Game Pass Purge: 8 Games Leaving This Week, as 6 Arrive

This week brings a mixed bag of news for Game Pass subscribers. While we welcome the intense and atmospheric Hunt: Showdown 1896 to PC Game Pass, we must also bid farewell to a selection of diverse titles. In fact, there are a ton of games leaving the subscription service this week.

Let’s break down the changes:

New Addition

Hunt: Showdown 1896 (PC) – April 15th

Dive into the murky depths of 19th-century Louisiana with Hunt: Showdown 1896.

This first-person PvPvE bounty hunting game delivers a unique blend of tension, stealth, and supernatural horror. You take on the role of a hunter tasked with tracking and eliminating gruesome monsters lurking in the bayou. The thrill comes from the high stakes: secure the bounty, and you’re rewarded handsomely. Fail, and you lose your hunter and all their hard-earned gear.

But the danger doesn’t just come from the creatures; rival hunter teams are also vying for the prize, turning every encounter into a potentially deadly showdown. Expect a slow-burn atmosphere, tactical gameplay, and a world where every shadow could conceal a monster or a rival.

Our full review of Hunt: Showdown on Xbox can divulge more.

Departing Games

Sadly, it’s time to say goodbye to the following titles, which will be leaving Game Pass on April 15th. If you’ve been meaning to try any of these, now’s your last chance!

• Botany Manor – 4.5/5 review – “Botany Manor is inordinately pretty and comforting. There’s so few barriers to getting your hands on it too: being on Game Pass, you’re only a few steps away from playing it. We relished every moment within Botany Manor’s walls, and if there’s no DLC coming then we’re going to riot. Very gently.“
• Coral Island – 4/5 review – “It seems that the developers of Coral Island have chosen the best bits from a veritable smorgasbord of farm and life sim games. It has the charm of Animal Crossing, the relationship building of My Time at Sandrock, the farming of Stardew Valley and the look of The Sims, all with the addition of a narrative that will keep you engaged enough to overlook the monotony of clearing garbage piles.“
• Harold Halibut – 4.5/5 review – “Harold Halibut is a wonderfully creative endeavour that will suck you in. It’s such a nice change to play a game where the most evil of things is an overconfident air con salesman. A game with a lot of heart, the story is great with a satisfying creative arc and conclusion. In fact, it’s a game that is pretty mind-blowing, especially in terms of the visuals.“
• Homestead Arcana – 3.5/5 review – “Undemanding and, at times, tedious gameplay takes some of the shine away from Homestead Arcana, even if there is an otherwise bewitching world with a heartfelt story to tell.“
• Kona – 4/5 review – “This supernatural mystery contains just the right amount of walking simulator, survival and creepy elements without any of them dwarfing the others. That means if you are a fan of any of them, Kona is an excellent gateway to trying the others. Not only that, but it’s also a great little game in itself.“
• Orcs Must Die! 3 – 4.5/5 review – “Orcs Must Die! 3 is a little gem. The campaign modes are deep and varied, the weekly challenges are full of variety and both the Endless and Scramble options mix up the gameplay just enough to warrant some time with each. Throw in the simple to set up online multiplayer and you’ve got an extremely accomplished action tower defense brawler that the vast majority of gamers will thoroughly enjoy.“
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider Definitive Edition – “Yes I’m a fan of Tomb Raider, but once again I have loved my time with Lara in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. If you’re in my camp, and enjoyed the first two games of this rebooted franchise, then I would highly recommend this experience. In fact, it is the best of the three in terms of of tomb exploration, puzzle interactions, deep storytelling, and action“
• Turbo Golf Racing – 4/5 review – “You’ll really enjoy what Turbo Golf Racing offers, and it is perfect for shorter gaming sessions. However, I’m not fully convinced it will carve itself out a place as a permanent fixture in everyone’s game library. My advice? Enjoy the ride while it lasts, however long that may be.“

What’s Next For Game Pass

The second half of April is likely to see a host most games arrive on Game Pass. As soon as confirmation of which games will be added comes in from Xbox HQ, we’ll be sure to let you know.

Expect a number more to leave at the end of the month too.

Article Update – 15th April.

And that confirmation of the rest of April’s Game Pass additions is now in as the 1 new addition becomes 6… 

This week sees us welcoming…

• Grand Theft Auto V, April 15 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
• Neon White, April 16 (Console) – Now with Game Pass Standard
• SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game, April 16 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
• Crime Scene Cleaner, April 17 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Tempopo, April 17 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

From there, we’ve got Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (April 24), Towerborne in Game Preview on the 29th, Far Cry 4 on the 30th, Anno 1800 on May 1st along with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. Dredge drops in for play – and you won’t want to miss Dredge – come May 6th. 

There are more leaving at the end of April (30th) too… 

• Have a Nice Death (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Kona II Brume (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Sniper Elite 5 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• The Last Case of Benedict Fox (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Thirsty Suitors (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• The Rewinder (Cloud, Console, and PC)