The most important open-world game ever leaves Xbox Game Pass in a few days

Xbox Game Pass is a service that ebbs and flows, with a rotating lineup of titles. But this week, one of the most important games ever made is leaving the library.

Grand Theft Auto V needs no introduction. On August 8, 2021, it will leave Xbox Game Pass, meaning subscribers only have a few days left to get their fill of one of the biggest blockbusters of all time.

GTA V is a game that has sold over 150 million copies since its debut in 2013. In 2018, it became the most profitable entertainment product of all time, earning more than any film, record, or book ever.

But what about the game is so enticing? After all, there are dozens of open-world action games that do what GTA V does — and in many ways, some games do it better.

Despite that, GTA V remains one of the most important games of all time.

Satirical storytelling is at the heart of GTA V

Sure, most players probably just want to drive around and cause mayhem across the city of Los Santos in GTA V. And if that’s what you want to do, you’ll feel right at home with this game. Go on a murderous rampage, drive faster than you ever would in real life, make things go boom, and be a general menace to society.

But in between all the chaos is a smart, and funny story that makes fun of our society in the United States. Not many games can pull this off, and while not every joke lands in GTA V, the overall presentation is intelligent and impactful. It’s a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously, while poking fun at some of the idiotic things we do in America. Even after eight years, many of these points are still relevant.

A well-executed heist can help you rake in the dough

Another thing GTA V does better than other games is the way it handles its heists, both offline and online. These are some of the most exhilarating missions in the game’s entirety, rewarding you for effective planning and the ability to think on your feet.

Executing a heist from start to finish is an absolute blast, from the planning stages to beyond. The heists that takes place in the single-player portion of GTA V are an explosive amount of fun because they feel cinematic and linear enough to play out according to plan (most of the time), while still giving you agency over the outcome.

In contrast to a game like Payday 2, which is undoubtedly a lot of fun, GTA V strips a lot of the frustrating complexities away so you always feel like you did a good job, without the game feeling like it’s playing itself. This balance is often a rarity in the world of video games.

Live your best life online

While the two aforementioned aspects help draw a crowd, GTA Online keeps players around. This is GTA V’s online component that comes free with each copy of the game. This shared world multiplayer mode is arguably the highlight of the entire package for many players, allowing them to work together with (or against) friends online.

GTA Online has gotten substantial updates over the years, from implementing a slew of new races, to the Diamond Casino & Resort, to Cayo Perico, and more. There are numerous ways to earn money and once you do, you can use it to buy new clothes, weapons, properties, and even yachts and planes.

There are even bits of story added frequently to GTA Online, which is one of the most compelling reasons to give it a try. And even if narrative isn’t your thing, running around while goofing off with friends is always a good time.

Given the sheer amount of things to do across the single-player and online mode, the funny, witty writing, and the exhilarating heists, there’s no shortage of fun to have in GTA V. So even if you’ve already played it before, or if you’ve never touched it at all, jumping into it via Xbox Game Pass is a fantastic idea, but you’ve only got a few days left to do so!