Microsoft has revealed next month’s free Games with Gold offerings, somewhat early, as it’s not even the last week of December yet. Nonetheless, Xbox gamers with Xbox Live Gold subscriptions will once again have one free Xbox One game, and two free Xbox 360 games to redeem during the month of January.
As per usual, these free games are only available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers, and Xbox One owners must maintain an active Xbox Live Gold membership to access and play their free games at any point. On Xbox 360, you only need an Xbox Live Gold membership when redeeming the reward, which is then yours to keep and play permanently at your leisure, even if you subsequently allow your Xbox Live Gold subscription to lapse.
Be advised as well that on Thursday, January 1st, New Years Day 2015, most of this month’s free game selections for Games with Gold will no longer be available to redeem, and will go back to their regular prices. Thus, if you have yet to redeem Volgarr the Viking on Xbox One, or SSX on Xbox 360, you have until then to snag them for free. Worms: Battlegrounds will continue to be a free Games with Gold reward for Xbox One throughout January.
In any case, Xbox One owners with Xbox Live Gold memberships will be able to redeem D4: Dark Dreams Don’t 
Die throughout the entire month of January. D4 is a surreal murder mystery adventure game divided into multiple episodes, and is exclusive to Xbox One. It was developed by Japanese mystery maker, SWERY, and his studio, Access Games, best known for cult hit, Deadly Premonition, and is directly published by Microsoft. Players can proceed the narrative-driven trip with either the Xbox One controller, or Kinect. The game has you taking control of David Young, a private investigator who has the ability to warp through time, and is trying to solve his wife’s murder. The game received positive reception upon its September release this year.
Between January 1st and January 15th, Xbox 360 owners with Xbox Live Gold memberships will be able to redeem MX vs, ATV Alive. The offroad racer published by now-defunct major publisher, THQ debuted in 2011 to mixed reception, and was initially released at a lower price than normal, compensating with an especially large amount of DLC. The game is also available for PlayStation 3.
Between January 16th and January 31st, Xbox 360 owners can then redeem CD Projekt Red’s highly celebrated RPG sequel, The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings. The action-RPG is considered to be one of the best games of 2011 by many critical outlets, and has players once again assuming control of the titular ‘Witcher’, Geralt of Rivia. Inspired by the Polish fantasy novel series of the same name, The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings follows Geralt and his company as they attempt to stop a slayer of kings, the latest deed of whom begins the game with Geralt falsely imprisoned. The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings is also available for PC, and is a great way to gear up for May 2015’s release of series finale, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Keep revisiting Eggplante for your news and updates on Games with Gold, and other Xbox incentives.