Microsoft doesn't release all of the new Xbox Games with Gold in any given month at the same time. Instead it staggers the releases, with one batch of free games made available starting at the beginning of the month, and the next set added about halfway through the month. The Xbox free Games with Gold for March 2021 do not stray from this pattern, and so that means that Xbox Live Gold subscribers have a couple of new games that they can add to their collection.

Officially, these free Xbox Games with Gold shouldn't be available until Tuesday, March 16, but they are accessible a day early for some reason. In any case, Xbox Live Gold subscribers on Xbox One have from now until April 15 to claim VALA: Vicious Attack Llama Apocalypse for their digital library. And then those on Xbox 360 have from now until March 31 if they want to claim Port Royale 3.

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Neither VALA: Vicious Attack Llama Apocalypse nor Port Royale 3 made that big of a splash in their respective years of release, but free is free and so Xbox Live Gold subscribers should make it a point to claim them regardless. Despite the negative reaction to the free Xbox games for March, some fans may be pleasantly surprised by the games.

In the meantime, there is another Xbox One game that Xbox Live Gold subscribers can claim for March 2021, and they have until the end of the month to do so. Warface: Breakout is available as a free download from now until March 31, and so anyone looking for a new multiplayer FPS to play should consider giving it a shot. Today is also the last day to claim Metal Slug 3 on the Xbox 360 side of things, so Xbox Live Gold subscribers should be sure to do that as well.

While these games certainly have their fans, Microsoft has clearly lost interest in making the free Games with Gold titles all that compelling, instead focusing its efforts on boosting Xbox Game Pass. In fact, it was just announced that starting April 1, Xbox Game Pass subscribers can play the brand new triple-A game Outriders. Outriders is certainly a big "get" for the Xbox Game Pass service, and so those looking for a bit more out of their Xbox subscriptions may want to consider dropping Gold in favor of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It's a little more expensive but it provides all of Gold's benefits with Game Pass.

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