A comprehensive fan-compiled list has revealed that hundreds of Microsoft-owned games remain absent from Xbox Game Pass. Despite Microsoft’s acquisitions of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard, major franchises and beloved classics are nowhere to be found on the subscription service.
The extensive catalog of missing titles spans decades of gaming history. Most older Call of Duty games before Modern Warfare 2019 are absent. Licensed games featuring Marvel superheroes, Transformers robots, James Bond adventures, and Spider-Man web-slinging are completely missing. Music-heavy series like Guitar Hero, DJ Hero, and multiple Tony Hawk skateboarding games have also failed to make the cut.
Licensing emerges as the biggest villain in this story. Many games require complex negotiations for music rights, car brands, celebrity likenesses, or entertainment franchises. Guitar Hero games need permission for hundreds of songs. Racing games like Project Gotham Racing require deals with car manufacturers. Movie tie-ins need approval from studios that might not even exist anymore.
Technical issues create another layer of problems. Some games were built using old engines and tools that don’t play nice with modern systems. Others have security vulnerabilities that would need expensive patches before going online again. The fact that Microsoft ended its backward compatibility program in 2021 means many Xbox and Xbox 360 titles can’t even run on current hardware without significant work.
Platform differences add to the confusion. Doom 2016 and The Elder Scrolls Online appear on console Game Pass but mysteriously vanish from the PC version. This happens because PC versions often rely on Steam integration or other technical frameworks that need reworking for Game Pass distribution.
When owning isn’t everything
The reality hits hard for players expecting instant access to Microsoft’s vast gaming empire. Some listed games aren’t even available for purchase anywhere, having been delisted years ago when licenses expired. Others technically belong to different companies despite Activision publishing them, like Sekiro which FromSoftware actually owns.
Microsoft continues adding Activision titles gradually rather than dumping everything at once. Recent additions like Diablo IV show progress, but the complete back catalog remains a distant dream. Music licenses, expired contracts, and technical hurdles mean some games might never return, leaving fans to dust off old consoles or accept that certain classics stay in the past.
