Skip to main content

May’s free Xbox Games With Gold are among the best we’ve ever seen

Xbox - May 2018 Games with Gold

If you’re like us — and countless other people — you’re probably glued to your PlayStation 4 enjoying the new God of War right now. As fantastic as that game is, Microsoft’s free Xbox Games With Gold for May might be able to draw you back to the Xbox One — it’s among the best months we’ve ever seen for the program.

Recommended Videos

For the entire month of May, Xbox One owners can download Super Mega Baseball 2, the sequel to an arcade baseball game that was also available through the program back in 2016. May 1 is the official launch date of the game, as well, so you will be able to jump into the action at the same time as paying players on other systems.

The real heavy hitter for Xbox One comes on May 16, when Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will be available for free. It will be free through the program until June 15, and though you aren’t getting Ground Zeroes as part of the package, the game has previously been given away for both Xbox 360 and Xbox One. It’s crucial to understanding the complex plot of The Phantom Pain, so we suggest buying it if you haven’t played it yet.

Xbox 360 players are in for a treat, as well. From May 1 through may 15, you’ll be able to buy Sega Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage. The collection includes are three games in the Streets of Rage series with gorgeous artwork to fill the space on your HD television.

360 players also get Vanquish, the cult-hit third-person shooter from PlatinumGames. Directed by Resident Evil 4 mastermind Shinji Mikami, the game’s unique sliding move helps to separate its gameplay from other titles in the genre, and it has the level of craziness you can expect from a PlatinumGames production. Both Sega Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage and Vanquish are playable on Xbox One as well.

Microsoft has been killing it with its free games recently, with The Witness and Assassin’s Creed Syndicate among the offerings in April, as well as the horror classic Dead Space 2. Which of May’s freebies are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments!

Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
The best Xbox 360 games of all time
xbox one backwards compatible december 2015 halo reach 360 compatability waypoint featured

The Xbox 360 is a console that defined an entire generation of gamers and inspired some of the best Xbox One games to follow. There was still competition with the best PS3 games and the best Wii games, but the 360 managed to hold its own against those two titans.

Many of the best games of all time appeared on this beloved console, which made narrowing down this list of the best Xbox 360 games a real challenge. Whether you're playing on original hardware or taking a break from the best Xbox Series X games and using backward compatibility, these are the best games you can play on the Xbox 360.

Read more
The best free Xbox Series X games
Spartan on the battlefield

Xbox Series X has built up an impressive roster of games since launching in 2020. From fast-paced first-person shooter (FPS) games to challenging RPGs, Microsoft's latest console has something for everyone. But with most new games clocking in at an eye-watering $70, it's not always possible to play all the best Xbox Series X games. Thankfully, Xbox Series X is also home to a surprisingly deep library of free-to-play games.

While there is some crossover between the best free PlayStation 5 games, that just means there are more players to compete or join up with since almost all of these are cross-platform games.

Read more
The best multiplayer games on the Xbox Series X
Pirates digging up treasure in Sea of Thieves.

We all love a good solo adventure, and some of the best Xbox Series X games are single-player only, but nothing quite captures the same feel as playing with (or against) your friends. Thanks to the widespread adoption of cross-platform games, it has never been easier to connect with your friends and hop into a game. The only real difficulty is deciding what game to play. Obviously, there are a ton of free Xbox Series X games you can go for, but if you're willing to spend a little, these are our current multiplayer addictions on Series X.

Halo Infinite

Read more