When it was announced back at E3, the free-games-for-paid-subscribers deal called Games With Gold was supposed to last only until the Xbox One's launch. Well, now it is officially continued as an "ongoing benefit." That's not what caught my eye about the announcement, however.
"According to recent surveys, 97 percent of participating members have given their stamp of approval for Games With Gold," Microsoft said in this announcement. That is indeed overwhelming support. Question: Who the hell doesn't approve of free games? The makers themselves? My God, I downloaded some Magic: The Gathering thing off GWGFWLWTFBBQ and even made space for it on my hard drive just because it was free. I played it, like, once. But it's free! I'M KEEPIN' IT.
This sounds like the baseball Hall of Fame elections, where some self-appointed scold refuses to vote for a 100 percent all-time great like Hank Aaron or Nolan Ryan because nothing is supposed to be unanimous. So I ask you, are you against free games? Why do you hate freedom????
Second question, albeit a little more serious: Reading the fine print, I don't see any language that says these things get taken away from you if you let your Xbox Live Gold sub lapse—whereas the PlayStation Plus free games (still a fantastic bargain) will be inaccessible if you don't renew. Has anybody pulled a free Games With Gold game and then dropped back to XBL Silver? What happens? I'd be tempted to do so myself but I think I'm signed up through 2015. [UPDATE: You keep 'em. Microsoft says so.]
Games with Gold: Now an Ongoing Benefit for Xbox Live Gold Members on Xbox 360 [Xbox Wire]
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