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GTA V is leaving Xbox Game Pass again, but Skate is in

By Emily Morrow August 3, 2021

Microsoft has announced the titles that are entering and exiting its Xbox Game Pass service in August. The biggest name is Grand Theft Auto V, which will be leaving the platform on August 8 for both cloud and console play. In exchange, Microsoft is adding indie heavyweights like Hades, Katamari Damacy Reroll, and two entries in the Skate franchise to Game Pass in August. Starting on August 10, the service will also feature several titles from racing game developer Codemasters, including Dirt 4, F1 2020, and more.

Xbox Game Pass encompasses traditional console gaming on Xbox, PC gaming through Windows, and cloud gaming for a variety of mobile devices. Each of the games coming this month is available on one or more of these three platforms. All of this month’s titles are available on PC, with the exception of Skate 3 and Skate, which are available on cloud gaming and console, respectively.

Codemasters’ games will be available to Game Pass subscribers through EA Play starting on August 10. The additions of Dirt 4, Dirt Rally, Dirt Rally 2.0, F1 2020, and Grid give racing game fans a variety of titles to choose from. Microsoft didn’t say how long the titles will be available, but like just about everything on Game Pass, they’ll likely be available for a limited time.

Other titles coming to Game Pass this month include Curse of the Dead Gods, a roguelike; Dodgeball Academia, an indie sports RPG from Microsoft’s ID@Xbox program; and Lumines Remastered, a sound and light puzzle game. Subscribers will also get to preview Starmancer, an upcoming space management sim from Ominux Games and Chucklefish, the publisher behind Stardew Valley.

Besides GTA V, several titles are leaving Game Pass. On August 15, Ape Out, Crossing Souls, Darksiders Genesis, Don’t Starve, Final Fantasy VII, and Train Sim World 2020 will no longer be available. The full list of arriving and departing titles can be seen on the Xbox website.

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Former PS5 exclusive Ghostwire: Tokyo Comes to Xbox Game Pass in April

Akito with KK and the neon colors of Tokyo and invading spirits.

Former PlayStation 5 exclusive Ghostwire: Tokyo will launch for Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC on April 12. A free update called The Spider's Thread will release on the same day for all platforms, including Xbox Series X/S, PC and PlayStation 5. The game is being added to Xbox Game Pass.

Ghostwire: Tokyo was first released on PS5 and PC on March 25, 2022. Despite Microsoft owning Bethesda at the time, preexisting agreements were honored and the game remained a timed console exclusive on PS5. The same situation occurred with Bethesda's Deathloop, which initially launched on PS5 and PC in September 2021 and then came to Xbox Series X/S a year later.

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Time is running out to play Battlefield 2042 for free

Crawford shoots enemies with a turret he place in Battlefield 2042.

If you want to try Battlefield 2042 for free on PC, your time is running out. You have just over a day to download and play it on Steam before it goes back to being a full-price release.
Battlefield 2042's free access period on Steam began on March 13, about two weeks after the start of Season 4: Eleventh Hour. If you go to its store page on Steam, you can download and play it for free until 12 p.m. ET on March 16. The game is also discounted on Steam during this time, so you can pick Battlefield 2042 up for $18 instead of $60.
If you don't want to buy the game directly but still want to continue playing after this free trial period, you have some options. Battlefield 2042 is included in multiple subscription services at the moment. It is one of March 2023's monthly PlayStation Plus titles for both PS4 and PS5 subscribers. Meanwhile, it's available as part of the EA Play game library, which Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S all have access to.
If you use the same EA account on those platforms, you'll be able to carry over all of your account progression and items and not lose any progress. As such, this free access period on Steam is a great time to check out Battlefield 2042 if you've been on the fence about picking it up.
Battlefield 2042 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Its free Steam demo ends on March 16.

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How to connect your Nintendo Switch to a TV

The Nintendo Switch has quickly become a household item. The system works as both a handheld device and a TV console, making it both versatile and convenient for players to use. Although using the Switch in its handheld form is awesome, the reality is that the graphics on a TV can enhance the experience of any Switch player. For those of us that struggle to put systems together, there is hope. Fortunately for us, the Switch is actually pretty easy to hook up to any TV, so long as it has an HDMI slot. Here's how.
Setting up the Nintendo Switch

For those who are new to the system, every purchase of the Nintendo Switch not only includes the Switch itself but also a Switch dock. This dock will be key in putting your system together for the TV. The first thing you're going to want to do is take out the dock and all the cords. Make sure that you have the dock, an HDMI cord, and a power cord for the system. If all three are present, you're good to start!