Xbox Live Games with Gold December 2015: Free games list

Xbox Live Games with Gold December 2015Xbox, Microsoft

The official list of games that will be offered this December for Xbox Live Games with Gold has been revealed on the official Xbox news site, Xbox Wire. Up to this point the only title known to be offered was "Knight Squad," which is in fact a title offered for November but will be available up to Dec. 15.

For the Xbox One, the two main games being offered are "The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing" for the duration of the month and the rebooted "Thief" title, which will be available from Dec. 16 to Jan. 15.

The former is an isometric action-RPG akin to the "Diablo" games mixed in with its own modifier and item customization mechanics. "Thief," on the other hand, is a reboot of the stealth action franchise and focuses on a player's ability to remain hidden while completing missions that require them to steal or assassinate.

Xbox 360 owners who avail of the Games with Gold subscription aren't being left out. The action/tower defense title "CastleStorm" will be offered from Dec. 1 to Dec. 15 and will later be replaced by the RPG title "Sacred 3." "Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising" will be offered as a bonus title from Dec. 16 to Dec. 31.

Because of the new backwards compatibility feature of the Xbox One, all three Xbox 360 titles will also be available for the newer console. This gives the Xbox One two console exclusive titles and access to all three Xbox 360 titles as well, giving Xbox One owners more free games than before.

Fans speculate that this tactic is being done to entice Xbox 360 owners to move up to the Xbox One before the Games with Gold subscription begins to cater only to next-gen subscribers.

At the moment, Games with Gold is still offering "Dungeon Siege III" and "Knight Squad" for November, with the latter continuing to be available until next month.