The Xbox Games with Gold August 2019 lineup has been revealed, and there's a clear star if you need to catch up on your guns-with-chainsaws-attached stories. Gears of War 4 will be free to claim all throughout the week of August, giving you just enough time to familiarize yourself with current events on Sera before Gears 5 arrives on September 10. After that you can keep rolling with Forza Motorsport 6 as we wait to hear more about the future of Turn 10's racing franchise, while the Xbox 360 picks will give you some later summer action with Torchlight and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.
Remember: any games you claim during their availability period will remain accessible so long as you have an active Xbox Live Gold membership. And don't forget that any Xbox 360 games made available through Games With Gold are also backwards compatible with Xbox One, letting you keep everything on one console. If you need a new membership, here are the best Xbox Live deals today.
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August 2019 free Games With Gold games
Gears of War 4 (Xbox One) - Available August 1 - 31
The Gears of War series returned from its post-Xbox 360 slumber with Gears of War 4, a shooter that felt reverent of the cover-shooting days of yore while still refreshing the experience for a new generation (both of consoles and of people). Gears of War 4 takes place decades after the end of Gears 3, starring the son of Marcus Fenix and his pals who go from ragtag adventurers to seasoned Lancer slingers by the end of the game. Though you play as JD Fenix throughout the game, you'll also get to know Kait Diaz, whose struggle to rectify her enigmatic roots with her current loyalties will shape the narrative of Gears 5.
The Gears of War series returned from its post-Xbox 360 slumber with Gears of War 4, a shooter that felt reverent of the cover-shooting days of yore while still refreshing the experience for a new generation (both of consoles and of people). Gears of War 4 takes place decades after the end of Gears 3, starring the son of Marcus Fenix and his pals who go from ragtag adventurers to seasoned Lancer slingers by the end of the game. Though you play as JD Fenix throughout the game, you'll also get to know Kait Diaz, whose struggle to rectify her enigmatic roots with her current loyalties will shape the narrative of Gears 5.
For the month of August, Xbox Live Gold members will receive four new free games – two on Xbox One and two on Xbox 360 – as part of the Games with Gold program. You can play both Xbox 360 titles on your Xbox One with Backward Compatibility. As well as offering exclusive discounts and gifting access to multiplayer mayhem, Microsoft's Xbox Live Gold membership club also gives its members a selection of free games every month for the. After all the fantastic feedback we received for last week's list of free Xbox One games, we are delighted to bring you the full list of games that are currently free to download on the Xbox 360. For the month of September, Xbox Live Gold members will receive four new free games – two on Xbox One and two on Xbox 360 – as part of the Games with Gold program. You can play both Xbox 360 titles on your Xbox One with Backward Compatibility. After all the fantastic feedback we received for last week's list of free Xbox One games, we are delighted to bring you the full list of games that are currently free to download on the Xbox 360.
Forza Motorsport 6 (Xbox One) - Available August 16 - September 15
The second-latest entry in the Forza Motorsport series introduced wet driving. That is, driving in wet conditions, not motoring around in a car specially outfitted to double as an aquarium. It sounds silly, but hitting a puddle really can make the difference when you're slamming down a straightaway at 200 miles per hour. Forza Motorsport 6 also refines the Drivatar system from the first game, so even if your friends have moved on to newer racing games, you may still be able to hit the pavement against digital stand-ins created with their personalized racing data.
The second-latest entry in the Forza Motorsport series introduced wet driving. That is, driving in wet conditions, not motoring around in a car specially outfitted to double as an aquarium. It sounds silly, but hitting a puddle really can make the difference when you're slamming down a straightaway at 200 miles per hour. Forza Motorsport 6 also refines the Drivatar system from the first game, so even if your friends have moved on to newer racing games, you may still be able to hit the pavement against digital stand-ins created with their personalized racing data.
Big Crown: Showdown (Xbox One) Available July 16 - August 15
Big Crown: Showdown is a four-player action game about cruising down a course and slamming into your friends - but instead of driving go karts, you're all controlling little cartoon knights. The faux-isometric camera scrolls along the level automatically, and anyone who can't keep up as they dodge around obstacles and course hazards is taken out. So is anybody who gets slammed off the course and into oblivion by somebody they thought was their friend. Just be careful you don't slam yourself right off the course instead.
Big Crown: Showdown is a four-player action game about cruising down a course and slamming into your friends - but instead of driving go karts, you're all controlling little cartoon knights. The faux-isometric camera scrolls along the level automatically, and anyone who can't keep up as they dodge around obstacles and course hazards is taken out. So is anybody who gets slammed off the course and into oblivion by somebody they thought was their friend. Just be careful you don't slam yourself right off the course instead.
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Torchlight (Xbox 360, Xbox One) - Available August 1 - August 15
You'll find few Diablo-style action RPGs with a more streamlined and infinitely playable 'just one more level' appeal than Torchlight. Aside from Diablo, obviously, but whether or not you've sunk hours into that particular franchise you'll likely find something to enjoy in Torchlight. The game's three character classes all play differently enough to justify repeat playthroughs, and you might want to do that anyway just so you can see what it's like to play with a dog companion versus a cat companion. Oh, and there's fishing!
You'll find few Diablo-style action RPGs with a more streamlined and infinitely playable 'just one more level' appeal than Torchlight. Aside from Diablo, obviously, but whether or not you've sunk hours into that particular franchise you'll likely find something to enjoy in Torchlight. The game's three character classes all play differently enough to justify repeat playthroughs, and you might want to do that anyway just so you can see what it's like to play with a dog companion versus a cat companion. Oh, and there's fishing!
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Available August 16 - August 31
There are a few reasons to play Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Maybe you want to play an alternative take on the Castlevania mythos that explores the origins of Dracula himself. Maybe you want to play every game that Hideo Kojima ever touched - he was a producer on this project a few years before his famously acrimonious split with Konami. Or maybe you like playing original stories that went to hell in their sequels. In any case, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is worth your time. It's a well-made action game with an interesting new take on the Castlevania mythos - just ignore all the eye-rolling modern day stuff from the sequel.
There are a few reasons to play Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Maybe you want to play an alternative take on the Castlevania mythos that explores the origins of Dracula himself. Maybe you want to play every game that Hideo Kojima ever touched - he was a producer on this project a few years before his famously acrimonious split with Konami. Or maybe you like playing original stories that went to hell in their sequels. In any case, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is worth your time. It's a well-made action game with an interesting new take on the Castlevania mythos - just ignore all the eye-rolling modern day stuff from the sequel.
Free Xbox 360 Games Download
July 2019 free Games With Gold games you might've missed
- Inside (Xbox One)
- Rivals of Aether (Xbox One)
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Xbox One, Xbox 360)
- Meet the Robinsons (Xbox One, Xbox 360)
If you need more room to store all these free games, check out the best Xbox One external hard drive deals.