New Xbox Game Pass Tier Is Missing Some Of Its Best Day-One Games

Xbox Game Pass has finally unveiled the list of games not included in its cheaper Standard tier and while it lacks Day-One releases, there are plenty of older titles that are also missing. Microsoft raised quite the stir when it announced that Game Pass would soon cost more for all Ultimate subscribers, especially after the company stated on several occasions that it didn't intend to increase the service's price. To cater for those who aren't happy to pay the additional cash, the Standard tier was introduced, but it seems like the deal is worse than expected.

Per Forbes, the list of games not included in Xbox Game Pass Standard doesn't just include Day-One releases as several titles that are over a year old have also been excluded:

While some titles like and make sense given their relatively recent release dates, it's strange to see games like and on the list of missing titles. The former was released on September 6, 2023, while the later is over two years old.

While Xbox Game Pass has often been hailed as "the best deal in gaming," public opinion on the service is beginning to sour. Having broken promises that the subscription's cost wouldn't increase in the foreseeable future, Xbox revealed the price hike shortly after confirming as a Day-One release. Given the popularity of the franchise, many believe the company is forcing users into paying for a more expensive service to justify placing the game on Game Pass in the first place.

Those who opt to downgrade to Standard would have made peace with the fact that Day-One releases were excluded from the package but users are frustrated that the tier lacks even more titles than expected. Microsoft previously noted that Standard subscribers will likely need to wait around a year to gain acces to previous Day-One drops but the fact that even older games aren't included is causing unrest. Xbox has yet to respond to the controversy but clarification will likely come in the next few days.

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