Xbox Game Pass Is a Ridiculously Good Deal for RPG Fans Right Now

As a dedicated PC gamer who's usually swayed by the allure of Steam sales, I never thought I'd find myself subscribing to Xbox Game Pass. That was until Bethesda and Virtuos surprised us all by shadow-dropping The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered straight onto the service. This wasn't just a remaster; it was a borderline-remake with new character models, enhanced combat interactions, and revamped VFX. While they brought in over five new voice actors, they wisely kept the original's charmingly janky dialogue. Released on April 22 across PC, consoles, and Game Pass, it's available for $49.99 for the base edition, which includes the original DLCs, with a deluxe version priced at $59.99. I spent most of that day downloading and the night immersed in its enchanting music.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – 1 Month Membership – Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, Cloud Gaming Devices [Digital Code]

$19.99 at Amazon

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Screenshots

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But the surprises didn't stop there. Just a day later, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from French studio Sandfall Interactive hit Game Pass. This debut JRPG-inspired title, launching at midnight PST in the U.S., boasts a stellar 92 Metacritic score and a glowing 9/10 from IGN, who praised its story design as a "true modern throwback." With a UI reminiscent of the Persona series and an innovative turn-based combat system, it's set to launch at $49.99, matching the price of the Bethesda remaster.

While Expedition 33 was positioned as the star of April’s Game Pass lineup, the unexpected release of Oblivion Remastered cast a shadow over its launch. However, from my perspective, Game Pass subscribers are getting two incredible games for the price of one. Instead of spending $100 on both, I opted for a $20 Game Pass Ultimate subscription, leaving me wondering when I'll next see the outdoors.

Game Pass Is a Ridiculously Good Deal Right Now

Game Pass Ultimate, which includes access to the entire library across console, PC, and cloud gaming, is priced at $19.99 per month. The PC-only version is a more budget-friendly $9.99 per month, though it misses out on day-one releases. The Standard and Core tiers, at $14.99 and $9.99 per month respectively, also exclude day-one access. With the last price increase in July 2024, and given these stellar game launches, another hike might be on the horizon.

While there are no current deals for Game Pass, a three-month subscription could shield you from future price increases. For deals on other platforms, check out our roundup of PS5, PC, and Switch offers. And don't miss out—U.S. preorders for the Nintendo Switch 2 go live tonight.