Xbox Game Pass loses five games on May 15, 2026. Planet of Lana, Galacticare, Go Mecha Ball, Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo, and PAW Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship are all departing. Here is what each game offers and how to prioritise your time.
Five games are set to leave Xbox Game Pass on May 15, 2026. The departing titles are Galacticare, Go Mecha Ball, Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo: Closure Edition, PAW Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship, and Planet of Lana. The list spans nearly three years of Game Pass history, with Planet of Lana having been on the service since May 2023 and PAW Patrol lasting just three months since its February 2026 addition.
This is a lighter wave compared to April 2026, which saw nine games leave on April 30 alone, including Grand Theft Auto V and Hunt: Showdown 1896. Still, the May batch includes some genuinely excellent indie titles. Game Pass members can purchase any of these games at a 20% discount before they are removed.
Full List of Games Leaving May 15
| Game | Added to Game Pass | Time on Service | OpenCritic Score | How Long to Beat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galacticare | May 2024 | 1 year, 11 months | 83 | 25-43 hours |
| Go Mecha Ball | January 2024 | 2 years, 3 months | 79 | 3-15 hours |
| Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo | May 2025 | 11 months | 80 | 10-12 hours |
| PAW Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship | February 2026 | 3 months | N/A | 1-4 hours |
| Planet of Lana | May 2023 | 2 years, 11 months | 81 | 4-6 hours |
Planet of Lana: The Biggest Loss This Month
Planet of Lana is a puzzle-platformer developed by Wishfully and published by Thunderful. Released in May 2023, it holds an 80 Metascore based on 38 critic reviews and has been a Game Pass staple for nearly three full years. The game follows a teenage girl named Lana and her cat-like companion Mui as they explore a fictional planet invaded by hostile alien machines.
Inspired by cinematic platformers like Inside and the visual storytelling of Studio Ghibli films, Planet of Lana delivers a 4-6 hour journey that balances stealth sequences, companion-driven puzzles, and a quietly emotional narrative. Critics praised its art direction and music while noting that puzzle design could have been more inventive. A sequel, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf, launched on March 5, 2026 to strong reviews (85 Metascore), making this the perfect time to experience the original before moving to the next chapter.
Galacticare: The Highest-Rated Game on the List
With an 83 OpenCritic average, Galacticare is the best-reviewed title leaving this wave. Developed by Brightrock Games, it is a space hospital management simulator that draws clear inspiration from Theme Hospital and Two Point Hospital but wraps the formula in a comedic sci-fi setting full of bizarre alien diseases and treatment machines.
The campaign takes players from Earth orbit to music festivals, space farms, and clone-filled prisons. Each scenario introduces new ailments and management challenges. Diseases that turn patients into star fields or give them metal craniums are treated in machines with names like the Boning Chamber. A Matt Berry-adjacent rival CEO and witty voice acting keep the tone consistently entertaining. For fans of management sims, Galacticare is the most substantial game departing this month, with a 25-43 hour campaign and sandbox mode offering serious long-term value.
Go Mecha Ball: A Hidden Gem Worth Your Time
Go Mecha Ball blends twin-stick shooting with roguelite progression and pinball-inspired stage hazards. Published by Super Rare Games, the game has been on Game Pass since January 2024, making it one of the longest-serving titles in this wave at over two years.
Players control a mech that can morph between walking and ball forms. The gameplay revolves around fighting enemy waves, navigating obstacle-filled arenas, and discovering synergies between dozens of weapons, abilities, and upgrades across four different mech characters. Vice described it as “criminally underrated,” and its 79 Metacritic average reflects solid critical reception. At 3-15 hours depending on how deep you go into its roguelite runs, it is the easiest game on this list to squeeze in before the deadline.
Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo: A Unique Adventure
Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo is a narrative-driven adventure game developed by Galla and published by Fellow Traveller. Set in a Latin American-inspired afterlife, the game puts players in control of Kulebra, a skeletal snake with blazing blue eyes who helps trapped souls resolve their regrets and move on from Limbo.
