts (Xbox 360)
Banjo-Kazooie (Xbox Live)
Banjo-Tooie (Xbox Live)
Bard’s Gold (Xbox One)
Bard’s Tale Trilogy (added August 13th 2019)
Bard’s Tale IV: Director’s Cut (added August 27th 2019)
Batman: Return to Arkham (Xbox One Enhanced) (Xbox 360)
Batman Arkham Knight
Bayonetta (Xbox 360)
Below (Xbox One – leaving Xbox Game Pass November 30th)
Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 (Xbox Live)
BioShock (Xbox 360)
BioShock 2 (Xbox 360)
BioShock Infinite (Xbox 360)
Black Desert
Blair Witch (added August 30th 2019)
Blood Bowl 2 (Xbox One)
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (added September 19th 2019)
Bomber Crew (Xbox One)
Borderlands: The Handsome Collection
Bound by Flame (Xbox 360)
Braid (Xbox Live)
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (Xbox One)
Capcom Arcade Cabinet (Xbox Live)
Casey Powell Lacrosse 16 (Xbox One)
CastleStorm (Xbox Live)
ClusterTruck (Xbox One)
Cities: Skylines (Xbox One)
Comic Jumper (Xbox Live)
Comix Zone (Xbox Live)
Costume Quest 2 (Xbox One)
Crackdown 3 (Xbox One)
Creature in the Well (added September 6th 2019)
D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die (Xbox One)
Dandara (Xbox One)
Dark Void (Xbox 360)
Darksiders: Warmastered Edition (Xbox One)
Darksiders 2: Deathinitive Edition (Xbox One)
de Blob (Xbox One)
Dead by Daylight (from May 30)
De Blob 2 (Xbox 360)
Dead Cells (added September 5th 2019)
Deadlight: Director’s Cut (Xbox One)
Dead Island Definitive Edition (Xbox One)
Dead Island: Riptide Definitive Edition (Xbox One)
Dead Rising 2 (Xbox One)
Dead Rising 3 (Xbox One)
Defense Grid (Xbox Live)
Defense Grid 2 (Xbox One)
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (Xbox One)
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition (Xbox One)
Devil May Cry 5 (added August 19th 2019)
Dig Dug (Xbox Live)
DiRT 4 (Xbox One)
Dirt Rally (Xbox One)
DiRT Rally 2.0 (added September 26th 2019)
Dishonored 2 (added October 3rd 2019)
Disneyland Adventures (Xbox One)
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (Xbox 360)
DmC Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition (Xbox One)
Doom 2016 (Xbox One)
Double Dragon Neon (Xbox Live)
Dungeons and Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara (Xbox Live)
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Xbox 360)
Elder Scrolls Online (Xbox One)
Electronic Super Joy (Xbox One)
Enter the Gungeon (added September 12th 2019)
Euro Fishing (Xbox One)
F1 2015 (Xbox One)
F1 2018 (Xbox One, March 14th)
Fable Anniversary (Xbox 360)
Fable II (Xbox 360)
Fable 3 (Xbox 360)
Fallout 3 (Xbox 360)
Fallout 4 (Xbox One, March 14th)
Fallout: New Vegas (added October 17th 2019)
Farming Simulator 15 (Xbox One)
Farming Simulator 17
Felix the Ripper (added October 17th 2019)
Final Fight: Double Impact (Xbox Live)
Flock! (Xbox Live)
Forza Horizon 4 (Xbox One)
For the King
Full Metal Furies)
Fuzion Frenzy (Xbox One)
Galaga Legions DX (Xbox Live)
Garou: Mark of the Wolves (Xbox Live)
Gears of War (Xbox 360)
Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360)
Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)
Gears of War 4 (Xbox One)
Gears 5 (added September 10th 2019)
Gears 5 Ultimate Edition (Ultimate subscribers only, added September 6th 2019)
Gears of War: Judgment (Xbox 360)
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition (Xbox One)
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams (Xbox One)
Goat Simulator
Gonner Blüeberry Edition (added September 12th 2019)
GRID 2 (Xbox 360 – leaving Xbox Game Pass November 30th)
Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition (Xbox One)
Halo 5: Guardians (Xbox One)
Halo: Spartan Assault (Xbox One)
Halo: The Master Chief Collection (Xbox One)
Halo Wars: Definite Edition (Xbox One)
Halo Wars 2 (Xbox One)
Headlander (Xbox One)
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (Xbox One)
Hello Neighbor (Xbox One)
Hexic 2 (Xbox Live)
Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure (Xbox One)
Hitman Season 1 (Xbox One)
Hollow Knight Voidheart Edition
Homefront: The Revolution (Xbox One)
Hue (Xbox One)
Human Fall Flat (Xbox One)
Iron Brigade (Xbox Live)
Injustice: Gods Among Us (Xbox 360)
InnerSpace (Xbox One)
Jackbox Party Pack 2 (added August 8th 2019)
