Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 quietly pulled from Game Pass days before launch

Game Pass subscribers expecting Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 on July 21 will have to wait — or pay. Microsoft added the skating remaster to its upcoming Game Pass lineup last week, then removed it without explanation on July 13. No official statement has followed from Microsoft or Activision.

The likely reason

The leading theory is music licensing. THPS 1+2 launched in September 2020 with a licensed soundtrack packed with tracks from real bands — think Rage Against the Machine, Dead Kennedys, and Naughty by Nature. Renewing those rights for a subscription platform nearly six years after release can get expensive, and publishers don't always foot that bill. It's a pattern Game Pass users have seen before: Forza Horizon 4 was pulled from the service in late 2024 for the same reason, per VGChartz.

What makes this removal unusual is that Microsoft owns Activision — the game's publisher — following its $69 billion acquisition in 2023. Owning the studio doesn't automatically mean owning every music license attached to the game, though. Third-party rights holders can still block or price out a deal.

What it means for subscribers

If you're on Game Pass and were counting on this, the game is still available to buy on Steam, the Epic Games Store, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. The July 21 update will still bring The Planet Crafter to PC and Xbox Series instead.

The contrast with PlayStation Plus is worth noting. Sony's subscription has carried THPS 1+2 in its catalog for years with no reported licensing disruption, according to NME. Whether that reflects a better-structured music deal or a different licensing subset isn't clear — Microsoft hasn't said anything publicly.

What's next

There's no timeline for a return to Game Pass, and no confirmation the game will be relisted at all. The sequel, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, launched day-one on Game Pass in July 2025 without issue — suggesting the newer title's licensing was handled differently from the start. For now, THPS 1+2 sits in the same gray zone as other beloved-but-complicated catalog titles: available everywhere except the subscription you're already paying for.