The Top 5 Video Game “Freebies” Of All Time

It’s only a matter of days until the next-gen launches, taking games into a marginally better looking (at least based on first impressions) and incredibly less private era (sorry Microsoft, no one’s ready to forgive you just yet). And while the systems on which we play games are looking into the future, the companies that make these systems are hoping to get you to open your wallet by working with marketing techniques of the past. Last week both Sony and Microsoft announced freebie bonus throw-ins with their new consoles, in a last ditch effort to sway the gaming consumer.

Your Playstation 4 now comes bundled with a $10 PlayStation Store credit, a 30 day free trial for PlayStation Plus and a 30 day free trial for Music Unlimited.
Meanwhile, Microsoft is giving Xbox One owners 6 free months of Skype for free (keep in mind you also have to be an Xbox Live Gold subscriber).

Not to be a downer, but I’m a little less than thrilled with these giveaways. Throwing in $30 worth of intangible stuff that I’m likely to never use isn’t going to get me to open my wallet.  Having said that, gaming’s history is rife with free-sample-limited-time-only-bundled-tie-in-BOGO-offers. Sony & Microsoft aren’t the first to try and woo gamers by offering something on top of the console or game they’re selling. So in the interest of comparing their bonus throw-ins to those of the past, I’ve ranked the top 5 gaming thow ins of all time, from worst to first: