In hindsight, the console wars of the 90s were pretty straightforward. Sega, Nintendo, and eventually Sony, had just one thing to convince gamers they were the best option: their libraries of games. Whoever had the better games, won the war. These days, things aren't quite so simple, and there are a bunch of other factors that usually come into play when determining which console to opt for. Not least of which is the strength of the console's subscription service on offer. In this regard, Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass is the pick of the bunch, offering a host of high-quality titles for a low monthly cost. This library of titles does rotate though, and many gamers wonder what will happen to their save files if a title they are playing leaves Xbox Game Pass.
Xbox's library of games that are available to play via Game Pass is regularly updated. In fact, 15 games are leaving Game Pass in November alone, and a handful of new titles are usually added to the surface to replace the departing ones. This can leave some gamers in a race against time to play through their favorites before they leave the service. Depending on the title, it isn't always a race the player can win, but thankfully, just because the game leaves the service, it doesn't affect the associated save file in any way.
Your Save File is Still Intact If a Game Leaves the Service
Games are incredibly varied in terms of their length. While some can be completed in a single sitting, other mammoth titles such as Red Dead Redemption 2 or Assassin's Creed Valhalla can easily take upwards of 100 hours to finish. These types of games are usually tackled over long periods of time as gamers look to juggle their busy lives, so it's entirely plausible that a game could leave the Game Pass service before the player has had a chance to finish it off. Thankfully though, regardless of when or if the game leaves the service, a player's save file is stored separately, meaning it remains intact even after the game has left.
This ensures that should the player wish to continue where they left off, all they need to do is purchase the game, and install it. Once the game is booted up, players will be able to load their save files and continue their progress exactly as they left it. Alternatively, they could of course wait and see if the title re-emerges on the service at some stage. The regular rotation means this is always a possibility, as Xbox Game Pass incorporates a mixture of Day One games with older titles. Either way though, the save file will still be there ready and waiting.
The Xbox Game Pass has given gamers access to some titles that were previously inaccessible on this generation, such as Final Fantasy 13, and Fight Night Champion, as well as the entire back catalog of Halo and Gears of War titles. With hours of content to keep gamers busy, it's especially reassuring to know that their progress throughout these games is not linked directly to the Game Pass service.
At a time when Sony's customer service has been questioned, with a PS5 console price hike and the launch of the controversial Playstation Stars feature, Xbox and its Game Pass continues to serve as a shining beacon of value for consumers, and 2023 offers plenty more value for subscribers, with titles like Lies of P and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty confirmed to be Day One additions to the service.
Xbox Game Pass subscribers get a handful of games every month.