Xbox Live "Games with Gold" Now a Standard Feature on Xbox 360

[Michael Epstein]

Xbox Live "Games with Gold" Now a Standard Feature on Xbox 360

Who would have thought that free games would give players a reason to hang onto their Xbox Live Gold accounts?

For the past few months, Xbox Live Gold subscribers have been getting the chance to download a "free" game every few weeks as part of Microsoft's "Games with Gold" program. To date, the feature has been considered "limited time program": Microsoft has been waiting to see if the feature would be worthwhile.

Well, I have good news, folks. The people have spoken and... The parade of free games will continue! Microsoft has announced that "Games with Gold" is now an "ongoing benefit" of Xbox Live Gold on Xbox 360.

"Games with Gold" allows subscribers to download a specific game, free of charge, on the first and fifteenth of every month. Games delivered via program since it began five months ago include Halo 3, Assassin's Creed II, and Dead Rising 2.

According to Microsoft, "97 percent" of Xbox Live Gold members say they like the idea of getting new games every month. The question is: Why don't the rest of them?

Source: Joystiq [http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/18/games-with-gold-program-will-remain-ongoing-for-xbox-360/]

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[sid]

The percentage made me laugh. Still, good for them, the games that they've been giving out aren't even bad games, they're old but great

 

[Vivi22]

The question is: Why don't the rest of them?

They probably would if the games they were getting weren't several years old and mostly stuff that they've all played already.

 

[Chris Dillon]

I think ps plus is way better because they have a bunch a games i have never played before even though dead rising 2 was a great give away

 

[synobal]

The whole having to pay for an online service is the biggest thing that kept me from getting a console, the last generation or two. I never understood why I'd pay for a service that basically does nothing.

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

...

I'm going to need a bigger harddrive...

 

[Angelous Wang]

The question is: Why don't the rest of them?

Crappy internet connections or small HDD's. Free games are no good if you can't download them.

 

[SachielOne]

The question is: Why don't the rest of them?

Crappy internet connections or small HDD's. Free games are no good if you can't download them.

Old 60 GB Pro model represent.

 

[JPArbiter]

now it would be really awesome if they did a "Throwback weekend" when the Bone launches where all previous games they gave away are avaliable for free again. mostly cause I missed out on Fable 3...

 

[FogHornG36]

give games away... well i guess you can do that instead of lowering the price on older games...

 

[Arawn]

I've gotten the same mix messages from friends (about both with Gold and Plus): need bigger HD, shoddy connection, and finally old games. The slight edge to Plus for more games available at a given time, but it's essentially the same between the two otherwise. Plus does give 1hr game trials to some interesting games although I prefer just a plain demo. Some discounts and savings here and there. Both have their perks, but if it's worth the cost depends on the person. I was paying for Plus because of the games and discounts. I'll probably still pay for it with PS4 even if the online wasn't tacked onto it. Of course my Xbox friends call me a hypocrite since not paying for online was one of the reasons I never went over to 360. So? Again it's up to the purchaser, I won't begrudge either system for making a subscription for special services. Provided they make said services worthwhile and functional. So if the Plus for PS4 sucks (online support and what not); I'll drop it like a hot potato.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

Wait, can someone clarify something for me? The games you get for free on PS Plus... How does that work exactly? I heard that Sony will only let you play the games for a duration and then replace them with new ones. Is that right?

 

[Eldritch Warlord]

Wait, can someone clarify something for me? The games you get for free on PS Plus... How does that work exactly? I heard that Sony will only let you play the games for a duration and then replace them with new ones. Is that right?

If you're familiar with how Games with Gold has been working then it's exactly like that with the caveat that you only have access to them as long as you're a PS+ subscriber.
You get a free game if you're a subscriber at the right time which you can keep playing after that time basically. The details are a little different of course, PS+ gives you some number of games at a time with some changing every so often and as I said before they require the paid service to play at all.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

If you're familiar with how Games with Gold has been working then it's exactly like that with the caveat that you only have access to them as long as you're a PS+ subscriber.
You get a free game if you're a subscriber at the right time which you can keep playing after that time basically. The details are a little different of course, PS+ gives you some number of games at a time with some changing every so often and as I said before they require the paid service to play at all.

Thanks.

Hm, well I guess that's the question, isn't it? Games with Gold allows you to keep the game forever once you get it but they've got only old but good games. PS+ has a lot of different games but if you don't have PS+ anymore, you can't play them. Personally, I don't like being tied to a monthly subscription service for my games so GwG is what I like.

 

[Fijiman]

The question is: Why don't the rest of them?

Crappy internet connections or small HDD's. Free games are no good if you can't download them.

Old 60 GB Pro model represent.

Same here man, same here.

OT: It will be interesting what games they'll make free now that they plan on continuing the program.

 

[Sarge034]

At least now I don't feel so ripped off paying for live, and some of the games aren't half bad either. I would have never even thought about Clash of Heroes if it wasn't free and it turned out to be a fairly good little game.

GG Microsoft, you win this round.