This is not a drill! Remnant 2 and Remnant: From the Ashes surprise drop on Xbox Game Pass

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By Colton Stradling
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One of the best games of the year just released to absolutely zero fanfair into Game Pass.

Remnant 2 logo
Remnant 2 and Remnant: From the Ashes surprise drop on Game Pass (Image credit: Gunfire Games)

What you need to know

  • Remnant 2 is a unique take on the Soulslike genre but features co-op and guns.
  • The game launched earlier this year in July and was well-received.
  • The Awakened King DLC recently launched.
  • Remnant 2 and Remnant: From the Ashes both just randomly dropped into Game Pass without as much as a tweet from Xbox or the developers. 

Remnant 2 is a Soulslike experience that lets players play in an action-packed co-op adventure with guns.  Gunfire Games recently launched their first DLC, The Awakened Kin, and now it seems they are set to take over Xbox and PC Game Pass with a surprise and quiet launch into the service. Check out the original launch trailer below.

We still aren't sure what this could mean. It is possible that this was supposed to drop live at 4:30 PST on the 7th which is when the Game Awards starts, but that is 8 days from now. I have yet to see a tweet from either Xbox, Gunfire Games, or Gearbox acknowledging that the game is supposed to be available in Game Pass right now. 

It might be too late to put the proverbial cat in the bag though on this one, as the news is spreading fast and people are downloading the game right now to give it a shot. This is one of the biggest Game Pass "gets" in recent memory, probably since MLB the Show was announced to be hitting the service. 

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Embracer Group is suffering from a myriad of issues following a $2 Billion deal falling through and layoffs affecting many of their studios, including the recent announcement of the closure of Volition studio, which was behind Saints Row. I personally would love to see more games joining Game Pass as part of a new partnership with Xbox and Embracer. It would bring Embracer Group some much-needed capital to fund their studios following their huge financial issues recently.

If you haven't had the opportunity to try this game out yet, it scored an 80 on Metacritic for PC and PS5 but got a much more accurate, in my opinion, 85 on Metacritic for Xbox Series X|S. We covered the game in our Remnant 2 review and called it a great sequel to the first game that could use a bit more polish. But with the months that have passed since its release the game is in a great state and the DLC was well received as well, making this one of the best Xbox games you can play. Now, it's easier than ever to jump in.

Do you think Remnant 2 was supposed to release on Game Pass today or do you think somebody messed up? Are you going to download the game on Game Pass and give it a try? Let us know in the comments. 

Cover art for Remnant 2
Remnant 2

Remnant 2 is now showing as available on Gamepass on Xbox.com. We aren't sure yet if it was a mistake or not but if you're itching to play this great game, go ahead and give it a download and get to tearing apart groups of enemies with your friends. 

Colton Stradling
Colton Stradling
Contributor

Colton is a seasoned cybersecurity professional that wants to share his love of technology with the Windows Central audience. When he isn’t assisting in defending companies from the newest zero-days or sharing his thoughts through his articles, he loves to spend time with his family and play video games on PC and Xbox. Colton focuses on buying guides, PCs, and devices and is always happy to have a conversation about emerging tech and gaming news.