The Xbox Games with Gold lineup for December 2021 has been announced. Four previously available titles will be available to Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members.
The Escapists 2, Tropico 5 - Penultimate Edition, Orcs Must Die!, and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet will be available to download for free. Thanks to backward compatibility all four titles will be playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
Xbox's Games with Gold program was initially launched in July 2013 for Xbox 360. Since then, players have had the chance to download previously released games at no additional cost and play them so long as they maintained the subscription, and the program has expanded to Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. All titles are backward compatible, meaning no game can go unclaimed for lack of the proper console. The program was also later rolled into the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate program.
Xbox Free Games with Gold for December 2021
- The Escapists 2 (December 1 - December 31)
- Tropico 5 - Penultimate Edition (December 16 - January 15)
- Orcs Must Die! (December 1 - December 15)
- Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet (December 16 - December 31)
Originally released in August of 2017, The Escapists 2 is a 2D strategy game where an individual player or a team of players must plot, plan, and execute an escape from prison. This sequel greatly expanded on the offerings from the first title and received generally favorable reviews. The "Penultimate Edition" of Tropico 5 includes The Big Cheese and Hostile Takeover add-ons. Now onto their sixth entry in the franchise, Tropico 5 is a city-building sim that allows players to expand control of their kingdom from early colonial periods to beyond the 21st century.
For more than 10 years, Orcs Must Die! has been a fan favorite and common offering when it comes to free games being made available. As a War Mage, it is up to the player to defend rifts from an onslaught of orcs and other nasty monstrosities in this tower-defense title. Originally an offering for the Xbox Live Arcade, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet was soon ported to PC, Mac, and Linux thanks to its unique approach to both shooters and puzzle games.
Players interested in adding the titles to their libraries will need to do so in the timeframes listed above. Once added, the games will continue to be free to play so long as an active Xbox Gold or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership is maintained. Even if the holidays prove to be less than generous, this offering from Microsoft will be keeping gamers busy through the season.