Yesterday I saw a gaming website post Games with Gold predictions for July 2021. Seeing as it is the middle of June, this intrigued me. I discovered this is a recurring column on the site, so I dug back through some old entries and realized that these predictions have never panned out. Maybe I could let you all in on the game a little bit and tell you that this type of post is probably an SEO play — a way to use those keywords way before everyone else.
But it got me thinking: could I do that, but like, actually get something right? Could I be more realistic in my approach to choosing the July 2021 Games with Gold and maybe nail one out of the four?
So folks, this is my attempt, and it is a one-time thing. If any of these actually end up in the Games with Gold lineup, I take my psychic enterprise out of the land of free content and start charging you all.
If I strike out on all four, I’ll have the same batting average as everyone else, eh? But I’ll also still stop doing them. I already feel a little gross putting this mess up.
Anyway, here we go.
- $79.96 IN VALUE!
- 2,650 GAMERSCORE!
Ultimate Chicken Horse – Xbox One
$14.99 – 1,000 Gamerscore
Have you ever heard of this game before? Does the title give you a good idea of what you’re getting yourself into? The answer to both of those questions is probably no, which makes this a prime choice for a July 2021 Games with Gold title.
Believe it or not, Ultimate Chicken Horse has been fairly well reviewed by those who’ve played it, which gives it a sort of under-the-radar vibe. But I digress. This is a game. It normally costs $14.99. It has achievements. And it fills a multiplayer slot in the Games with Gold lineup. This is a realistic pick.
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom – Xbox One
$39.99 – 1,000 Gamerscore
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom is another that was actually well received when it came a few years ago. The reason you could get it as part of the July 2021 Games with Gold lineup, however, is because of its age and price. The developer would likely be willing to make a deal at this stage to take some cash in exchange for this going into GwG for the month. We’re a good two-and-a-half years past its release. And that $39.99 price tag adds a good chunk to the “total value” stat Microsoft will brag about in the Games with Gold graphic it’ll share.
High enough price tag? Check. Game? Check. Achievements? Single player slot filled? Check and check.
Red Faction Battlegrounds – Xbox 360
$9.99 – 250 Gamerscore
Microsoft has given away Red Faction titles in the past, so some GwG subscribers may already be familiar with the name. Who cares if this particular game is a giant turd? Throw it in there. It sells for $9.99 on the regular. You could get it for free, and then add it to that giant collection of Games with Gold titles you claim and then never actually play.
Yep — Red Faction Battlegrounds has all the trappings of a potential GWG entry.
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse – Xbox 360
$14.99 – 400 Gamerscore
“Guys, we need something for the kids. Something cute that’ll make parents who are paying for Xbox Live feel like we’re not just giving their kids a bunch of murder simulators. We got anything Disney left in the vault? Bolt? Brave? Meet the Robinsons? We did all of those already? Shoot. What about that weird Mickey game — not the Epic Mickey one but the other one. Castle of Illusion. Yeah, that’s it. Let’s do that.”
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