UPDATE: 505 Games and Microsoft have both confirmed that Control is not headed to Xbox Game Pass, chalking up Phil Spencer’s quotes as a miscommunication.
“The information about Control coming to Xbox Game Pass as reported on a recent Mixer stream is incorrect,” says a statement by 505 Games. “We have no news or announcements regarding Xbox Game Pass at this time.”
“We’re aware that Control was mentioned as coming to the Xbox Game Pass library and can confirm this was in error,” reads Microsoft’s statement. “While we are always updating the library and looking for new ways to provide our members with value and choice in their games, we do not have plans to bring Control to the library at this time.”
Original story follows:
Remedy Entertainment’s Control is not only one of the best games of the year, it’s probably also the best game they’ve ever made, so it goes without saying that it’s game that needs to be experienced by as many people as possible. At launch, Control’s sales were said to be disappointing (though Remedy themselves have stated time and again that they’ve been satisfied with the game’s performance and what they think will be successful sales in the long-term), but it seems the game might be opening the gates for new audiences very soon.
Recently speaking on an Extra Life stream (via ResetEra) on Mixer (at the 44:00) mark, head of Xbox Phil Spencer seems to have let slip that Remedy’s metroidvania action adventure title is headed to Xbox Game Pass.
“I though Control was really good,” said Spencer. “It didn’t reach enough people, so I’m glad to see it’s coming in to Game Pass. So hopefully more people will play it, because it’s a game that should be played, from our friends at Remedy.”
That’s a pretty explicit statement, and I don’t think there’s any doubt about what Spencer is speaking about here- it’s just curious because there hasn’t yet been an official announcement about Control coming to Game Pass. So if this is indeed happening – and it looks like it probably is – then we can expect an announcement imminently.
In the meantime, there’s plenty of other stuff headed to Game Pass in the coming months, while even in the next few days the service’s library is going to be bolstered by interesting new additions.