Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Losing Unexpected Game Soon

Highlights

• Rocket Arena will soon be exiting both Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and EA Play, potentially due to a dwindling player base since its initial release in 2020.
• While it is common for games to leave Xbox Game Pass, it is surprising that older titles like Rocket Arena are being removed, as they typically remain available for regular subscribers on other services such as EA Play.
• Despite its removal from these subscription services, Rocket Arena will still be available for purchase, allowing players to continue grinding achievements in a genre that faces steep competition from games like Valorant and Overwatch 2.

Electronic Arts’ Rocket Arena will be exiting both Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and EA Play soon. The 3v3 multiplayer shooter has been out since 2020 on PC and other major gaming platforms, and it performed well during its initial release. Rocket Arena has received positive reviews. While it had amassed an okay player base when it came out, the numbers have dwindled, which many believe could be part of the reason for its imminent removal.

It’s quite a common occurrence to see games leave Xbox Game Pass. The nature of the service rotates many titles so that players get a fresh experience. However, there are some older titles that have become a staple of the subscription in that they almost always have been available for the longest time. What’s more surprising is that services such as EA Play and Ubisoft+ normally keep older titles from their library available for play for regular subscribers.

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TrueAchievements reported that Rocket Arena will be leaving both Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and EA Play. EA’s website confirms that Rocket Arena will be leaving The Play List on November 14, 2023, the same date when it also leaves Game Pass Ultimate. There has been no statement as to why the game will be removed from both services, although some users from the comments section assume that a server closure is in the game’s future. It has been two full years since the developers updated the title with Season 4’s introduction in 2021, so most people think that the shutdown is inevitable.

During its release, many fans had high hopes for the game, with some players declaring Rocket Arena‘s potential to be the next great multiplayer shooter. Most gamers’ initial reception was that it felt like a mix of Overwatch and Super Smash Bros. Granted, while comparisons were present, a lot of factors determine a game’s success, including the accessibility and concurrent player count. Not to mention, with games such as Valorant, Overwatch 2, and others highly dominating the multiplayer shooter scene, it is an over-saturated genre that has a lot of competition going on.

Still, even as the game will be leaving Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and EA Play, it will still be available for purchase so players can still grind the achievements, should they be interested in adding a few points. Unlike other shooters such as Halo which have achievements that take too long to accomplish, Rocket Arena‘s achievements are said to be doable within a 60 to 80-hour playtime if gamers have the time to spare. Hopefully, the server closure is just a rumor so that fans can still enjoy the title at their own leisure.