For the past several months now, Microsoft's Xbox Free Games With Gold has been mostly lackluster, given that it still is unable to include games for the Xbox Series X consistently and every other title it has for Xbox's previous generation consoles are nothing to be excited about. Unsurprisingly, May 2021's roster of free games follows the same pattern, apart from LEGO Batman that could tide over fans of Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.
While it remains to be seen whether Microsoft will break this pattern throughout the year, the company has made it clear that Xbox Games with Gold is not going away despite focusing on Xbox Game Pass. However, should Microsoft decide to breathe life into Games with Gold once more, it should take advantage of one video game trend that has remained popular for years now, which is the growing demand for old, nostalgic games.
Why Xbox Games With Gold Would Benefit From Taking Advantage of Nostalgia
Although Xbox Games With Gold's roster comprises old games on Xbox One and Xbox 360, most of its offerings are usually niche games that no one has really heard of. Given this, some players are now questioning the value of an Xbox Live Gold subscription since newer and better games are being directed to Xbox Game Pass. While it is understandable why Microsoft is hesitant to put new games on Xbox Live Gold, the company may be missing an opportunity of offering old triple-A games on the service, especially since demand for these games of yore remains high.
It is worth remembering that when Microsoft first announced the Xbox Series X, the question that most players asked at the time is if it will feature backward compatibility. The same could be said for Sony's PS5, and luckily for Xbox players, the Xbox Series X features more extensive support for previous generation games. However, while the Xbox One and Xbox Series X are capable of playing old Xbox games, not everyone is willing to pay for something that has been released for several years already, which is why offering old triple-A games could save the downward trend of Xbox Live Gold.
Xbox Balancing the Old and the New
As to what kinds of games Microsoft could offer, the possibilities are just endless. BC games have released on the service before, but they've become far less frequent. Combining that with old games from huge franchises such as Resident Evil, Metal Gear, and Silent Hill are obvious choices, and Xbox exclusives like Fable, Halo, and more. It is worth noting that having old games on a video game subscription service isn't anything new. The Nintendo Switch Online has thrived by giving players access to a huge library of classic NES and SNES games. If Nintendo could pull it off, why not Microsoft?
It remains to be seen whether Microsoft would be able to make this work. However, should the company decide to revive Games with Gold by offering old popular games, it could also lead to a clear distinction between Microsoft's two video game services. Apart from online multiplayer access, Xbox Live Gold could serve as the platform that offers players the benefit of experiencing their favorite classic games for free. On the other hand, Xbox Game Pass could target those looking to explore newer games.