Free Play Days: Try These Xbox Games for Free (October 15–18, 2026)

Xbox Free Play Days runs from Thursday, October 15 through Sunday, October 18, 2026. Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and Essential members can play five featured games during the event: NBA 2K27 Standard Edition, Crusader Kings III, Bus Simulator 21 Next Stop, Soccer Story, and Ravenswatch. A separate three-hour trial of The Alters is open to every Xbox player, with no Game Pass membership required.

What games are free on Xbox from October 15–18?

The weekend lineup mixes sports, strategy, simulation, adventure, roguelike action, and survival storytelling. Access differs by game: five titles require an eligible Game Pass plan, while The Alters can be tried by anyone for three hours.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		$100 XBOX Gift Card [Digital Code]	$100.00	Buy on Amazon
2		$10 XBOX Gift Card [Digital Code]	$10.00	Buy on Amazon
3		$50 XBOX Gift Card [Digital Code]	$50.00	Buy on Amazon
4		$25 XBOX Gift Card [Digital Code]	$25.00	Buy on Amazon
5		Xbox Physical Gift Card | $25	$25.00	Buy on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Which games need Game Pass?

NBA 2K27 Standard Edition, Crusader Kings III, Bus Simulator 21 Next Stop, Soccer Story, and Ravenswatch are the membership-only Free Play Days titles. The qualifying tiers named in the announcement are Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and Essential. You must be signed in with the account holding that membership.

The Alters is different: its three-hour timed trial is available to all players, so you do not need any Game Pass plan to start it.

#1 Best Overall

$100 XBOX Gift Card [Digital Code]

• THE PERFECT GAMING GIFT — Buy an XBOX Gift Card for yourself or a friend and let them choose the games, add‑ons, subscriptions, and accessories they want most.
• USE FOR GAMES & CONTENT — Redeem for thousands of digital XBOX games, from backward compatible classics to the latest new releases, plus DLC and in‑game currency.
• GAME PASS READY — Apply your balance toward XBOX Game Pass Ultimate to play new titles on day one* and access a library of hundreds of high‑quality console games.
• PRE‑ORDER & PRE‑INSTALL GAMES — Use your balance to pre‑order and pre‑download upcoming titles so you’re ready to play the moment they launch.
• NO FEES OR EXPIRATION — XBOX Gift Cards never expire and have no service fees, so your balance is ready whenever you are.

$100.00

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How long can you play each game?

Event window

The membership titles are available during the October 15–18 event window, except NBA 2K27 Standard Edition, which starts Friday, October 16 at 12:00 p.m. PDT and runs through October 18. The announcement does not specify a separate clock time for the event’s final day, so availability can depend on the Xbox Store in your region.

The Alters trial limit

The Alters allows three hours of trial play between October 15 and October 18. That is a timed allowance rather than a full-weekend entitlement; once the three hours are used, you must purchase the game to continue.

Rank #2

$10 XBOX Gift Card [Digital Code]

• THE PERFECT GAMING GIFT — Buy an XBOX Gift Card for yourself or a friend and let them choose the games, add‑ons, subscriptions, and accessories they want most.
• USE FOR GAMES & CONTENT — Redeem for thousands of digital XBOX games, from backward compatible classics to the latest new releases, plus DLC and in‑game currency.
• GAME PASS READY — Apply your balance toward XBOX Game Pass Ultimate to play new titles on day one* and access a library of hundreds of high‑quality console games.
• PRE‑ORDER & PRE‑INSTALL GAMES — Use your balance to pre‑order and pre‑download upcoming titles so you’re ready to play the moment they launch.
• NO FEES OR EXPIRATION — XBOX Gift Cards never expire and have no service fees, so your balance is ready whenever you are.

$10.00

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How to start Xbox Free Play Days

1. Sign in to the Xbox account you intend to use.
2. Open the game’s detail page on Xbox.com and choose the install option through the Microsoft Store.
3. On Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Store and select the Subscriptions tab.
4. Open the Free Play Days collection, choose a title, and install it.
5. For the five membership titles, confirm that the account has Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential. No membership check is needed for The Alters‘ all-player trial.

What happens if you buy a game after playing?

Xbox says you can purchase a participating game or another edition at a limited-time discount and keep the Gamerscore and achievements earned during the free period. The listed discounts are title-specific, and both the percentage and availability can vary by game and region.

Offers called out for this event

• Soccer Story: $19.99 listed price, reduced to $2.99, an 85% reduction.
• Ravenswatch: $29.99 listed price, reduced to $10.49, a 65% reduction.
• The Alters: $34.99 listed price, reduced to $15.74.
• NBA 2K27 Standard Edition: qualifying digital purchases made October 16–29 include an Xbox Gift Card and a 15,000 Virtual Currency Pack, according to the announcement.

Check the purchase screen for the edition, price, promotion dates, and regional eligibility before completing a transaction. A Free Play Days discount is not necessarily the same for every edition of a title.