The game’s standout feature is its time-loop mechanic. Each day in Limbo lasts about 20 real-world minutes, and if Kulebra fails to help a soul before sunrise, the day resets. The papercraft visual style is gorgeous, and the storytelling tackles themes of loss, depression, and intergenerational conflict with surprising emotional depth. The Closure Edition available on Game Pass includes new quests and an epilogue not found in the original release. At roughly 10-12 hours, it is a meaningful commitment but a rewarding one for players who enjoy story-first games.
PAW Patrol Rescue Wheels: A Note for Parents
PAW Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship is the outlier on this list. Developed by 3DClouds, the family-friendly racing game was only added on February 5, 2026, giving it the shortest Game Pass stint of the group at just over three months. This follows a pattern for the developer: PAW Patrol World previously joined and left Game Pass within a similar window.
If your children are still playing through it, this weekend is a good window to wrap things up. The game can be completed in 1-4 hours, so finishing it before the May 15 deadline is entirely feasible. Otherwise, the 20% member discount applies here as well for a permanent purchase.
What Is Coming to Game Pass in May 2026?
While five games are leaving, May 2026 is shaping up to be one of the strongest months for Game Pass additions in recent memory. Microsoft has already confirmed nine titles, headlined by some major day-one releases:
- Final Fantasy V (Pixel Remaster): May 5
- Mixtape: May 7 (day one)
- Call of the Elder Gods: May 12 (day one)
- Subnautica 2: May 14 (early access, day one)
- Forza Horizon 6: May 19 (day one)
- Beastro: May 21 (day one)
- Luna Abyss: May 21 (day one)
- Echo Generation 2: May 27 (day one)
- Crashout Crew: May 28 (day one)
Forza Horizon 6, set in Japan with iconic locations like the C1 Loop, Mount Haruna, and Shibuya Crossing, is the headline release. Subnautica 2 enters early access with cooperative underwater survival gameplay. The recent Game Pass Ultimate price drop to $22.99/month (€20.99 in Europe) makes access to these day-one launches more affordable than before, though new Call of Duty titles will no longer arrive on day one.
How to Keep These Games After They Leave
Once a title is removed from Game Pass, subscribers lose access entirely unless they purchase the game. All five departing games are currently available at a 20% member discount through the Xbox Store. If you have started a game and want to finish it later, or if any of these titles has become a favourite, buying at the discounted price before May 15 is the best option.
For players short on time, here is a quick priority guide based on completion time and quality:
- Planet of Lana (4-6 hours, 80 Metascore): short, beautiful, and feeds directly into its acclaimed sequel.
- Go Mecha Ball (3-15 hours, 79 Metascore): fast sessions, perfect for quick bursts before the deadline.
- Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo (10-12 hours, 80 Metascore): requires more time, but emotionally rich.
- Galacticare (25-43 hours, 83 Metascore): best reviewed but longest; buy it if you cannot finish in time.
- PAW Patrol Rescue Wheels (1-4 hours): only relevant if children in your household are playing it.
Things Players Usually Ask
Could more games be added to the leaving list?
Yes. The current list comes from the Xbox app’s “Leaving Soon” section rather than an official Microsoft announcement. Historically, additional departures are sometimes revealed alongside the Wave 1 additions announcement, expected around May 5. The app has been mostly accurate but occasionally misses a title or two.
Will any of these games return to Game Pass later?
It is possible but never guaranteed. Some titles have returned to Game Pass after leaving, but there is no public schedule or pattern that makes it predictable. If you want guaranteed access, the safest move is to buy the game at the member discount before it leaves.
Is Planet of Lana II on Game Pass?
Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf launched on March 5, 2026, and was listed as a planned Game Pass addition. The sequel holds an 85 Metascore with praise for deeper puzzles, expanded environments, and a more mature narrative. Playing the first game before it leaves is an excellent way to prepare for the sequel.
How much does Game Pass cost now?
Following the April 2026 price update, Game Pass Ultimate costs $22.99/month in the US (€20.99 in Europe, £22.99 in the UK). PC Game Pass dropped to $13.99/month. The trade-off is that future Call of Duty titles will join the service roughly one year after launch rather than on day one, though existing Call of Duty games remain in the library.
