Microsoft Unveils December's Games with Gold Catalog

[Josh Engen]

Microsoft Unveils December's Games with Gold Catalog

Next month, Xbox LIVE Gold subscribers will receive a complimentary copy of Gears of War and Shoot Many Robots.

Microsoft has finally unveiled the titles that will make up next month's Games with Gold catalog. Starting on December 1st, Xbox LIVE Gold members will be given access to Gears of War, the 2006 classic by Epic Games. Then on December 16th, Shoot Many Robots, an action platformer from Demiurge Studios, will hit the Games with Gold library.

If you haven't already played Gears of War, Microsoft is giving you the chance to finally check out one of the most important titles on the Xbox 360. Gears of War was a major influence on modern-day shooters, and its sequels continue to be best sellers. So, even if you're not a huge fan of cover-based shooters, you should check it out for posterity's sake.

Shoot Many Robots, on the other hand, is far less illustrious or historically important. The game's mechanics and storyline are summed up by the title, so if you dig the title, you'll probably enjoy the game.

Unfortunately, Microsoft hasn't revealed its strategy for Games with Gold on the Xbox One. The developer is reportedly planning to launch its Gold catalog in 2014, but that's all we really know. The Xbox One doesn't have a huge library at the moment, so Microsoft will need to make some tough decisions.

Either way, Gears of War and Shoot Many Robots should tide you over until January.

Source: Xbox Wire [http://news.xbox.com/2013/11/games-games-with-gold-december]

Permalink

 

[loa]

Well too bad for them they figured they should make their "service" about more than just extortion just now.
Too little too late. I only did it once for dark souls, that was their chance to sucker me in and they failed.

There's no way in hell I'll ever pay for this again but thanks to all the other enablers who subscribed for years and made this the status quo.

 

[Mahorfeus]

There's no way in hell I'll ever pay for this again but thanks to all the other enablers who subscribed for years and made this the status quo.

You're welcome, bub.

While I am usually not the kind of person to complain about free-ish stuff... Gears of War? Really? I mean, it was a great game and all, but just about anyone could literally pick up a used copy for 3 bucks. Snide as it may sound, I think everybody who cares for it already owns it. The other title may or may not be good, but the fact that it isn't even recognizable does not exactly do wonders for publicity.

 

[luvd1]

Just gears 1? A seven year old game? Wow, impressive. How generous of you Microsoft.

 

[josemlopes]

I wouldnt mind if it was Gears 3 (and I already own that game) but Gears 1? They already gave it for free for buyers of Gears of War Judgement. Its like they are wasting their time doing the math to what game do they "hypothetically" loose the less amount of sales/cash possible (like if people still actually went out to buy Gears 1)

 

[CpT_x_Killsteal]

They really seem to be trying to give as little as possible with these games aren't they? and the fact that you only get the chance to download them for a limited time is just ridiculous.

I'm not THAT familiar with PS+, but if you have PS+ can't you choose from a large catalog of free games to download at any time?

On a side note, does Escapist cover every PS+ addition too? Or is it just Xbox?

 

[SecondPrize]

It seems like they're actively trying to be insulting with the games they give out. "Hey, games I could pick up for a fiver on the off chance I don't own/haven't played them already. Thanks awfully, no really."

 

[bluegate]

They really seem to be trying to give as little as possible with these games aren't they? and the fact that you only get the chance to download them for a limited time is just ridiculous.

I'm not THAT familiar with PS+, but if you have PS+ can't you choose from a large catalog of free games to download at any time?

On a side note, does Escapist cover every PS+ addition too? Or is it just Xbox?

Haven't actually ever seen them cover the PS+ additions, but aside from that;
( according to another user, they actually do, never knew )

On PS+ you have a dozen or so games that you can download anytime and a hand full of games that circulate every month. Is the month over, then you won't be able to download those games, EXCEPT for when you added those games to your download list when they were available, then you will be able to download them whenever, wherever, as long as you are a PS+ member.

Microsoft really is dragging their feet here... come on, bring more recent games!

 

[josemlopes]

Well too bad for them they figured they should make their "service" about more than just extortion just now.
Too little too late. I only did it once for dark souls, that was their chance to sucker me in and they failed.

There's no way in hell I'll ever pay for this again but thanks to all the other enablers who subscribed for years and made this the status quo.

