As we all know, when new consoles are released, it can take some considerable time to get gamers on board. There will always be the early adopters, but there will always be the skeptics too. It’s totally reasonable, after all, to want to wait a while for a big exclusive killer app, before jumping on board.
Early in the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One’s lifespans, this was a real concern. It was a hefty upgrade, and it sported a hefty price tag to make. It’s got to be worth the plunge, and for some, it just wasn’t. The situation has changed dramatically over the years, and Sony and Microsoft’s libraries have fleshed out a hundred-fold. When it comes to Microsoft, for instance, there’s no bigger name than our old space-buddy Master Chief.
Halo 5: Guardians finally arrived on Xbox One in October 2015, over a year after the system had launched around the world. It was 343 Industries’ second mainline Halo game after Bungie’s departure, following the well-received Halo 4. Similarly, Guardians got the thumbs up from critics, generally, praising the attempt to return to—but also modernize—the Halo mechanics of old.
But enough backstory. The fact is, most Halo fans will know all of this already and will be totally familiar with Guardians. After all, it arrived at a time when the Xbox One was struggling to find its feet and was a light at the end of a tunnel devoid of big One exclusives. As such, a lot of gamers would have jumped on it right away. If you’ve never played, though, you won’t want to miss this opportunity. Halo 5: Guardians for free? It’d be rude not to.
Xbox Wire announced that all Xbox Gold subscribers would be able to download the game for free, from now until Sunday Jan. 14, 2018 (10:59 p.m. PST Jan. 14, 2018, to be precise). They’re really going all out with this one, too. There won’t just be a few multiplayer modes to choose from. The whole game, the whole of the campaign, zero compromises. It’s waiting for you on Xbox Live right now.
That much-ballyhooed campaign, with co-op support and some of the biggest and baddest setpieces in Halo history? Go right ahead. The expansive and oh-so-addictive multiplayer modes that are the cornerstone of any FPS? That’s all open for you too. The 4k upgrade patch? You guessed it, that’s available too.
Whether you don’t own the game anymore, or you never have, this promotion is looking super sweet all around. The trouble is, a weekend isn’t much time to get to grips with a game as vast as this one, is it? Don’t worry though, Microsoft have you covered there too. If you find yourself wanting to hop on board with the game full time after trying it out, Destructoid reports that it will be available to purchase at a 20 per cent discount during this promo period. All of the progress you made during the trial will carry right over, Xbox Wire promises.
