The Bigger Game – Friday the 13th: The Game
Every month, subscribers to Microsoft’s online Xbox Live Gold program are also gifted a few free games through Games with Gold.
For the current month of August 2019, those free games include Gears of War 4, Forza Motorsport 6, and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.
While the official list of free games for September 2019 has yet to be revealed, we have a couple predictions to what they might be based on past choices by Microsoft.
Usually, a larger game headlines the list to round out the picks. For September, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Friday the 13th: The Game as that larger game.
This title had a very rocky launch back in May 2017, as server issues made matchmaking almost impossible and numerous bugs made the core game essentially unplayable.
Therefore, it never really accumulated a fanbase to support it over two years out. Meaning its developer might be much more inclined to offer it for free in some way or another to at least sell some DLC by extension, which Friday the 13th happens to have quite a lot of.
Most of the DLC offered are cosmetic items, like costume packs to make the terrified teenagers look like they are on spring break, emotes packs to taunt the killers with, or even packs that offer new ways for the killers to murder.
It was too bad the launch of Friday the 13th was plagued with so many problems, because when it actually functions it can be a really fun time with friends that plays like an anxiety-inducing game of hide-and-seek.
This is not to mention that Friday the 13th has already been offered on PS Plus for free back in October 2018. When a game is offered on PS Plus, there usually is a greater chance it will come to Games with Gold as well (or vice versa).
This includes instances like Metal Gear Solid V coming to PS Plus in October 2017 and then Games with Gold in May 2018, or Gone Home coming to PS Plus in June 2016 and then Games with Gold in October 2017.
If Friday the 13th doesn’t make it on Games with Gold next month, then expect it sometime very soon. It seems like a no-brainer pick for the subscription based on how Microsoft has worked in the past.
The Smaller Game – Donut County
Usually a smaller, more indie-based game also makes the list for Games with Gold every month as well. For September, we suspect cutesy puzzle-title Donut County could be a perfect fit.
In Donut County, you play as a hole that gets larger whenever something falls into it. You have to figure out what order to drop items into your hole so you can eventually swell into a giant abyss that swallows up the entire level.
It’s similar in style and atmosphere to past games included on Games with Gold like Overcooked! in October 2018 or Grow Up in July 2017.
It’s surprising that Donut County has yet to be included on Games with Gold, as it is a well-received indie that seems on par with the type of smaller games Microsoft has chosen in the past.
Make sure to check back in the next few weeks for Microsoft’s reveal of its official Games with Gold line-up for September 2019.
And while you wait, why not check out a comparison of July 2019’s PS Plus and Games with Gold free games lists to see whether Sony or Microsoft did it better?