To be honest what Xbox Live offered in comparision to what the free PSN offered back then (way back then at the start of online on consoles) was worth the price. Its kind of like World of Warcraft not needing to be subscription based now but it is because it means more guaranteed money for them (but at the start it kind of needed it to stay alive).

What we were paying was basicly the chat and online functionalities and stuff like that that on a PC are made by different software companies (in here it was all up to Microsoft and Sony to implement those features by themselfs). Remember how the online experience on the PS3 was so barebones at the start (I dont know if you can still talk to someone that is playing a different game then you).

On PC you can just get Skype or any other program and be done with it while on consoles at first you couldnt do any of that and had to give them a justification to implement those features by themselfs.

With the Xbone and PS4 I guess we are paying for the cloud servers as they couldnt release a console without those online features (chat and friends list, etc...) and remain competetive, either way if people werent so easy to jump on board they would be forced to at least reduce the prices.

 

[Magnethead]

Meanwhile PS+ this month gives you Grid 2, Guacamelee!, Sonic All-Stars Racing Transformed and GTA: Liberty City Stories (in Australia). And 3 of those are playable as PS Vita versions too.

I only have Gold because it came free for a year with Office 365, and I will never give MS any money for it, meanwhile I am more than happy to pay Sony every year for PS+. I think MS is really missing a larger revenue stream here.

 

[Andy Shandy]

You know, I would mock them for giving away a seven-year old game, but I got hyped when they announced when Crackdown would be free and that's a six-year old game, so perhaps I should keep my mouth shut.

On a side note, does Escapist cover every PS+ addition too? Or is it just Xbox?

They do, but it only ever seems to be the US one, which can be irritating when I'm in the EU and see "This Month on PS Plus! "

 

[Battenberg]

It's like they're not even trying with this whole Games with Gold thing, I thought it was meant to rival PS+'s instant game collection. For December PS+ users are getting 'Guacamelee' (cross buy) and 'Grid 2' for the PS3, both released this year, plus 'Contrast' and 'Resogun' for the PS4 and 'Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed' and 'Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories' for the Vita.

And as far as Plus goes that's actually being considered disappointing compared to past months by most users.

I mean it's good Microsoft are trying to make Gold better for its customers but this absolutely minimal level of effort isn't going to gain them any more customers and may very well simply draw more attention to how much better PS+ is.

 

[CpT_x_Killsteal]

You know, I would mock them for giving away a seven-year old game, but I got hyped when they announced when Crackdown would be free and that's a six-year old game, so perhaps I should keep my mouth shut.

On a side note, does Escapist cover every PS+ addition too? Or is it just Xbox?

They do, but it only ever seems to be the US one, which can be irritating when I'm in the EU and see "This Month on PS Plus! "

I can sympathize. The DealsOn thing on this site that comes up once a week is for US prices, and most of the PC game deals are from Green man Gaming, which REALLY likes to use the "Fuck Australia Tax".

 

[Psychobabble]

Just gears 1? A seven year old game? Wow, impressive. How generous of you Microsoft.

Hey next time round maybe they could also give subscribers some of their used toilet paper to show them how much they care.

 

[ars731]

Games for Gold: We are only doing this because Sony did it first on the PS+ so shut up and enjoy your games

 

[The_Echo]

It seems Microsoft is continuing the trend of offering

1) Games you probably already owned, and/or

2) Games that are pretty cheap anyway.

 

[Hazy992]

Meanwhile on PS Plus...

Come on Microsoft, it's a seven year old game! It's hardly enticing is it?

And I'm pretty sure Sony doesn't gate free third-party services behind a paywall either ¬_¬

 

[Vivi22]

And Microsoft continues to demonstrate that they just don't get it. At all.

 

[not_you]

It wouldn't be so bad if this wasn't another marketing ploy by Microsoft....

I mean, for what other reason would they give you Gears 1 if they didn't think that everyone who ENJOYED the game would also want to buy Gears 2 and 3...

Also considering that there's also Gears 4 on the horizon It makes a relevant subject matter...

But you'd have to be pretty cynical to think like that wouldn't you....?

 

[Strazdas]

Ah, microsoft keeps giving obsolete and crappy games meanwhile Sony actually gives good games with its + service. Microsoft should just stop and admit they just want money. This isnt working at all.