Microsoft's Games with Gold Promotion is Already Disappointing

CCC says: "The folks on Microsoft's marketing team haven't exactly been hitting home runs lately. Sure, they're making attempts to put a band-aid on the DRM situation, but with the always-on fiasco still fresh in our memories, their obvious reluctance to support indie developers, and the Kinect's potential as a super-spy's secret weapon, it's getting harder and harder to be a Microsoft fan. So, when the developer announced that Xbox Live members would be getting a couple of free games every month, it felt like MS was starting to turn over a new leaf."

[xHeavYx]

But... But... you get to keep the, foreva!
To make things worse, they will just give out free games until the Xbox one is released, then it stops. Not even close to what PS+ offers

[Rusty515]

Which is nothing close to what Steam offers.

Lol at the downvotes for stating facts.

[I_am_Batman]

What do you mean exactly? I'm curious cause I'm mainly a console gamer but I'll build a new PC soon. Can you give some examples?

[wolokowoh]

@I_am_Batman You can buy games dirt cheap on Steam during their sales. It can literally make full games like the Witcher an impulse buy as if it was iPhone game.

[Rusty515]

@I_am_Batman: Awesome. You should build your PC fast. Steam's summer sale is coming up and it's seriously like an early christmas haha. And as for regular Deals, You get so many discounts dude. Like full retail games are $10 to $20 cheaper on release week. Not to mention you don't have to pay to get these sort of benefits (like PS Plus) Don't get me wrong, I freakin love Playstation. But N4G is full of so many ignorant Sony drones that think Sony can't do any wrong. Seriously, they cry if you even question what Sony does.

[decrypt]

@I_am_Batman

Steam puts both these services to shame.

1. Online is free, you arent under any obligation to pay. As in on PSN or XBL, there may be a time you might be wanting to go of on vacation or just dont want to play online any more, however on a service like PSN you have to keep it up or you lose any games you gained. Hence you are forced to pay for it or you lose all the games its like they have you trapped on the service. No such thing with Steam.

2. Steam Discounts (which happen very often), offer prices that are literally unmatchable by PSN or XBL. I have bought AAA games like Assassins Creed, Witcher, Bioshock, Mafia 2, Just cause 2 for as low as 5usd few months into launch.

3. Steam offers free games too, its just you dont have to have a subscription for them. Teamfortress 2 being one of them. Dota 2 which is the highest played Moba game out there is free on Steam. Along with many many other free games.

4. Games bought on Steam can be played for decades to come. This is because of PCs insane BC capability. bought games on PSN or XBL this gen? good luck playing them on PS4 or Xbone. With Steam everything just works, your library is available to you on one machine for decades to come, it only keep growing.

[ThanatosDMC]

Terrible comment. It doesnt even make sense. What are you comparing PS+ monthly free full games to Steam? The ftp MMOs?

[cee773]

@decrypt

As A ps+ Member:

PS+ plus games are yours to keep and play online and off, so you can take your ps3 on vacation only games that's required to be signed in are the 1 hour free trials.

[Bowzabub]

Hey smart guy, Steam also doesn't sell hardware at a loss for years either. Think about that.

[shutUpAndTakeMyMoney]

Wel imo steam is better than psn. But psn+ is not the same as buy a game on steam. If stop paying u lose ur games on psn. But also psn+ is an awsome deal. U are basically renting a library rather than building one.

If they add ps3 classics on ps4 with gaiaki that psn+ will get even better.

Edit: Until valve lets gamers play while downloading I rather buy digital on psn.
At least until the hardware gets old.

[DigitalRaptor]

@ decrypt

1. You can pay to create your own dedicated servers for private matches with PC gaming in general. However, that cost is covered by the online fee for the new consoles, for literally farms of dedicated servers and maintenance.

2. Can't argue with that. Publishers are okay with pricing their PC games cheaper, but still want to rip off console gamers who buy digital. Sad. I hope changes in digital pricing are made for the new generation of consoles.

3. It's been confirmed that many PS4 games will be free-to-play by their very nature - outside of PS+. This includes PlanetSide 2 and DC Universe Online.

4. True, but luckily I keep all of my consoles. For those that don't, your advice is to game on PC. Fair enough.

[FanOfRootBeer]

Free > On sale

[no_more_trolling]

"They (Microsoft) just have a distinct lack of respect for their customer base. And, I must admit, I would have a hard time respecting my fan base too if it consisted entirely of Call of Duty players."

this was a funny bit :)

[GusBricker]

I'm shocked they didn't start the promotion with Halo 3.

Add in that they're having issues making Defense Grid "Free" according to Major Nelson.

Not a good start, that's for sure.

[fattyuk]

good

[Relientk77]

Wow the free games stop in November with Xbox One

Microsoft just hate giving their customers value

[GusBricker]

Actually, Project Spark is going to be free for Xbox One, 360 and PC.

[NihonjinChick]

They actually stop in December, on the 31st. At least, that's what the official Xbox website says.

[TheUndertaker85]

They never planned to give users XBOne games anyway.

"** Games with Gold free games offer available 6/10/13-12/31/13 for qualifying paid Gold members only. Xbox 360 games (selected by Xbox) available for free download from Marketplace only during specified half-month window; available games may vary by country. Some titles may only be available for download by account holders 18+. Kinect and/or hard drive required for some games. See xbox.com/live"

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/l...

They keep adjusting though. At one point those terms even specified they'd only be XBLA games.

[FanOfRootBeer]

What are you talking about? They're over-delivering value! At least that's what Don Mattrick said before he jumped ship to become CEO of a different company.

Wait.

[asiatico]

Its a bit insulting to try to promote this as something that has good value, it simply doesn't

[bohemian 23]

I actually thought, "hey guys, nice try at doing something for the consumer for once." Then I woke up and remembered it's Microsoft. I am extremely disappointed they would release such a niche game.