2 in, 2 out – the great Game Pass changes continue

Ah Game Pass, where would we be without you? Well, we’d probably be opening the wallet more times than we care to imagine. Thankfully, Game Pass is here to save the day, even when a number of games are shifted out of the service. Praise be the new additions that replace them then. 

Mid-month signals one thing for Game Pass subscribers – the fact that some games will be removed from the system. That’s the case today as a couple of older games get shifted out, making way for two more. On the face of it, we think Game Pass subscribers on Xbox and PC will be better off for the change. 

Leaving Today!

So what games are being removed from the Game Pass subscription today? Well, they come in the form of a PC only option in Galactic: Civilizations III, and that of Opus: Echo of Starsong on both console and PC. 

Whilst we can’t comment on the former (we’re mostly console gamers after all), Galactic: Civilizations III has you researching new tech, creating new ships and heading off in hope of colonising all-new worlds. It promises to be one of the biggest 4X strategy games ever created, and with that in mind, you’ll have next to no hope of playing through too much of it prior to it being ripped from Game Pass later today. 

What you’ll have a bit more success with is Opus: Echo of Starsong. We reviewed the Full Bloom Edition of Opus: Echo of Starsong back in 2022 and came away mighty impressed. In fact, we were so impressed that we dropped a cool 5/5 review score onto our thoughts. 

This is a game that MUST be played, but with its removal from Game Pass today, you’ll need to crack open the wallet and get paying for the privilege. Do so though – our review conclusion will more than sell it… 

“We’re still thinking about OPUS: Echo of Starsong – Full Bloom Edition. It’s a game that dares to be many things at once – a visual novel, a space exploration sim and a tomb-raiding adventure – and then, even more audaciously, manages to master them all. But, most of all, it’s a story that is as operatic and tearjerking as the name implies. We were completely and utterly in its net.”

What is being added to Game Pass

So two out. But what are the two in? It’s simple really – PlateUp! and A LIttle to the Left. 

Both games debut Day One on Xbox via the Game Pass service and we’re not sure the last time that happened. And both games are super intriguing prospects too; if you like a bit of tidying or some manic restaurant managing, you’re going to be covered. 

You’ll find more info on both games on our launch articles for A Little to the Left and PlateUp!. But we go further than that with an exclusive interview with the creator of PlateUp! and a full review of A Little to the Left on Xbox. Give them a read and tell us you aren’t sold!

Let us know what you think of the latest Game Pass switch-up on Xbox and PC. Are we better off with the new games than the old? Have you missed out on the chance to play Opus for free? The comments are below.