Players are always being inundated with an influx of new titles on Xbox Game Pass each month, such as Bioware’s Mass Effect Legendary Edition or Mobius Digital's Outer Wilds. However, Microsoft has conversely announced that several titles will also be departing the service at several points this month. As it stands right now, seven games are set to leave the Netflix-like gaming subscription service before the middle of the month.
Thanks to the heads up from Microsoft, there’s technically just enough time for Xbox Game Pass subscribers to download and beat the titles that are on the metaphorical chopping block. For those looking to get the most out of their investment, the publisher's announcement that there’s actually two departure dates currently on the horizon has also provided a handy place for players to start their time trial-esque quest. While the majority of titles are set to leave on January 15, it’s worth keeping in mind that one game is departing a few days earlier than that on January 10.
PUBG: Battlegrounds
Released in beta form to widespread online fame back at the start of 2017, PUBG: Battlegrounds has in many ways helped to pave the way for the battle royale phenomenon that’s gripped the gaming landscape in recent years. Following over 70 million downloads and a revenue influx north of $6.2 billion, fueled in-part by a wildly popular mobile version, PUBG Corporation’s game is set to go free-to-play on January 12. It’s for this reason that Microsoft has announced that PUBG: Battlegrounds will be the first game to depart Xbox Game Pass this month on January 10.
Obviously, PUBG: Battlegrounds will be accessible to every Xbox owner for free two days after its removal from Game Pass, so there’s less pressure for subscribers to beat that clock. Due to the battle royale nature of the title, the amount of time it would take to beat PUBG is a far more nebulous topic than some of the other considerable time sinks leaving the service in January. Getting a win on Game Pass is likely the barometer that many will subscribe to, and is a feat that’s highly dependent on skill and luck. For the completionists looking for a challenge, it’s worth keeping in mind, however, that getting all of the achievements in PUBG can take well over 200 hours.
Desperados 3
Mimimi Games’ well received Desperados 3 is one of the titles that will be leaving Xbox Game Pass on January 15. Published by THQ Nordic back during the summer of 2020, the latest entry in the long-running series revolves around the early Wild West-themed exploits of main protagonist John Cooper. On average, beating the game’s real-time strategy centric campaign, and mastering its challenging stealth mechanics in the process, takes roughly 26 hours for most players. Sampling all of the sights that the 1870s-set adventure can take up to 65 hours though, which is worth keeping in mind considering the meaty games leaving the subscription service this month.
Kingdom Hearts 3
Of the games departing Microsoft’s subscription service at the halfway point of this month, Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts 3 is going to be one of the adventures that consumes the most amount of time for many players. As the epic accumulation of over 17 years worth of Disney-themed adventures, this latest entry in the iconic action RPG series serves up plenty of memorable moments across its roughly 30 hour long main story.
Naturally, that history means it’s advisable that newcomers at least have some understanding of the narrative gauntlet that Sora and his Kingdom Hearts companions have undertaken prior to the events of the third game. Those that fall in love with Kingdom Hearts 3 should be wary of the invisible ticking clock, however, as seeing everything that this epic crossover has to offer can take anywhere between 65 and 91 hours.
Pandemic: The Board Game
Xbox Game Pass subscribers who want to experience a solid cooperative game that’s probably a little too reflective of real life for many right now, have until January 15 to do so. That’s because when that date finally arrives, Pandemic: The Board Game‘s time in Microsoft's subscription will come to an end.
Inspired by the 2008 board game of the same name, Pandemic revolves around the technically fictional premise that four deadly viruses have escaped from captivity and are threatening the future of the human race. Considering that the game is designed to be played with friends, and can subsequently be enjoyed and completed in under two hours with a bit of coordination, racing against the clock to beat it won’t take too much time out of the bigger race to finish everything else leaving Game Pass.
Ghost of a Tale
Ghost of a Tale is the second action RPG that’s departing Xbox Game Pass on January 15. Revolving around the story of a mouse and a minstrel caught up in a perilous adventure, Ghost of a Tale was brought to life by Lionel "Seith" Gallat, a Universal Pictures and DreamWorks veteran. Naturally considering this pedigree, his and indie studio SeithCG’s efforts have led to the creation of a charmingly heartwarming tale. Typically getting to the end of that adventure takes most players only 10 hours, with completionists often being able to stretch proceedings out to roughly 19 hours in their quest to see everything on offer.
Mount & Blade: Warband
In the quest to beat the clock and finish everything leaving Xbox Game Pass before January 15, TateWorlds Entertainment’s Mount & Blade: Warband is likely going to be the most daunting prospect for the majority of subscribers. To see the main narrative adventure that the medieval-themed action RPG and strategy hybrid tells to its conclusion, can take a staggering 77 hours.
Pushing past what constitutes the primary story portion of the game, in an attempt to beat everything else that the adventure has on offer, can take anywhere up to 265 hours. It’s worth mentioning at this point that if subscribers feel as though they’re going to fail in their quest to beat everything that’s leaving Xbox Game Pass in time, Microsoft offers a 20% discount on every game currently available on the service, for players who want or need to own anything outright.
YIIK: A Postmodern RPG
As it's title conveniently alludes to, YIIK: A Postmodern RPG is an indie role-playing game developed by Ackk Studios. Set within an alternate version of 1990s era New Jersey, this quirky adventure revolves around the mysterious supernatural disappearance of a young woman, and the subsequent attempts of her small hometown to uncover what's happened to her. Seeing the mystery through to its conclusion before its looming departure from Xbox Game Pass on January 15 will take players on average 21 hours, a figure that’s extended to 40 if they wish to uncover everything that the village of Frankton, and its multiple endings, have in store for them.