Before the likes of Epic Games Store, there was Xbox’s popular subscription serviceGames with Gold. Launched in 2013, Games with Gold arrived in an era where gaming perks were still a novelty, and the continuation of Xbox Live and the chance toplay games likeHalowith friendswith the added bonus of a handful of free games every month felt like a great deal. Games with Gold was Microsoft’s way to one-up rival PlayStation’s PS Plus service, which in turn was an answer to the original Xbox Live, showing the benefit to gamers when the big companies enter into competition with each other. As a result, players could access first two and then four free titles every month.
The service was a success, and it’s been a central part of Microsoft’s offering for years as players had the chance to download and play a massive variety of Xbox,Xbox 360, and Xbox One titles. The games on offer ranged from smaller indie titles to fan-favorite AAA releases, and the service served as an important precursor to Microsoft’s incredibly popular Xbox Game Pass. But now it seems like a big change is coming as the last Xbox 360 game,Portal 2,will be given away next month.
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The End Of An Era
A lot has changed within the game industry since Games with Gold launched. Consoles have come and gone, game-changing titles have been released, and big companies have started their own subscription services. It was inevitable thatGames with Gold was going to have to adaptto compete and remain relevant, and Microsoft has continued to innovate alongside its competitors. With the start of Xbox Game Pass in 2017, it has started to focus more and more on its newer and more expansive subscription service, which many felt left Games with Gold in its shadow.
In recent years, some players believe that Games with Gold has been in slow decline, with a slightly poorer showing each month and the perks decreasing as better services began to flood the market. It became clear that Xbox Game Pass was becoming Microsoft’s priority, and Games with Gold’s fate seemed sealed. Microsoft recently announced that it willno longer be releasing free Xbox 360 titlesalongside the monthly Xbox One games, showing how times are indeed changing. While the company’s reasoning that it’s simply running out of games to release rings true, it seems to confirm that Games With Gold’s days are numbered as Xbox Game Pass continues to gain prominence.
Titles That Have Featured Over The Years
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Titles That Have Featured Over The Years Continued
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