Here's how (and when) you'll get the Gears of War saga for free on Xbox One

Back in August, Microsoft announced that those who played Gears of War: Ultimate Edition while connected to Xbox Live before year's end would get free copies of the entire Gears of War saga via Xbox One backwards compatibility. As to when these copies will start showing up in your account, start checking your Xbox inbox on December 1. I say "start," because codes will be sent out in waves, so they may take time to reach you.

If you already bought these games, simply pop the discs in when Xbox One backwards compatibility launches and you'll end up having a spare when the code comes around. Or maybe give the physical copy to a friend and keep the code for yourself so you can play together. After all, someone needs to watch Dom's (impossibly large) back.

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Sam Prell

Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.