Games With Gold January 2016: Here’s What Microsoft Is Giving Away To Members

Games with Gold in January 2016 is starting out with its own fireworks. Microsoft is giving away free titles to members who are currently signed up for their service.

Keep in mind that even Xbox 360 titles will eventually all be playable on their current generation cousin. This is due to backwards compatibility, something which Microsoft originally said wasn’t going to happen and drove many of their launch consumers to Sony’s side. Each 360 game will require an emulator to play the disc, essentially making your last generation collection free on Xbox One.

Compare this with the PlayStation 4’s PS Now subscription and Microsoft is aiming to save you money if you want to put the Xbox 360 in storage. As a special thanks to Games with Gold members in January 2016, Microsoft has a list of titles you will probably want to snatch up as soon as they’re available, according to Games Radar.

Killer Instinct: Season One Ultra Edition includes everything from the original launch, as well as all DLC from that period. Get ready to pull off those “killer combos” and own the competition for free. It might not be up to par with Mortal Kombat X or the upcoming PS4 exclusive, Street Fighter V, but the price is hard to beat with any combo. This title is available throughout the month of January.

The following titles have been available since mid-December, and will be free until January 15.

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a Games with Gold January 2016 title which starts with a boy who wished something would happen to rid him of his annoying little brother… until it did. Now, he has to venture into a world of danger to find and rescue his lost sibling. Trailers promise a Disney-like adventure for younger gamers, and reviews say that it’s one of the best and most affordable Xbox One titles available.

Thief is the reboot to a long-running series, which brings the classic gameplay to a new generation with a new storyline based in a plague-ridden town. According to reviews, this isn’t quite the game that brought audiences back, but you can still get it free. Steal yourself a copy before it’s too late.

The titles below are available from January 1 through January 15.

Dirt Showdown is an Xbox 360 off-road racing title featuring Colin McRae, with a variety of competitive modes such as Demolition and Party. With a current lack of quality racing titles on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, we’re still left with Xbox 360 and PS3 titles. This one is free for now, so race to your console and grab it.

Zheros is one of many available from January 16 to February 15, and puts you in the role of Captain Dorian. Alongside your partner Mike, you form the Zheros Squad, a fighting force determined to take down Dr. Vendetta and his plans to mutate the galaxy. It’s a 3D brawler, perfect for the arcade aficionados and a welcome addition to the Games with Gold January 2016 giveaways.

Here are the Xbox Gold games that are free from today https://t.co/PqYvUxyvvF pic.twitter.com/CSrcx6uvco

— OfficialXboxMagazine (@OXM) January 1, 2016

Deus Ex: Human Revolution takes the stealthy gunplay from Xbox 360 to Xbox One, via either digital download or backwards compatibility, making it one of the most-anticipated Games with Gold January 2016 deals. Download it for free later this month and see what the fuss is about.

While Sony is busy giving PlayStation 2 games new life with PS2 on PS4 ports, Microsoft appears to be more generous. Between backwards compatibility and free Games with Gold titles, January 2016 looks like it could be the start of the Xbox One’s comeback in the PS4 vs Xbox One console war.

Are you planning to grab these free titles, or are you holding out for the chance to play your Xbox 360 games on your increasingly backwards compatible Xbox One?

[Image via Microsoft]