Third-Person Shooter Dethrones New Day One Games As #1 Most Played Xbox Game Pass game

A third-person shooter added to Xbox Game Pass back in January, briefly was one of the most-played games on Xbox Series X this week, and the #1 most-played Xbox Game Pass, dethroning recent Xbox Game Pass day one games in the process. This is an impressive achievement considering the game has been available via the Microsoft subscription service for roughly two months and is a 2024 game. This is the first time since its release that it has been available via the subscription service, and it’s showing very strong and lasting popularity with subscribers.

More specifically, at one point this week, Saber St. Petersburg and Focus Entertainment’s 2024 third-person shooter, Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2, was one of the most-played games on Xbox Series X, in company with titles like Fortnite, Apex Legends, Roblox, Call of Duty, and Rocket League. Consquently, it became the most-played Xbox Game Pass, leapfrogging recent day one games like TCG Card Shop Simulator and High on Life 2. And again, considering this is not a day one game and that it was added back on January 29, two calendar years after its release, this is impressive.

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One of 2024’s Best Games

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was quietly a sleeper hit of 2024, and is one of the best third-person shooters of the last few years. A sequel to 2011’s Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 boasts an 83 on Metacritic and 4/5 stars on the Microsoft Store. Meanwhile, to date, the game has sold over 4.5 million copies and attracted 6 million players. The latter was calculated before it was added to Xbox Game Pass, though. In other words, it has also proven to be a substantial commercial success for the aforementioned duo, hence why its own sequel is in active development.

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Those on Xbox Game Pass who haven’t checked out this third-person shooter yet, it is available on both Xbox Series X and PC via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Premium. On average, the game is about 10 to 15 hours long. Normally, Xbox users have to fork over $40 to the Xbox Store for this content. That said, how long the third-person shooter is going to be included with Xbox Game Pass, we do not know. This information is not available, but as long as it is, subscribers can purchase it with an exclusive 20% discount.

All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think, or join the conversation over on the ComicBook Forum.