Skip to main content

3 games leaving Xbox Game Pass you should play this weekend (December 20-22)

A custom car built drives around Lego 2K Drive.
2K

No more new games are coming to Xbox Game Pass for the rest of 2024. In fact, the service is going to lose some games at the end of the month. All of the games leaving the service on December 31 are very entertaining, and the lineup encompasses wacky racing games, hardcore strategy games about the history of humanity, and goofy fighting games where players control cute animals. These games are worth checking out this weekend as they’re leaving Microsoft’s gaming subscription service very soon.

Lego 2K Drive

LEGO 2K Drive | Awesome Reveal Trailer | Coming May 19

Racing games are some of the most approachable ones out there, so it makes sense that the genre would be a perfect fit for a Lego game. Visual Concepts and 2K went a step further than they had to with Lego 2K Drive, though, adding large open areas full of missions and minigames to experience. Lego 2K Drive is a light and breezy arcade-like racer that doesn’t ask too much from players unless they want to spend a lot of time building vehicles piece by piece. After this game leaves the service at the end of the month, Forza Horizon 5 will be your only option when it comes to open-world racing games on Xbox Game Pass.

Recommended Videos

Lego 2K Drive leaves Xbox Game Pass across PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on December 31. It’s also on PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.

Humankind

HUMANKIND™ - Console Release Trailer

In the gap between Sid Meier’s Civilization VI and VII, some competitors emerged. One such title was Amplitude Studios and Sega’s Humankind, a 4X strategy game where players guide humanity throughout history. This game stood out by allowing players to change what civilization they were controlling at the start of each year, a feature that Civilization VII is copying. If you want to get comfortable with how that works in a 4X strategy game, I recommend checking out Humankind. Thankfully, even once it leaves the service, Ara: History Untold remains on PC Game Pass as an alternative.

The PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S versions of Humankind leave Xbox Game Pass on December 31. It’s also on PS4 and PS5.

Party Animals

Party Animals 2023 Official Trailer

Finally, Party Animals will be leaving Microsoft’s subscription service at the end of this month. Party Animals is a cartoonish 3D fighting game similar to Gang Beasts. The main difference is that in Party Animals, players are controlling cute animals as they flop around and hit and throw each other. It’s a hilarious game to play with others and could potentially be a good title to pull out during the holidays when you’re visiting with friends and family. Unfortunately, you will no longer be able to do that via Xbox Game Pass when the new year rolls around.

The PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S versions of Party Animals leave Xbox Game Pass on December 31.

Tomas Franzese
As a Gaming Staff Writer at Digital Trends, Tomas Franzese reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…
3 new Xbox Game Pass games to play this weekend (November 22-24)
A cockpit view in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.

While November has been a quieter month for Xbox Game Pass, this week saw three games launch on Xbox to the benefit of Game Pass subscribers. One is the latest entry in Microsoft's longest-running video game series, another is the long-awaited sequel to a supernatural horror cult classic, and the last one is a popular fantasy MMO that has finally made its way to Xbox Series X/S with bonuses for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. If you have an Xbox Game Pass subscription, but aren't sure what you should be playing this weekend, these are the three most obvious choices.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – Xbox Games Showcase 2024

Before Microsoft started releasing video game consoles, it made flight simulators. This storied hardcore flying simulation franchise is getting a new entry this year, aptly named Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The latest entry in the Microsoft Flight Simulator series builds upon the strong foundation of its revival in 2020. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 not only sees improved environmental simulation, visuals, and physics, but lots of new content as well. There are now missions where players can participate in aerial firefighting, search and research, and more. While the appeal of simulators like this one is someone niche, those looking for a new flight simulator will adore this game.

Read more
Xbox is finally letting you cloud stream games you own, with some limits
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty's new character. She's in a security uniform leaning against a railing with a fiery cityscape in the background.

Years after Xbox promised that users could stream games they own through the cloud, the company is finally launching that functionality, albeit with some restrictions.

Starting Wednesday, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be able to use Xbox Cloud Gaming to stream games they already own, even if they're not in the Game Pass catalog. However, they can only stream from a list of 50 supported games right now. You can view the full list on Xbox's website, but it's a good mix of titles, ranging from AAA releases like Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Outlaws, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 to recent indies like Animal Well, Fear the Spotlight, and Dredge. This applies to any version of the game you own, like if you have Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition.

Read more
Play these 3 PS Plus games this weekend before they leave (November 15-17)
Key art for Red Dead Redemption 2.

A new batch of games will be added to the PlayStation Plus Premium and Extra game catalogs next week, but many notable games will also leave Sony's gaming subscription service before that happens. Fans of Rockstar Games in particular will be disappointed as two of the studio's games are leaving PS Plus Extra's catalog ahead of 2025, which will potentially see the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI. If you own a PS5, aren't picking up Lego Horizon Adventures, and are wondering what you should be playing this weekend, consider checking out any of these games leaving PS Plus.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 Launch Trailer

Rockstar's most recent game as of 2024, Red Dead Redemption 2, is an excellent open-world western. A prequel to the original Red Dead Redemption, it follows Arthur Morgan, who's part of Dutch van der Linde's gang alongside John Marston, as the sun sets on the Wild West and their gang slowly falls apart due to infighting, death, and questionable decisions from leaders like Dutch. It's an amazing story emboldened by a vast open world with a stunning amount of attention to even the smallest details. It's worth a revisit if you need to remind yourself why Rockstar is considered one of the best developers in the game industry and why you should truly be excited for GTA 6. If you don't own it, you don't have much time left to get that refresher for free.

Read more