Xbox Wire published the Free Play Days announcement on October 8, 2026, setting the event to run from Thursday, October 8 through Sunday, October 11, 2026. This weekend, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and Essential members can play Screamer and Family Man at no extra cost. ARC Raiders is free for every Xbox member without a Game Pass subscription, and timed trials are open to all players for four additional games. The announcement also includes a set of limited-time discounts across the full lineup.
Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and Essential Free Games
Screamer, an arcade racing game from Milestone with anime aesthetics and fighting mechanics, is free for Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and Essential members during the full event. Family Man, a dark story-led RPG from No More Robots, is also free for the same membership tiers across the four-day window. Gamerscore and achievements earned while playing these titles during Free Play Days remain on player profiles after the event ends.
ARC Raiders Free Weekend and Anniversary
ARC Raiders is free for all Xbox members from October 8 through October 11, with no Game Pass membership required. The free period coincides with the game’s first anniversary and the Frozen Trail update. From October 8 through October 15, the ARC Raiders base game, Deluxe Edition, and Deluxe Edition upgrade are 50% off.
Timed Trials and Limited-Time Discounts
All Xbox players can try High On Life 2 from Squanch Games, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl from GSC Game World, Little Nightmares III from Bandai Namco, and Rogue Waters from Tripwire Interactive through timed trials. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl recently received Update 2.0, which improves performance and transforms the game’s look and feel. Rogue Waters is a tactical turn-based roguelite pirate adventure, and its timed trial runs for 2 hours.
Limited-time discounts during the event include Screamer at 60% off, Family Man at 85% off, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl at 30% off, Little Nightmares III at 50% off, High On Life 2 at 20% off, and Rogue Waters at 75% off. Discounts and title availability may vary by title and region.
