Xbox Game Pass loses some of today's best RPGs and strategy games.

xbox game pass is set to lose five titles from the service's library later today, including top-rated RPGs and strategy games, with a May 31 departure. Despite this impending removal, May 2026 was still a significant net positive day for the Xbox Game Pass catalog. The Xbox Game Pass catalog has added far more titles than it's lost over the past month.

Here are the headlines for the next wave of departures: Metaphor: ReFantaziois one of the most acclaimed titles of 2024, originally added to Xbox Game Pass in May 2025. Developed by Atlus, the game is the highest-rated JRPG on Microsoft's subscription service, with an average score of 93 on OpenCritic. Metaphor: ReFantazio The combination received widespread praise. ‘Persona’Time Management Loop and Social Links Shin Megami TenseiThe combat results in a tightly paced experience with a very memorable storyline.

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Xbox Game Pass adds two Day-One games scheduled to expire in May 2026

Xbox Game Pass is adding two release date titles to round out its May 2026 lineup, bringing the total to 18 releases since the start of the month.

Xbox Game Pass loses top-rated JRPG and more today

Two days after the first anniversary of service, Metaphor: ReFantazio It's scheduled to leave Xbox Game Pass later today. It's set to launch with four other titles, including another beloved Atlus JRPG. Persona 4 Golden. against the storm, spray paint simulatorand cellar keeper It's also ending Xbox Game Pass as part of its catalog rotation on May 31st.

All Xbox Game Pass games ending today

game	genre	Added	period*	OpenCritic average	How much time do you have to win?
against the storm	strategy	December 2023	2 years 5 months	89	86~252 hours
cellar keeper	metroidvania	June 2025	11 months	83	9~13 hours
Metaphor: ReFantazio	role playing	May 2025	1 year	93	65~109 hours
Persona 4 Golden	role playing	August 2025	9 months	88	67~134 hours
spray paint simulator	professionalism	May 2025	1 year	71	8~12 hours

against the storm It is another title in the series that is one of the highest-rated games on the service, as highlighted by its OpenCritic average score of 89. Developed by Polish studio Eremite Games and first released in December 2023 after two years of early access, the game has built a cult following by placing a roguelite twist on the city-building gameplay loop, making sessions much faster than average examples of the genre. Thanks to its unique dark fantasy setting realized through a vibrant, painterly art style, against the storm has earned a reputation as one of the most creative and addictive strategy games of the 2020s, and its upcoming removal is a significant loss to Microsoft's city-building catalog. Fans of the genre can take solace in the fact that Xbox Game Pass has recently added another highly acclaimed city-building game. nova roma.

Xbox Game Pass 2026 Statistics: Monthly Catalog Changes

Dominik Bošnjak / Gaming Rant | Source image: Xbox, Wishily/Thunderful Publishing

📅	Added	removed	net	Change from previous year
january	18	12	+6 games	+5
february	20	5	+15 games	+23
March	14	8	+6 games	+14
april	18	14	+4 games	+4
May	18	10	+8 games	+1

The “Added” column only reflects new games, ignoring situations such as existing titles being added to the XGP Premium tier.

Xbox Game Pass has already lost five titles on May 15th. That means the monthly elimination list will double in the upcoming rotation. Nonetheless, the service has added 18 games since May 1, allowing it to end the month with eight more titles than it lost. This is a slight improvement over May 2025, when the content catalog gained 17 games and lost another 10.

Rearranges covers into correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Difficult (10)

The next Xbox Game Pass library update is scheduled for June 2nd. Jurassic Park World 3 and final fantasy 6 arrive. The Wave 1 lineup for June 2026 will also likely be officially confirmed on this day, with Microsoft's recent practices making June 1st the second most likely candidate.