Xbox drops AAA heavy line-up of 5 free games you don't need Game Pass to enjoy

If you’re looking for something to play this weekend, then look no further than Xbox’s latest edition of Free Play Days.

It features a AAA heavy line-up of five titles that all Xbox users can enjoy, plus an additional two for Game Pass subscribers, making this one of the best Free Play Days line-ups in a while.

ARC Raiders is easily the headliner of the event. All Xbox users can now enjoy Embark Studios’ 2025 extraction shooter at absolutely no cost.

In fact, ARC Raiders has gone free-to-play across all platforms. Embark is listing the event as drawing to a close at the end of Monday October 12, although Xbox Wire is saying free access will expire ending Sunday October 11.

Embark Studios

Either way, I’d recommend diving in sooner rather than later and getting the maximum possible time out of the free play period.

It’s being held to coincide with the arrival of ARC Raiders’ biggest ever update, Frozen Trail, which adds a new map, enemies, and weapons.

There’s no limit on how far you can progress in the free play event; you have full reign of the entire game.

That’s not exactly the case for Free Play Days’ other four free-for-all options, as the remaining titles you don’t need Game Pass for come in the form of timed trials.

Enjoy free timed trials of AAA hits like Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl

Unfortunately, none of the four timed trials lists exactly how long they run for, but you can enjoy High On Life 2, Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl, Little Nightmares III, and Rogue Waters.

If you enjoy TV series Rick & Morty, you’ll get a kick out of High on Life 2, the 2026 sequel to FPS High On Life.

Zany talking weapons return as players fight their way through a bizarre world in an attempt to bring down yet another intergalactic conspiracy.

Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl is yet another sequel, albeit one designed as a standalone story, so it’s perfectly accessible for new players.

You’ll venture into the Chornobyl Anomalous Zone, fending off the anomalies, mutants, and rivals that stand in your way.

Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl’s performance didn’t go down all that well with players at launch, but GSC Game World has since released the game’s 2.0 version, overhauling just about every aspect.

Little Nightmares III is the franchise’s first entry to switch hands from Tarsier Studios to Supermassive Games. It wasn’t exactly a smooth transition.

Bandai Namco

I can attest that Little Nightmares III is well worth playing, but it does lack the magic of those earlier entries with a predictable story that ultimately goes nowhere.

The game’s recent DLC expansions have impressed me more, but you, of course, won’t get hands-on with those in this timed trial.

Rogue Waters completes the line-up, a turn-based rougelite set within a world of piracy. Players step into the shoes of Captain Cutter, commanding their ship and crew through procedurally generated encounters.

You’ll need to recruit and train new crewmates, acquire upgrades and more as you fend off huge sea creatures and swashbuckling rivals.

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Game Pass subscribers get two bonus freebies, including a 2026 racer

If you do have a Game Pass subscription to any tier, you can also enjoy Screamer and Family Man.

Access expires at the end of Sunday, October 11, although there’s no limit on how far you can progress ahead of that deadline.

Screamer is brilliant. Imagine if you set an arcade racer within a Cyberpunk 2077-esque world, albeit with the presentation of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.

Milestone

That’s precisely what Screamer is. It can be tricky with the player needing to beat certain races to progress the story but the blend of narrative and high-octane racing action is captivating.

As for Family Man, that’s probably the least well-known game in this Free Play Days line-up.

Developed by Broken Bear Games and released back in 2020, this is a narrative-driven experience where you embody the role of Joe, a fellow who owes some bad people lots of money.

You have three weeks to make that money with the game asking the question of how far you’d go to save yourself and your family.

Time is already ticking so if anything here appeals to you, dive in and get the most out of these limited-time experiences.