Xbox Game Pass: A Double-Edged Sword
The Xbox Game Pass subscription service continues to be a mixed bag for gamers. While November brought exciting titles like Stalker 2, Flight Simulator 2024, and Aliens: Dark Descent to the platform, December is set to see the departure of several notable games. Among these is Forza Horizon 4, which faces an even more significant issue with its impending removal from digital storefronts.
Notable Departures This Month
In the upcoming weeks, seven games will bid farewell to Game Pass, including some fan favorites. Alongside Forza Horizon 4, players will also lose access to Rise of the Tomb Raider—the second installment in the acclaimed Survivor trilogy—Supermassive Games’ interactive horror title The Quarry, charming puzzle-platformer Rainbow Billy for all ages, puzzle adventure Tin Hearts, and the delightful yet troubled crafting game Forager. Additionally, Amnesia: The Bunker—a popular first-person horror experience—is also leaving. It’s disheartening news for fans who have invested time in these titles.
Personally speaking, I’m particularly disappointed about Amnesia: The Bunker since I had just reorganized my storage on my Series S in anticipation of playing it; it’s the only entry in that series I’ve yet to experience.
The Forza Horizon Dilemma
The situation surrounding Forza Horizon 4 is notably more severe than simply being removed from Game Pass. As announced earlier this year and confirmed again for December 15th, this beloved racing game will be completely delisted from all online platforms due to licensing complications.
Released in 2018 and quickly becoming a fan favorite—boasting an impressive Metascore of 92—Forza Horizon 4 transports players through a picturesque rendition of England’s Cotswolds (though as a local resident myself, I might argue it presents an overly romanticized view). Despite its popularity and dedicated community still engaging with it as Season 77 wraps up, Microsoft has not clarified what specific licensing issues are at play here.
It’s reasonable to speculate that during development agreements were made regarding real-world car licenses that were likely limited by time constraints. Given that they aimed for a release window around six years ago—and knowing they planned ahead for Forza Horizon 5—it seems plausible they anticipated needing those rights until at least then.
What This Means for Players
For those who already own Forza Horizon 4 (though technically you don’t “own” it), you can continue enjoying both offline and online modes—at least until online services eventually phase out. However, all downloadable content (DLC) associated with the game was lost over summer; if you purchased any DLC while using your Game Pass subscription version of the main game prior to its removal from stores or subscriptions—you should have received tokens allowing access within a paid version instead. These tokens are valid until June 2026 but act fast; procrastination could lead you forgetting about them entirely!
As we approach this pivotal moment where purchasing options vanish forever on December 15th—and with current discounts bringing its price down to $12 on Xbox Store—it’s truly your last opportunity if you’re looking to add this classic racing title permanently into your library before it’s gone forever!