The Microsoft andBethesda Softworksacquisition deal has been the talk of the gaming community since it was announced. Recently, the deal was made official and soon it’ll give fans concrete ideas as to what will happen next for the merging companies. One of the most exciting parts of this acquisition is how many games can come to Xbox Game Pass now thatBethesdais owned by Microsoft, with some new games reportedly coming this week. Bethesda already has a long list of games that are on (or have been on) the Game Pass, but there are still a few missing that would be exciting additions.
Bethesda is known for franchises likeFallout,Wolfenstein, andThe Elder Scrolls, along with other breakout hits likeDoomorDishonored. Many of the games in these series have been added to Game Pass in the past, but not all of them have been available. Despite how many well-known Bethesdagames have been on Game Pass, there are still some that should be added this coming March. Some of the titles may be older, but players could boot them up for nostalgia’s sake or just to try something new.
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The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind
ThoughThe Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowindwas released in 2002 for PC and Xbox, it could still find a well-deserved home on the Game Pass. Backwards compatibility would ensure the game runs smoothly, though its graphics may not be as impressive as when it first debuted. Morrowind was well-received when it first launched and is stillrevered as one of the bestElder Scrollstitlestoday. Adding this game to Game Pass would reawaken the love forElder Scrollsfans or help new fans get into the series.
Dishonored
Dishonoredreleased in 2012 and was a commercial success. It was well-received by critics and fans because of its individual mission stories and RPG elements, though some felt the overall story was lacking.Dishonoredled to two different sequels;Dishonored 2andDishonored: Death of the Outsider, the former of which is already featured in the Game Pass. Adding the original game would get new players into the franchise, or give additional context for those who only played the sequel.
The Evil Within
The Evil Withinreleased in 2014 for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360, but was later re-released for PS4 and Xbox One. The game was generally well-received, though many players thought the narrative and its characters fell short of expectation. However,the standout parts ofThe Evil Withinincluded its horror elements and atmosphere building. While it may not have been as highly regarded as other survival horror games, it was still good enough to warrant a sequel —The Evil Within 2.
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood
Though theWolfensteinseries first debuted in 1981, it wasn’t until 2009 and the release ofWolfensteinthat the franchise saw the birth of a new era. OtherWolfensteingames have found a home on the Game Pass, butThe Old Bloodhas yet to be included.Wolfenstein: The Old Bloodgot generally favorable reviewswhen it released in 2015, making it a quality contender for a new Game Pass addition. It’s also a standalone title within the franchise, so new players could play it without having any priorWolfensteinknowledge.
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Dishonored: Death of the Outsider
Dishonored: Death of the Outsiderwas originally meant to be an add-on DLC toDishonored 2, but instead became its own standalone expansion. The game was received well by critics and fans, with many saying it was a good ending for theDishonoredseries. WhileDeath of the Outsiderprobably won’t be the lastDishonoredgame,Arkane Studios did announcethat the series would be in “hiatus” following the game’s 2017 release.Dishonored 2already made it to Game Pass, so adding its predecessor and follow-up game would be a great way for players to experience the whole series.
The Evil Within 2
The Evil Within 2released in 2017 as a sequel toThe Evil Within. It seems the sequel got slightly better review scores, though it still had narrative problems like its predecessor. Despite the narrative issues, the game was still lauded for its atmosphere, visuals, and gameplay mechanics. Including bothThe Evil WithinandThe Evil Within 2would be great for playerswho are survival horror fans and want to experience the full story of both games.
Games That Probably Won’t Come to Game Pass
There are a couple other games that haven’t been included on Xbox Game Pass:
These titles probably won’t be added for a variety of reasons.Fallout Shelterhas pretty good reviews, but it’s also free-to-play. It wouldn’t make sense for it to come to Game Pass unless Xbox gave bonus in-game currency to players. If players want to check outFallout Shelter, it’s free-to-play on a variety of platforms, not just Xbox One.
Wolfenstein: Cyberpilotprobably won’tmake a Game Pass debut for two key reasons. Though the Game Pass for PC allows for VR accommodations of games,Cyberpilotis VR exclusive, meaning a lot of players wouldn’t be able to actually play the title. Also, the reviews forCyberpilotwere incredibly mixed, with many players criticizing how short the game is and its less-than-refined controls.
Finally,IHRA Professional Drag Racing 2005is probably the only game pretty much guaranteed to not make it to Game Pass. The game was generally ill-received by players and critics,with critiques about the visualsand game controls. Considering its age and how poorly it was received upon release, there’s a slim to none chance ofIHRA Professional Drag Racing 2005ever making an appearance on Game Pass.
Nothing is set in stone about what Bethesda games will return for Game Pass this week, but there are a ton of top-tier options. Each game would have something unique for players to experience, even if they weren’t previously fans of the series mentioned. For those already familiar with some of the titles, it would be a pleasant trip down memory lane.
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