Xbox Live Gold Subscribers Get First Free Game of May

Xbox Live Gold subscribers are being dished two "free" games for the month of May, one of which became available to download today. As always, free is in quotations because the download is locked behind an Xbox Live Gold subscription, however, Xbox Live Gold is required for online play so many see each month's free games that come with Games With Gold as free games as they'd still be paying for the service even if they weren't given out. Whatever the case, why ever you're downloaded to Xbox Live Gold, you have a new free game to download as of today, and until May 31.

If you're a Star Wars fan and were playing games in the late 90s, the game in question needs little introduction. However, if you don't fit this mold then you may not know much about Star Wars Episode I: Racer considering it was released 24-ish years ago. Released by LucasArts, it's a whole game based on podracing part of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. 20 years after its intial release, aka in 2020, an HD re-release was released by Aspyr. And it's this version that has been made free via Xbox Live Gold.

"Two Engines. One Champion. No Limits. Climb on, strap in, and experience the pure adrenaline-pumping excitement of the Podracing sequence from Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace," reads an official blurb about the game. "Take the controls as Anakin Skywalker, or any one of over 21 Podracers, and feel the full-force blast of two massive jet engines at simulated speeds of up to 600 mph. Rein in a turbine-driven chariot through 8 spectacular worlds. Negotiate through flaming methane lakes, Tusken Raider assaults, ant-gravity tunnels and much more in a pulse-punding, do-or-die fight to the finish where anyone will do anything to cross the finish line. How far will you go?"

Xbox Live Gold is available via Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X at a various price points, but its cheapest rate requires you to buy a 12-month subscription, which runs at $60. Alterantively, you can also purchase Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which runs at $15 a month, as it comes with Xbox Live Gold.