Nearly three months have passed since the announcement that Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media, much to the surprise of the video game community. Naturally, this acquisition meant that the subsidiary studios came along with it, including id Software, Bethesda Softworks, and Arkane.
Now, this notable acquisition meant that Microsoft, the parent company of Xbox, was given access to several renowned video game franchises which would be added to the often-criticized Xbox service. That being said, it appears that those who are members of the Xbox Game Pass are starting to benefit from Microsoft’s purchase, as the Game Pass has just added the world-renowned RPG, Skyrim.
Xbox Game Pass users can now begin downloading and playing Skyrim on their Xbox console. This news was announced on the official Xbox Game Pass Twitter account, and the post clearly conveyed the excitement the team must have felt by this reveal via a funny picture.
The Game Pass Twitter account labeled the game The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim: Special Xbox Game Pass Edition. Although the post also admits that while it’s called the “special” edition, there’s essentially nothing new or special about it and that the team just wanted it to feel special. The tweet also touts Skyrim to have features such as “Crouch!” and “Die more times than you can count!”
We’re happy to announce that The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim: Special XGP Edition-that-isn’t-really-a-special-edition-we-just-want-it-to-feel-special is available today! pic.twitter.com/uA25S0BnLG
— Xbox Game Pass (@XboxGamePass) December 15, 2020
That being said, Skyrim isn’t the only major title from ZeniMax that was added to the Xbox Game Pass since the acquisition. Members of the service have also been enjoying Doom Eternal for quite some time now, diving into the game’s hellish landscape and all it has to offer.
The first-person shooter has received a decent amount of recognition throughout 2020 not only for the way its level design was incredibly made, but also because fighting off the monsters with the different weapons on offer along with the intense metal music in the background was satisfying, to say the least.
Sadly, PC subscribers of the Xbox Game Pass aren’t as satisfied with the service. Included in the Game Pass Ultimate subscription is supposedly a free membership to EA Play too, which is an inclusion that many PC members are anticipating. This free membership gives them access to popular games such as Jedi: Fallen Order and Titanfall 2.
However, while Xbox Game Pass console members have been benefiting from this feature for quite some time now, PC players were told to wait until December 2020 before the feature became available to them.
Now, it appears that recent news indicates otherwise because it has been announced that this integration will be pushed back to 2021 for unknown reasons. While this is definitely unfortunate news, there’s nothing that can be done for now except to wait.
In any case, Xbox Game Pass subscribers have many other things to be excited about in the future months. Recently, it was revealed that Yakuza Remastered Collection and Yakuza 6 will be made available on the service for both PC and consoles this 2021.
In other words, the addition of these two titles means that members will be able to access and play all the games in the Yakuza franchise except for one — the latest title which is Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
At this point, it’s safe to say that the Xbox Game Pass has improved and flourished throughout the years, making it one of the top subscription-based services out there.
