August 2023 marks the end of Xbox’s Games with Gold and gamers are not happy with the way the program has concluded. Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S owners under the subscription were offered Blue Fire and Inertial Drift as the last downloadable games. Blue Fire is an action platformer and Inertial Drift is an arcade racer.
The two titles will be available on Games with Gold from August 1 to August 31, and on September 1st, Games with Gold will be officially end. Xbox Live Gold will also be coming to an end, after a 20 year run on September 14th, being replaced by Xbox Game Pass Core.
Xbox Live Gold subscribers will automatically become Xbox Game Pass Core members on the 14th. They will have access to a 25 game library, similar to the PS Plus collection that came with the PlayStation 5. Those who remain as Core users or Game Pass Ultimate members, will still get to play Games with Gold titles as long as they added them to their Xbox account in the past.
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Unfortunately, those who have been faithful Games with Gold players find this to be a fitting end for the program. It all started in July 2013 with Defense Grid: The Awakening and Assassins Creed II. Both titles were already four years old when they came to Games with Gold and while they were highly rated, some felt Xbox could do better.
And now, after years of highs and lows with the various monthly titles, the end is near. While there will certainly be gamers saddened by the end of an era, industry leaders such as Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment and Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision-Blizzard, have expressed distant for the program. Apparently, there has been some frustration by publishers over Games with Gold, which may have led to its recent demise.
More Details On the Final Titles Coming To Xbox Games With Gold
If you are interested in adding the final two Games with Gold titles to your library before the option is gone forever, then make sure to take advantage of the program before September 1. Whether you’re on the fence about getting the last two titles, or simply want to know more, you can discover the descriptions below.
The Xbox Microsoft Store details Blue Fire in the following way:
“A Dark World Awaits – Travel through the perished world of Penumbra to explore unique areas filled with diverse enemies, sharp 3D platforming challenges, quests, collectibles, and more.
Embark on an extraordinary journey through the desolated kingdom of Penumbra and discover the hidden secrets of this long-forgotten land. Explore mystical temples, encounter survivors and take on strange quests to collect valuable items. Along your adventure, slash your way through daunting adversaries, roam across mysterious and abandoned regions, leap through deadly traps and ultimately master the art of movement.”
As for Inertial Drift, the Microsoft Store describes the game in the following:
“Forget everything you know about drifting.
Set in a 90’s retro future, Inertial Drift is an Arcade Racer with a devastatingly unique handling model and unbelievably satisfying twin-stick drift mechanics. Inertial Drift offers a whole new level of accessibility and challenge to the arcade racing genre – for a driving experience genuinely unlike anything you’ve played before
Unique Twin Stick Controls for Precision Drifting – The right hand stick gives you total control over your drift. Intuitive for new players and uniquely challenging for pros.
If you’re now ready to bring these last two games to your Xbox library, be sure to grab them before they are gone for good. These selections may not be everyone’s favorite choice, but hopefully they will bring some gamers one more fun experience before Games with Gold has ended. What do you make of the final choices? Let us know in the comments!
Source: Xbox Wire
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