Xbox free games with gold for December 2020 may signal the end of an era

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Based on the competitive marketplace that Xbox Games with Gold is participating in, it looks like December 2020 is just the beginning of the end.

2020 is drawing to a close, and for the gaming industry that’s probably a positive thing. It’s unclear what 2021 has in store, but with the release of the PS5 and Xbox Series X amid the coronavirus pandemic, there’s a ton of anticipation for what’s left on this hill. One thing that has shown promise is subscription services that have moved from the current generation to the next generation, like Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus.

But Xbox games with Gold is largely excluded from this equation. Notably, Games with Gold is more comparable to PS Plus as both offer free monthly games and provide access to online services, but Game Pass is the premier service for Xbox. And with the free games made available in Games with Gold for December 2020 and the backlash towards them, it’s clear that this might just be the beginning of the end for Games with Gold.

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PS Plus, Game with Gold December 2020

December 2020 was the month that PS Plus and GwG showed their hands. November 2020 may have been the first month that next-gen consoles have access to these services as well, but December 2020 is the first month that these services and consoles are available on the first calendar day. For PS Plus, not only BugSnax available as a free game until January, but PS Plus offers three games for December 2020 on top of that. PS Plus doubles down on what makes the service so great as part of the PlayStation experience.

On the other hand, the Xbox experience is now defined more by Game Pass than by Games with Gold. The recent batch of games probably proves that Microsoft is not just starting to invest more in Game Pass than it does in Games with Gold, it probably proves that the latter is on the way out. The upcoming four games for the month include The Raven: Remastered, Bleed 2, Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell, and Stacking, and if these don’t immediately look attractive, it’s because they really aren’t. Microsoft fans aren’t happy with Xbox Games with Gold for December 2020, and for good reason.

However, what fans should keep in mind is that Games with Gold is not PS Plus. The big draw for the Xbox economy is Game Pass, and for that reason the games of December 2020 seem to echo one big thing: Games with Gold becomes a relic as Game Pass becomes the primary focus of Xbox. It’s not clear when or how, but if December 2020 is any indication, it seems the days of Games with Gold are numbered.

Xbox games with Gold offers 4 free games each month.

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About the Author

Joshua Duckworth
(2164 Articles published)

When Joshua Duckworth received Pokemon Yellow for Christmas at the age of 5, his fate as a gamer was fixed. Since then he has been involved in every step of the growth of the gaming industry from the golden age of the PS1 and the last days of the arcade to any current gaming trend. When he isn’t writing , doesn’t play his own games, or think about writing or playing his games, he’s probably his son’s second Pokemon Let’s Go player, Pikachu! file. Joshua has an MA in English from Jacksonville State University, and the best way to contact him is at [email protected].