Every month PlayStation and Xbox offer updates to their subscription services, PlayStation Plus, Xbox Live Gold, and Xbox Game Pass. Here’s what’s on the docket for January 2019. Free games for. Current XBox Live Gold 12M membership in good standing, website access doesn't work. I am currently able to download the free 'GAMES WITH GOLD' stuff (excluding the 360 games for some reason) from the console. Current Gold members: Now is a great time to double check your account is in good standing. If you do run into any issues, hit the Xbox support forums where you can get any questions answered. *Free Gold Weekend will be available starting at 12n ET/9a PT on 01/28/10 in participating Xbox LIVE regions.
Xbox Live Gold Free Month
Xbox One owners who need something to do this weekend are in luck. Microsoft announced that, for this weekend only, all multiplayer games are free regardless of which Xbox Live membership tier players have. Additionally, two major titles from just a few months ago are free for a limited time.
Xbox Live Gold Free Standing Games
Normally, Xbox Live Gold is required to play games against other people online. This weekend only, Microsoft is lifting that restriction, so anyone can play with their friends for a couple of days.
Just unlocked: PUBG, PES 2019, and multiplayer for every game you own. Play together this weekend: https://t.co/UvHE090MxKpic.twitter.com/Vn5MxbFjVH
— Xbox (@Xbox) November 8, 2018
The original battle royale phenomenon is free for a weekend
“PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” quickly became a gaming sensation when it first became available in 2017 on PC. Even though it was unfinished and often messy, the core gameplay of 100 players dropping onto an island and scavenging weapons until one was left standing made it popular for both players and streamers.
Until Nov. 11, Xbox One owners can play that version of “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” for free. It launched in an unfinished state on Xbox late last year, but finally hit its official release in September.
With this promotion, Microsoft is giving Xbox players an opportunity to see the game that inspired “Fortnite,” “Call of Duty,” and “Battlefield” to include their own battle royale multiplayer modes.
A free weekend with the “beautiful game”
EA’s popular “FIFA” series is the king of the annual soccer simulation market, but Konami’s “Pro Evolution Soccer” franchise exists as a solid alternative each year. “PES 2019” joins “Battlegrounds” as this weekend’s other free Xbox One game. It was originally released at the end of August, so Microsoft is essentially giving a brand new game away for free, temporarily.
While “FIFA” generally reviews better, critics had fairly nice things to say about this year’s edition of “Pro Evolution Soccer.” EA snatched the license for the prestigious Champions League this year, meaning “PES 2019” is now lacking one of the most recognizable soccer leagues.
That said, it still has an extensive list of other licensed leagues and teams. Critics also noted that the actual soccer gameplay in “PES 2019” is tough to beat.
Both Sony and Microsoft have been offering free games to PS Plus and Xbox Live subscribers for a while now. On Xbox 360, having an Xbox Live Gold subscription gave you access to a selection of games for free that were yours to download, play, and keep even if your Gold subscription lapsed. For the Xbox One, that’s no longer the case.
Microsoft has confirmed that for Games with Gold on its latest console, you can only play the games with an active subscription. If you stop being a paid Gold member, the games remain on your Xbox One hard drive, but they are unplayable. However, if you start your subscription again they unlock.
In order for such a system to work, Microsoft will have to check your Gold membership is active. They may disable the games on the day your subscription lapses, or they could instead require a regular check and therefore a network connection in order to keep the games from locking. It’s unclear exactly how this check will be carried out at the moment.
While some may view this decision negatively, it does actually bring Xbox Live more in line with how PlayStation Plus functions. You will also remember the Xbox 360 Games with Gold service only ever offered older games for free. By tying the Xbox One free games offer to a subscription, it is hoped Microsoft will now have the ability to offer more recent titles for free.
When Games with Gold arrives this month on Xbox One, the first two games to be offered for free are Max: The Curse of Brotherhood and Halo: Spartan Assault. They have a combined vale of $25. That value will soon add up over the months and outweigh the $60 yearly cost of an Xbox Live Gold subscription.