Game Pass Is Soaring Back To Life This November (original) (raw)

Microsoft has just announced the next wave of Game Pass titles for the first half of November. Among a lovely trove of indie titles, it finally includes the arrival of Flight Simulator 2024, albeit only in the newly expensive “Ultimate” tier.

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Putting aside all the grim changes Microsoft has made to Xbox Game Pass in the last few months, it seems fair to say that even with the addition of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Game Pass has felt a little anemic of late. From a service I’d check every week in case there were new gems to install, I’ve reached the point of forgetting to look for weeks on end, so lackluster has the cycle become. However, this month’s first batch of games offers a decent range that’ll certainly take up some of my SSD space.

The headline here is obviously Flight Simulator 2024, the follow-up to the genuinely excellent return to form in 2020 for Microsoft’s extraordinarily long-running flight sim franchise. The game releases on November 19 and is included in Game Pass as part of Microsoft’s promise to stick everything third-party on there. Although now it only appears at the new eye-watering $20 per month tier, introduced in time to catch the enthusiasm accompanying Black Ops 6's arriving on the subscription.

Also added to Ultimate this month is Goat Simulator Remastered, a remake of 2014's extremely silly _GTA_-spoof, where you play as a rag-dolling goat. It joins the sequel, oh-so-hilariously named Goat Simulator 3, on Game Pass. Then there’s also Metal Slug Tactics, a spin-off from the beloved franchise, from a new studio and new publisher. It’s out tomorrow, November 5, so it’ll be on Game Pass then.

The “Standard” tier gets four games, also included for Premium payers. This really is a very decent selection of indie games, including the extremely funny Turnip Boy Robs A Bank, twin-stick shooter Go Mecha Ball, and claymation adventure Harold Halibut, all from this year. Then, the rather left-field arrival of the fantastic 2021 puzzle game, The Rewinder.

It’s an interesting demonstration of how Game Pass seems to work now. For the big ticket price, there are those brand-new, big-name games. But for the more reasonable Standard level, you’re introduced to really excellent games you might never have heard of otherwise.

Of course, there will be a second wave of announcements for Game Pass in November. Because short of yet another slip, STALKER 2 is finally coming out, some two years later than planned and after 22 years in development.