Here's When Gears of War Xbox One Backwards Compatibility Codes Start Going Out

Everyone who bought Gears of War Ultimate Edition on Xbox One will soon receive codes to download the promised backwards-compatible versions of every game in the series for Xbox 360.

Starting December 1, Microsoft will send out download codes for Gears of War, Gears of War 2, Gears of War 3, and Gears of War Judgment, according to a tweet from the game's account. These games will be playable on Xbox One through backwards compatibility, which arrives on November 12 as part of the New Xbox One Experience.

It's not too late to score the free games, either. Everyone who buys the Gears of War Ultimate Edition before December 31 gets them. The codes will sent out in waves, so don't worry if you don't get yours right away.

If you already own digital copies of the Xbox 360 Gears of War games, they will be added to your Xbox One library of backwards-compatible titles. Players who own physical copies can put the disc into the Xbox One and install it from there. After that, they'll need to put the disc in the drive every time they want to play.

"All game modes, including multiplayer, will work just as they do on Xbox 360," Microsoft said in an FAQ. "Additionally, you can play with people who are either playing Gears of War via backwards compatibility on Xbox One, or on Xbox 360."

Read the full FAQ for more.

Gears of War Ultimate Edition also comes with early access to the upcoming Gears of War 4 multiplayer beta. For more on Gears of War Ultimate Edition, which launched in August and sold well, check out GameSpot's review.