Rank #3

$50 XBOX Gift Card [Digital Code]

• THE PERFECT GAMING GIFT — Buy an XBOX Gift Card for yourself or a friend and let them choose the games, add‑ons, subscriptions, and accessories they want most.
• USE FOR GAMES & CONTENT — Redeem for thousands of digital XBOX games, from backward compatible classics to the latest new releases, plus DLC and in‑game currency.
• GAME PASS READY — Apply your balance toward XBOX Game Pass Ultimate to play new titles on day one* and access a library of hundreds of high‑quality console games.
• PRE‑ORDER & PRE‑INSTALL GAMES — Use your balance to pre‑order and pre‑download upcoming titles so you’re ready to play the moment they launch.
• NO FEES OR EXPIRATION — XBOX Gift Cards never expire and have no service fees, so your balance is ready whenever you are.

$50.00

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Which game should you try first?

• For basketball: Start with NBA 2K27 Standard Edition if you want to build a MyPLAYER, play MyCAREER, or jump into Play Now. Remember that its access begins October 16 at noon PDT.
• For long-form strategy: Crusader Kings III focuses on dynasty management and the fortunes of a noble house.
• For driving and co-op: Bus Simulator 21 Next Stop offers licensed buses, two open-world cities, and solo or online co-op company play.
• For a story-driven football adventure: Soccer Story combines exploration with a mission to rebuild local football institutions.
• For replayable action: Ravenswatch supports solo runs and co-op for up to four players, with the announcement highlighting a Kintaro hero and a talent rework.
• For a no-membership sample: Use the three-hour The Alters trial to test its alternate-survivor premise, base building, resource management, and branching life conflicts.

Important regional and timing notes

The announcement identifies the event dates and the NBA 2K27 start time in Pacific Daylight Time, but store access can be displayed according to your local region. Prices and discount percentages are the figures shown in the announcement and may differ by territory, tax, edition, or later store changes. If a title does not appear in the Free Play Days collection, verify your sign-in status, membership tier, platform, and the game’s listed event dates.

Xbox’s description of the lineup

Xbox marketing manager Kyle Ocean described the selection this way: “Whether you’re chasing Championships or forging a legacy, there’s a new adventure waiting for this Free Plays Days.” The lineup delivers that range through sports competition, dynasty strategy, transportation simulation, football fantasy, cooperative roguelike combat, and a time-limited science-fiction survival story.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

$100 XBOX Gift Card [Digital Code]

Gift cards are region‑specific (U.S. only) and cannot be transferred once redeemed.

$100.00

Bestseller No. 2

$10 XBOX Gift Card [Digital Code]

Gift cards are region‑specific (U.S. only) and cannot be transferred once redeemed.

$10.00

Bestseller No. 3

$50 XBOX Gift Card [Digital Code]

Gift cards are region‑specific (U.S. only) and cannot be transferred once redeemed.

$50.00

Bestseller No. 4

$25 XBOX Gift Card [Digital Code]

Gift cards are region‑specific (U.S. only) and cannot be transferred once redeemed.

$25.00

Bestseller No. 5

Xbox Physical Gift Card | $25

MOVIES & TV SHOWS: Rent or buy new and popular movies and TV shows from a massive library.

$25.00

Best Value

Xbox Physical Gift Card | $25

• XBOX GIFT CARD: Buy full digital game downloads, game add-ons, in-game currency, memberships, devices, apps, movies, TV shows, and more.
• DIGITAL GAMES: Choose from hundreds of games, from AAA to indie options. Start playing the moment your most anticipated game is available when you pre-order and pre-download it.
• GAME AD-ONS: Extend the experience of your favorite games with add-ons and in-game currency.
• MOVIES & TV SHOWS: Rent or buy new and popular movies and TV shows from a massive library.
• PERFECT GIFT: Great as a gift for a friend or yourself. Xbox Gift Cards are easy to use, never expire, and give the freedom to pick the gift they want. Enjoy more ways to play without a credit card attached to your Microsoft account.

$25.00

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Rank #4

$25 XBOX Gift Card [Digital Code]

• THE PERFECT GAMING GIFT — Buy an XBOX Gift Card for yourself or a friend and let them choose the games, add‑ons, subscriptions, and accessories they want most.
• USE FOR GAMES & CONTENT — Redeem for thousands of digital XBOX games, from backward compatible classics to the latest new releases, plus DLC and in‑game currency.
• GAME PASS READY — Apply your balance toward XBOX Game Pass Ultimate to play new titles on day one* and access a library of hundreds of high‑quality console games.
• PRE‑ORDER & PRE‑INSTALL GAMES — Use your balance to pre‑order and pre‑download upcoming titles so you’re ready to play the moment they launch.
• NO FEES OR EXPIRATION — XBOX Gift Cards never expire and have no service fees, so your balance is ready whenever you are.

$25.00

Buy on Amazon

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.