Games Leaving Game Pass: May 15, 2026
Five games are leaving Xbox Game Pass on May 15, and you've got 5 days left to finish them, buy them at the discount, or wave goodbye. The wave is light on household names but heavy on quality, with two strong indies and the best-reviewed sim of the bunch on the way out. Here's what you need to know.
What's Leaving May 15, 2026
| Game | Metacritic | Time to Beat | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galacticare | 80 (PC) / 83 OpenCritic | ~20-25 hours | Console, PC, Cloud |
| Planet of Lana | 74-80 | ~4-5 hours | Console, PC, Cloud |
| Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo (Closure Edition) | 80 OpenCritic | ~10 hours | Console, PC, Cloud |
| Go Mecha Ball | 70-81 | ~3 hours | Console, PC, Cloud |
| PAW Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship | Not yet rated | ~4 hours | Console, PC, Cloud |
All titles will be removed at the end of the day on May 15, 2026. Game Pass members can purchase any of these at a 20% discount before they leave.
Don't Miss: Priority Picks
1. Galacticare
Think Two Point Hospital in space. Galacticare is a sci-fi hospital management sim with weird alien diseases, kooky staff, and a campaign that runs across 11 chapters of slow, satisfying expansion. With an OpenCritic average of 83, it's the best-reviewed game leaving this wave, and the only one to earn OpenCritic's "Mighty" rating.
Time commitment: ~20-25 hours for the main story. You're not finishing this in 5 days unless you're already a few chapters deep, so the smart move is to grab it at the 20% member discount and keep building your space hospital empire after May 15.
Play if you like: Two Point Hospital, Project Hospital, RimWorld
2. Planet of Lana
This is the most realistic priority pick to actually finish before the deadline. Planet of Lana is a cinematic side-scrolling puzzle-platformer with gorgeous art direction, a quiet emotional story, and a runtime of about 4-5 hours. It scores 80 on Metacritic for PC and Xbox, with critics praising it as one of the better atmospheric adventures of its generation.
There's a bonus angle here, too. The sequel, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf, hit Game Pass earlier this year, so finishing the original now sets up a natural next step that won't cost you anything extra.
Time commitment: ~4-5 hours. Easily completable in a single weekend.
Play if you like: Inside, Limbo, Gris
3. Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo (Closure Edition)
A papercraft adventure with a time-loop mechanic, Kulebra has racked up an OpenCritic 80 ("Strong" rating, 87% recommended) on the back of its art direction and emotional storytelling. The "Closure Edition" is the expanded post-launch version with additional content. It's not a quick burn like Planet of Lana, but it's a doable week of casual evenings before May 15.
Time commitment: ~10 hours. Tight, but achievable if you commit to a few sessions this week.
Play if you like: Outer Wilds, Tunic, Paper Mario
Quick Takes on the Rest
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Go Mecha Ball — A twin-stick roguelite shooter with pinball-style movement. Scores range from 70 to 81 across platforms, and the main story clocks in at roughly 3 hours. If you want a one-evening burn before the cut-off, this is the easiest "finish it tonight" pick on the list.
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PAW Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship — A kids' kart racer that joined Game Pass on February 5 and is leaving after just 100 days. Only two critic reviews exist (not enough for an official Metascore), so we're calling this one "not yet rated." Skip unless you've got a young child who's already into the franchise.
FAQ: Games Leaving Game Pass
Can I still play these games after May 15?
No. Once they leave Game Pass, you'll need to purchase them to keep playing. Game Pass members get a 20% discount on departing titles, which applies to all five games in this wave through the Xbox Store.
Will these games come back to Game Pass?
Possibly, but there's no guarantee and no set timeline. Indie titles like these sometimes return after a year or more, and sometimes they don't. If you're attached to the save, buying at the discount is the only way to lock in access.
What if I'm mid-playthrough?
Your save data stays intact. If you purchase the game now or it returns to Game Pass later, you can pick up exactly where you left off. Cloud saves don't expire when a game leaves the catalog.
What's Coming to Replace Them
May 2026 Wave 1 is bringing 14 new titles to Game Pass, including some of the biggest releases of the year:
- DOOM: The Dark Ages — May 14 (day-one)
- Subnautica 2 — May 14 (day-one)
- Forza Horizon 6 — May 19 (day-one)
- Mixtape — May 7 (Cloud, Series X|S, Handheld, PC)
- Wuchang: Fallen Feathers — May 6
- Final Fantasy V — May 5 (Cloud, Series X|S, PC)
- Wheel World — May 6
- Wildgate — May 6 (Cloud + Console)
- Descenders Next — May 6
- Ben 10 Power Trip — May 6
- Outbound — May 11
- Black Jacket — May 12
- Call of the Elder Gods — May 12
- Elite Dangerous — May 12 (Cloud, Console)
DOOM: The Dark Ages, Subnautica 2, and Forza Horizon 6 are the big day-one drops worth blocking out time for.
Never Miss a Departure Again
Keeping track of what's coming and going from Game Pass shouldn't require checking Xbox Wire every week. Vaulted.Games tracks subscription catalogs across Game Pass, PS Plus, and more, so you always know what's available, what's leaving, and when to act. Get notified before games disappear from your library.
[Track Your Subscription Games →]
Last updated: May 10, 2026. Source: Xbox Wire