Xbox Game Pass: The departure of Stalker 2 continues to generate conflicting opinions

The post-apocalyptic RPG leaves the service a year after its release and the criticism has not been long in coming.

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The news was already announced this weekend on Generación Xbox: STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl will be leaving Xbox Game Pass on November 15th. What nobody imagined was the huge debate that would arise from it. The notice that started appearing on consoles and PC has spread like wildfire on Reddit, where hundreds of players have expressed their discontent over a decision they consider, at the very least, disappointing.

The game, developed by GSC Game World, arrived on the service in 2024 as one of the most important releases of the year for Xbox, with extensive coverage from Microsoft. Its departure, just as it marks a year since its release, has been seen by many as a premature move, especially considering the long development process, the improvements received through patches, and the promotional tie-in it had with Game Pass since its announcement.

Players don’t understand why STALKER 2 is leaving Game Pass so soon

Right now, the debate is more alive than ever on social media. Some players point out that the title is “finally in a playable state” after many updates, while others consider that it “still needs a lot of technical work“. But what unites most of them is the discontent over its departure from the service.

“They released a broken version, took a year to fix it, and now they’re removing it“, comments one user, reflecting the general sentiment. Others directly point to Microsoft, wondering why a title so closely tied to Xbox (even showcased at several official events) hasn’t remained available for longer.

So far, neither Xbox nor GSC Game World have made an official statement, although players still have a few days to complete their playthrough before the game disappears from the catalog. The truth is that STALKER 2 is leaving with mixed feelings: a rocky launch, a notable improvement over the months, and now, a departure that many didn’t expect.