Is theHunter: Call of the Wild on Xbox Game Pass Essential?

theHunter: Call of the Wild Xbox Game Pass Essential is now included, giving subscribers to Microsoft’s cheapest current Game Pass tier access to the open-world hunting game without buying it separately. The official Xbox store page labels theHunter: Call of the Wild as cloud playable and included with Game Pass Essential, Premium and Ultimate.

Is theHunter: Call of the Wild Xbox Game Pass Essential Included Now?

Yes. The live Xbox store listing confirms theHunter: Call of the Wild Xbox Game Pass Essential inclusion. If you already subscribe to Essential, open the Xbox store or Game Pass library while signed into the subscribed account and the install option should replace the normal purchase-only route.

Game Pass tier	theHunter: Call of the Wild
Essential	Included
Premium	Included
Ultimate	Included

Can You Play theHunter on PC With Essential?

theHunter: Call of the Wild Xbox Game Pass Essential is not limited to console. Microsoft’s current Essential plan is built around a 50+ game library across console, PC and supported devices, and theHunter has a Windows version in the Xbox ecosystem.

Because Microsoft can expose different packages by region and device, the safest check on PC is the Xbox app while signed into the same Essential account. If the Windows package shows Included, install that rather than purchasing the separate store version.

Does Essential Include Online Multiplayer?

Yes. theHunter: Call of the Wild Xbox Game Pass Essential also benefits from Essential including online console multiplayer, which matters because theHunter supports multiplayer hunting sessions in addition to its solo campaign.

You do not need to upgrade to Ultimate simply because you want to hunt with friends on Xbox. The higher tiers have bigger catalogues and additional benefits, but Essential supplies the console-online entitlement itself.

Is DLC Included With Game Pass Essential?

The base theHunter: Call of the Wild Xbox Game Pass Essential inclusion should not be confused with ownership of every reserve, weapon pack or add-on released for the game. theHunter has years of paid DLC, and Game Pass catalogue access to the base title does not automatically turn all of that extra content into free downloads.

Check each add-on’s store listing before assuming a reserve or equipment pack is included. Subscribers may receive discounts, but a discount and an included entitlement are not the same thing.

Why Did This Addition Seem to Appear From Nowhere?

The unusual part of theHunter: Call of the Wild Xbox Game Pass Essential is the lack of the usual advance Game Pass announcement. Xbox’s September 1 Wave 1 post did not present theHunter as a new Essential addition, yet the current store page now explicitly labels Essential as an included tier.

That is why it makes sense to group it with No Man’s Sky in our Xbox Game Pass Essential shadow-drop article rather than treating this like a normal date-announced Wave 1 release.

Is No Man’s Sky Also Included?

Yes. theHunter: Call of the Wild Xbox Game Pass Essential arrived alongside another notably large Essential inclusion: No Man’s Sky. The two games cover very different moods, but both are substantial open-world time sinks suddenly available on the cheapest tier.

If space exploration sounds more appealing than patiently tracking an animal for twenty minutes only to frighten it away at the last second, our No Man’s Sky Game Pass Essential guide covers the other addition.

Will You Keep the Game If You Cancel Essential?

No. theHunter: Call of the Wild Xbox Game Pass Essential is catalogue access, not a permanent licence. If your subscription ends or the game later leaves the tier, you will need another valid entitlement or a purchased copy to keep launching it.

Your save data is separate from the subscription entitlement, so returning through a later purchase or eligible Game Pass tier should let you continue with the same Xbox account rather than starting from scratch.

How Long Is It Included For?

Microsoft has not published a removal date for theHunter: Call of the Wild Xbox Game Pass Essential. Shadow-dropped catalogue additions can remain for a long time, but Game Pass libraries are designed to change.

If you specifically want to try it because it is now part of Essential, there is little reason to wait for a formal announcement: the live store entitlement is the useful part.

The official Xbox store page currently confirms theHunter: Call of the Wild Xbox Game Pass Essential inclusion across Essential, Premium and Ultimate.