As of these past few months, many users on Xbox One have witnessed a lacking lineup of games that are available on the platform when it comes to the offered titles through the Games with Gold program. In that, players that purchase any tier of Xbox Live Gold will be instantly offered a lineup of titles that are available to download instantly for no additional cost.
The initiative when conceived back on last-generation hardware for the Xbox 360 came to be a very rewarding procedure coming from the firm after countless Xbox users paid to use online through Xbox Live. So instead of continuing to pay for just the service to further your use in online for the plethora of titles, Microsoft would reward new titles on a monthly basis which could bring new experiences to players who never played the games.
And as the service crossed over onto the next-generation with Xbox One later on, the firm did not retract the offer of new titles each month for players on both systems. The service continued offering Xbox 360 titles until June 2014 where the lineup was met with twice the amount of titles between the current Xbox One and its predecessor. So the service continued forward offering new titles to users on the respected platform.
It was not until the following year that Microsoft finally greenlit backwards compatibility that players could really engage with the free titles available through the monthly program where Games with Gold really shined. Which lead to months of very memorable features that utilized both generations of titles.
And that is not to mention the addition of Original Xbox backwards compatibility which overlaid the two Xbox 360 titles with only one from the last-generation system and Microsoft’s inaugural console. For quite some time, the platform was met with some exciting months of Xbox Games with Gold that grabbed player’s attentions for a good month of gaming.
However, not all good things last as the service has not been enlightened in quite some time. And it is not to say that the service has not been met with good games, because there certainly are some, but not to what amplifies fans into downloading that month’s library with the intent to play all of them. Reflecting on month’s like October 2015 offering Valiant Hearts, Telltale’s The Walking Season 2, and Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes or April 2016 with The Wolf Among Us, Sunset Overdrive, Dead Space, and Saints Row IV are what some users are dreading to see in recent months.
But unfortunately, there hasn’t been many months with entries that users deem worth even downloading anymore since none of the free titles are engaging enough for users to pursue. Although there are maybe one title in particular that is an eye-opener to download for your backlog, it isn’t enough to save the entirety of that respected month.
While the situation cannot directly determine what caused this drought to emerge for Games with Gold, there is one theory that could bring some sanity to those looking for an answer. It is that Microsoft has shifted its focus towards Xbox Game Pass. And though the firm has still provided new titles to the older initiative following the debut of the additional service in 2017, it is suspected that the Netflix-esque business model has overshadowed the free games program.
Looking at the magnitude for Xbox Game Pass, the lineup of titles is outstanding. Offering all first-party titles day one with the addition of most marketed entries following their respected releases, the service is one you should be a part of. Howbeit, the additions welcomed to Xbox Game Pass could in likeliness negate opportunity for their chances to be featured on Games with Gold.
For the most part, users that own Xbox Game Pass are presumed to also be paying for Xbox Live as well. That either through separate subscriptions or through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Microsoft would not intend to offer the same title through two services on its platforms. Additionally, this move also discards initiative to add the game later on since Xbox Game Pass owners enjoyed the game once already.
For those who recall, Microsoft initially welcomed titles to the platform with the game being featured on Games with Gold. But now, those same titles that could be a glowing feature for the monthly program is now being advertised for Xbox Game Pass. Projects such as Sabotage Studio’s The Messenger or Phobia Game Studio’s Carrion are recent examples of titles that could fit this category.
Perhaps Microsoft is aiming to relinquish this program in the long run seeing how profitable Xbox Game Pass has become in contrast to Xbox Live. This month, it was discovered that Microsoft delisted the 12-month subscription option for Xbox Live – possibly entailing the service is on the way align with PC and how online play is oriented for keyboard & mouse users. As of reporting, the company has yet to disclose the intentions of delisting the subscription tier.
Currently, Xbox Game Pass sits over 10 million users divided between console and PC. With the next-generation just on the horizon, Microsoft shows no signs of standing down to further push Xbox Game Pass. That said especially as every title featured in the recent Xbox Games Showcase will be available for the service within the next couple of years, Microsoft has confirmed.
What do you think might be the reasoning for the lesser desirable titles being featured through Games with Gold in recent months?