Jetpac Refulled (Xbox Live)
Joe Danger: Special Edition (Xbox Live)
Joe Danger 2: The Movie (Xbox Live)
Joy Ride Turbo (leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 6th, 2019)
Jump Force (added September 19th 2019)
JumpJet Rex (Xbox One)
Just Cause 3 (Xbox One)
Just Cause 4 (Xbox One)
Kameo (Xbox 360)
Knight Squad (Xbox One)
Killer Instrict DE (from July 25th)
Kingdom Come Deliverance (added August 22nd 2019)
Kingdom: New Lands (Xbox One)
King of Fighters ’98 Ultimate Match (Xbox Live)
Kingdom Two Crowns (Xbox One – leaving Xbox Game Pass November 30th)
KYUB (Xbox One)
Laser League (Xbox One)
Late Shift (Xbox One)
Layers of Fear (Xbox One)
LEGO Batman: The Videogame (Xbox 360)
LEGO Batman 2 (leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 4th, 2019)
LEGO Batman 3
LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 30th, 2019)
Lego: The Ninjago Movie Videogame (added November 14th 2019)
LEGO Movie Videogame
LEGO Star Wars 3 (added October 31st 2019)
LEGO Worlds (added September 26th 2019)
Letter Quest: Grimm’s Journey (Xbox One)
Life is Strange Complete Edition
Life is Strange: Before the Storm
Life is Strange 2: Episode 1
Life is Strange 2: Episode 2 (added April 24)
Life is Strange 2: Episode 3 (added August 16th 2019)
Limbo (Xbox One)
Lumo (Xbox One)
Mad Max (Xbox One)
Maldita Castilla EX – Cursed Castle (Xbox One)
Manual Samuel (Xbox One)
Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite (Xbox One)
Mass Effect (Xbox 360)
Massive Chalice (Xbox One)
Max: The Curse of Brotherhood (Xbox One)
Mega Coin Squad (Xbox One)
Metal Gear Solid HD Edition (added September 5th 2019)
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes (Xbox One)
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Mega Man Legacy Collection (Xbox One)
Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 (Xbox One)
Mega Man 9 (Xbox Live Arcade)
Mega Man 10 (Xbox Live Arcade)
Metal Gear Survive
Metal Slug XX (Xbox Live Arcade)
Metal Slug 3 (Xbox Live)
Metro 2033 Redux (Xbox One)
Metro Exodus
Metro Last Light Redux (Xbox One)
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Xbox One)
Middle-earth: Shadow of War
Minecraft (Xbox One)
Minit (added October 24th 2019)
Monaco: What’s Yours is Mine (Xbox 360)
Monday Night Combat (Xbox Live)
Monster Hunter: World (Xbox One, April 18)
Mortal Kombat X (Xbox One)
MotoGP 17 (Xbox One)
Ms. Splosion Man (Xbox Live)
Mutant Year Zero (Xbox One)
MX vs ATX Reflex (Xbox 360)
MXGP3
My Time at Portia
N+ (Xbox Live)
NBA 2K16 (Xbox One)
NBA 2K17 (Xbox One)
NBA Playgrounds (Xbox One)
NeoGeo Battle Coliseum (Xbox Live)
Next Up Hero (Xbox One)
Ninja Gaiden Black (original Xbox, leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 30th, 2019)
Observer_ (Xbox One)
Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty (Xbox One)
OlliOlli (Xbox One)
OnRush (leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 4th, 2019)
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising (Xbox 360)
Operencia: The Stolen Sun (Xbox One)
Ori and the Blind Forest (Xbox One)
Outer Wilds
Outlast (Xbox One)
Overcooked (Xbox One)
Oxenfree (Xbox One)
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ (Xbox Live)
Pac-Man Museum (Xbox Live)
Pandemic (added August 1st 2019)
Panzer Dragoon Orta (added October 17th 2019)
Payday 2: Crimewave Edition (Xbox One)
Perfect Dark Zero (Xbox 360)
PES 2019 (Xbox One)
Pharaonic (Xbox One)
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (Xbox One)
Portal Knights (Xbox One)
Prey (Xbox One)
Pumped BMX+ (Xbox One)
Pumped BMX Pro (Xbox One)
Quantum Break (Xbox One)
Rage (Xbox 360)
Rage 2 (added November 14th 2019)
Rare Replay
ReCore Definitive Edition (Xbox One)
Remnant: From the Ashes (added November 14th 2019)
Resident Evil (Xbox One)
Resident Evil 0 (Xbox One)
Resident Evil 4 (from July 25th)
Resident Evil 5 (Xbox One, April 25)
Resident Evil 6 (Xbox One)
Resident Evil Revelations
Resident Evil Revelations 2 (Xbox One)
Rime (Xbox One)
Rise of the Tomb Raider (Xbox One)
Riptide Renegade GP (Xbox One)
Robocraft Infinity (Xbox One)
Roundabout (Xbox One)
Ruiner (Xbox One)
Ryse: Son of Rome (Xbox One)
Sacred 3 (Xbox 360)
Sacred Citadel (Xbox Live)
Saints Row The Third (Xbox 360)
Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell (Xbox One)
Saints Row IV: Re-Elected (Xbox One)
Sam and Max Beyond Time and Space (Xbox Live)
Sam and Max Save the World (Xbox 360)
Samurai Showdown 2 (Xbox Live)
ScreamRide (Xbox One)
Sea of Thieves (Xbox One, from March 20)
Secret Neighbor (added October 23rd 2019)
SEGA Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd and Co (Xbox Live)
SEGA Vintage Collection: Golden Axe (Xbox Live)
SEGA Vintage Collection: Monster World (Xbox Live)
SEGA Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage (Xbox Live)
Shadow Complex Remastered (Xbox One)
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Xbox One)
Shadow Warrior 1 (Xbox One)
Shadow Warrior 2 (Xbox One)
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero (leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 30th, 2019)
Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse (Xbox One)
Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter (Xbox One)
Strange Brigade (Xbox One – leaving Xbox Game Pass November 30th)
Sky Force Anniversary (Xbox One)
Sky Force Reloaded(Xbox One)
Slay The Spire (added August 14th 2019)
Sonic and Knuckles (Xbox Live)
Sonic CD (Xbox Live)
Soulcalibur (Xbox Live)
Soulcalibur 2 HD (Xbox Live)
So Many Me (Xbox One)
Snake Pass (Xbox One)
Spelunky (Xbox Live)
Split/Second (leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 30th, 2019)
Spintires: Mudrunner (Xbox One)
Splosion Man (leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 6th, 2019)
Stacking (Xbox Live)
State of Decay (Xbox One)
State of Decay 2 (Xbox One)
Stellaris (added August 19th 2019)
Steredenn (Xbox One)
Strider (Xbox One)
Subnautica (added November 7th 2019)
Sunset Overdrive (Xbox One)
Superhot
Super Lucky’s Tale (Xbox One)
Supermarket Shriek (Xbox One)
Super Mega Baseball: Extra Innings (Xbox One)
Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition (Xbox 360)
Super Time Force (Xbox One)
Surviving Mars
Tacoma
Tecmo Bowl Throwback (Xbox Live Arcade)
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (Xbox 360)
Terraria (Xbox One)
theHunter: Call of the Wild (leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 30th, 2019)
The Banner Saga
The Banner Saga 2
The Banner Saga 3
The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 (Xbox One)
The Bridge (Xbox One)
The Bug Butcher (Xbox One)
The Division (Xbox One)
The Escapists (Xbox One)
The Escapists: The Walking Dead (Xbox One)
The Flame in the Flood (Xbox One)
The Final Station (Xbox One)
The Gardens Between (Xbox One)
The Golf Club (Xbox One)
The Golf Club 2 (Xbox One)
The Maw (leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 6th, 2019)
The Outer Worlds (added October 25th 2019)
The Surge
The Swapper (Xbox One)
The Talos Principle (added November 14th 2019)
The Technomancer (Xbox One)
Thief of Thieves Season One (Xbox One)
This War of Mine: The Little Ones (Xbox One)
Thomas Was Alone
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
Tower of Guns (Xbox One)
Toy Soldiers (Xbox Live)
Toy Soldiers: Cold War (Xbox Live)
Tracks: The Train Set Game (added November 14th 2019)
Ultratron (Xbox One)
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (Xbox 360)
Unmechanical: Extended (Xbox One)
Vampyr (Xbox One)
Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown (Xbox Live)
Viva Pinata (Xbox 360)
Vita Pinata: Trouble in Paradise (Xbox 360)
Walking Dead: The Complete First Season (Xbox One)
Walking Dead: The Complete Second Season (Xbox One)
Walking Dead: Michonne (Xbox One)
Walking Dead: A New Frontier (Xbox One, April 18)
Wargroove
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 (Xbox One)
Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut (Xbox One)
We Happy Few
Westerado: Double Barreled (Xbox One)
What Remains of Edith Finch (Xbox One)
Wolfenstein: The New Order (Xbox One)
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
World of Van Helsing: Deathtrap (Xbox One)
World War Z (added October 10th 2019)
WRC 5: World Rally Championship (Xbox One)
WWE 2K16 (Xbox One)
XCOM: Enemy Within (Xbox 360)
Yooka Laylee (added October 10th 2019)
Yoku’s Island Express (added August 16th 2019)
Zoo Tycoon Ultimate Animal Collection (Xbox One)
Zombie Army Trilogy (Xbox One)