The Glade 4.0

Alongside today's announcement that Microsoft will launch an Xbox One system that doesn't include Kinect, the company finally revealed that the Games With Gold promotion is coming to Xbox One--but with some changes to the way Gold members get their free games.

Beginning in June, Games With Gold will begin bringing "subscription-based access to free games" to Xbox Live Gold subscribers. Next month, Gold members will be able to download and play Halo: Spartan Assault and Max: The Curse of Brotherhood for free.

What stands out about this is the "subscription-based access" qualification: It sounds as if you'll only be able to play these games while your Xbox Live subscription is active, as is the case with PlayStation Plus' Instant Game Collection offerings. We don't yet have all the details, like whether you'll be able to play the free games indefinitely as long as you have a Live subscription or how long the games will be offered for.

Whatever the case, this already stands in contrast to the Xbox 360's version of Games With Gold. Since it launched last year, it's offered up two free games for Xbox Live Gold members every month. These games could be downloaded and kept forever--even if your subscription lapsed, you'd still be able to play and re-download the free games you had downloaded previously. This gave it a leg up in one way on PlayStation Plus, which only allows its freebie games to be played while subscribed to Plus. But it also had the effect of the offered games almost always being older ones, resulting in a great deal of criticism.

Microsoft initially announced plans to bring Games With Gold to the Xbox One last year, but offered no timeline for making it happen. In February, Xbox boss Phil Spencer indicated we'd be getting word "fairly soon."

Also coming to the Xbox One in June are the regular sales, branded Deals With Gold, that have been seen on the Xbox 360 for some time now. The first Xbox One games to be discounted through this will be Forza Motorsport 5 and Ryse: Son of Rome, as well as "a few other surprises."

Xbox Live Gold members will also soon have access to a "virtual VIP room" on the Xbox One that offers a look at the "free games, monthly deals, and other great benefits" they're entitled to.

In comic strips the person on the left always speaks first. - George Carlin

Xbox One without a Kinect coming in June for $399.

IMO Microsoft should have kept Kinect and lowered the price, now they have nothing unique going for the system. It's the same price as a higher-powered competitor and I guarantee MS will be putting exclusives on PC whereas Sony will not.

In comic strips the person on the left always speaks first. - George Carlin

In other news, Netflix and HBO Go will no longer require a Gold subscription.

Even for the 360? Might make me actually turn mine back on... probably not, but thats a good thing to hear

Open question: what are some games that you have enjoyed playing over the last couple years on Xbone? Open to suggestions from any genre, but would appreciate input on local co-op games, racing games, FPS. Don't feel like you need a fancy write-up; maybe just say what you have liked specifically playing on Xbox vs PC.

Anyone else get Skyrim for the Bone? I am crashing like a mother **** at times. Yet! I can sit and watch the boy child (who I should not call a boy any longer) play for hours with no issues.