Xbox Games With Gold gave out $850 worth of games in 2018. Were they any good?

Microsoft once again served up 48 video games, for Xbox 360 and Xbox One, to Xbox Live Gold subscribers in 2018. Were they any good? What would they cost otherwise? What do the numbers say about the value of this Xbox Live Gold benefit?

We’ll try to answer that question this year as we have the past four years. To that, however, we’ve added a few more questions: How old is the game? Did Microsoft publish it? What publisher did Games With Gold use the most?

These questions may shed light on where these free games programs are headed, particularly as the previous console generation ages and the Xbox One’s backward compatibility program continues to pile up old titles.

Getting Started

In all, there were 48 games in Xbox Live Games With Gold for 2018, with an average critical score of 76.9 and a combined retail price (as of yesterday) of $866.28. The review average of this year’s free games is 1.1 points better than 2017 but the total dollar value is sharply lower, by $163.24

All Xbox 360 games in Games With Gold are compatible with Xbox One.

Ubisoft

January

• Tomb Raider: Underworld
• Army of Two
• Zombi
• The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing 3

Average score: 72.25

Average age: 5.9 years

Total value: $53.96

Devolver Digital

February

• Split/Second
• Shadow Warrior
• Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India
• Crazy Taxi

Average score: 69.75

Average age: 5.1 years

Total value: $69.96

Image: Superhot Team

March

• Superhot
• Quantum Conundrum
• Brave: The Video Game
• Trials of the Blood Dragon

Average score: 70.25

Average age: 5.6 years

Total value: $69.96

Image: Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft

April

• Dead Space 2
• The Witness
• Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
• Cars 2: The Video Game

Average score: 81.5

Average age: 4.7 years

Total value: $129.96

Metalhead Software

May

• Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
• Vanquish
• Sega Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage
• Super Mega Baseball 2

Average score: 86

Average age: 4.06 years

Total value: $79.96

Sumo Digital/Sega

June

• Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
• Smite
• Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues
• Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia

Average score: 73.75

Average age: 4.375

Total value: $59.97

Image: Ubisoft

July

• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction
• Assault Android Cactus
• Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
• Death Squared

Average score: 82.5

Average age: 4.13 years

Total value: $56.96

Image: Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft

August

• Forza Horizon 2
• For Honor
• Dead Space 3
• Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two

Average score: 75.5

Average age: 4.17 years

Total value: $99.96

Image: Traveller’s Tales/LucasArts

September

• Livelock
• Prison Architect
• Lego Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars
• Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World

Average score: 74.75

Average age: 4.71 years

Total value: $69.96

October

• Hitman: Blood Money
• Overcooked!
• Victor Vran
• Stuntman: Ignition

Average score: 78.5

Average age: 6.7 years

Total value: 83.75

Electronic Arts

November

• Battlefield 1
• Race the Sun
• Assassin’s Creed
• Dante’s Inferno

Average score: 81.25

Average age: 4.9 years

Total value: $54.96

BioWare/Electronic Arts

December

• Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction
• Dragon Age 2
• QUBE 2
• Never Alone

Average score: 77.25

Average age: 6.6 years

Total value: $59.96

Image: Ubisoft Quebec/Ubisoft

By the Numbers:

Average score: 76.9

Average price: $18.05

Average age: 4 years, 11 months

Highest scoring month: May (86)

Highest dollar value month: April ($129.96)

Month with newest games on average: March (3 years, 9 months.)

Lowest scoring month: February (69.75).

Lowest dollar value month: January ($53.96)

Month with oldest games on average: October.

Free games published by Microsoft: 1 (Forza Horizon 2).

Publisher with the most titles: Ubisoft, 8. (Assassin’s Creed, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, For Honor, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction, Trials of the Blood Dragon, Zombi.)

Total value: $866.28

Platform Averages

Xbox 360: 76.63 score, 7 years, 9 months, $15.19 per title.

Xbox One: 77.25 score, 1 year, 20 days, $20.91 per title.

Highest rated Xbox 360 game: Dead Space 2 (90).

Highest rated Xbox One game: Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain (95)

Highest price Xbox 360 game: Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed ($29.99).

Highest price Xbox One game: Assassin’s Creed Syndicate ($49.99).

Lowest rated Xbox 360 game: Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two and Crazy Taxi (59).

Lowest rated Xbox One game: Trials of the Blood Dragon (57).

Lowest price Xbox 360 game: Stuntman: Ignition ($3.74)

Lowest price Xbox One game: Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia, Livelock and Race the Sun ($9.99)

Review score ranges

90 and up: 2

80 to 89: 19

70 to 79: 20

60 to 69: 4

59 and below: 3

Price ranges

$40 and up: 1

$30 to $39.99: 2

$25 to $29.99: 4

$20 to $24.99: 2

$15 to $19.99: 16

$10 to $14.99: 9

$5 to $9.99: 11

$4.99 and under: 3