GTA V Leaving Xbox Game Pass on April 15

Microsoft confirmed on April 2, 2026, that Grand Theft Auto V is scheduled to leave the Xbox Game Pass subscription service on April 15, 2026. This departure includes both the Enhanced and Legacy editions of the game, as well as access to GTA Online.

Users who have been accessing the title through the subscription without owning it digitally will lose access on April 15. To maintain permanent access to the game, these players will need to purchase it outright.

To facilitate this transition, Xbox Game Pass members are currently eligible for a 20 percent discount on the digital purchase of the game until the April 15 deadline.

A Recurring Cycle of Availability

The removal of Grand Theft Auto V is part of a larger pattern of the title entering and exiting Microsoft’s subscription service. The game was previously removed in January 2024 before returning to the service in April 2025 to coincide with the release of the PC Enhanced version.

While Rockstar Games titles typically remain on Xbox or PlayStation subscription services for a maximum of six months, this most recent stint lasted a full year, spanning from April 15, 2025, to April 15, 2026.

The service provided access across multiple platforms, including Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and cloud versions. On PC, the Enhanced version was available, and support for the Game Pass versions on PC was integrated into FiveM shortly after the game joined the service.

Strategic Timing and GTA 6

Industry analysts suggest the timing of this removal is strategically aligned with the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6, which is officially scheduled for November 19, 2026. The departure of GTA V occurs exactly seven months before the launch of the new title.

Rockstar’s marketing campaign for the next installment is expected to begin in the summer of 2026, with a third trailer anticipated in the coming weeks or months. Pre-orders are expected to open in conjunction with this marketing push.

By removing the second-best-selling video game of all time from a free subscription service, the publisher eliminates a free alternative for players just as the marketing machine for the next chapter intensifies.

Broader Game Pass Departures

Grand Theft Auto V is not the only title exiting the service this month. Microsoft updated the Xbox app on April 2 to reveal a wave of departures occurring on April 15. Other games leaving the service on the same date include:

• Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
• Terra Invicta
• My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery
• Ashen

Financial Context of Subscription Deals

The financial arrangements for placing high-profile titles like GTA V on Game Pass are substantial. According to a September 2023 Xbox leak, Microsoft anticipated that Take-Two Interactive would request between $12 million and $15 million per month to keep the game on the service, based on an expectation of approximately 30 million hours of playtime.