Xbox Game Pass shadowdrops EA FC 27 rival as first 'essential' freebie in months

On the dawn of the new era of football sim games, Xbox Game Pass has shadow-dropped a surprise free rival to the status quo.

The recent era of sports simulation titles has been dominated by EA and 2K, especially when it comes to football (soccer), as EA FC (previously FIFA) has fended off competition from eFootball (previously Pro Evolution) and UFL.

EA FC 27 carries that series forward with a new open-world experience that earned itself one of the best review scores in years; our 8/10 review that highlighted the good, the bad, and the new of EA FC 27 summarised that "this year’s entry could be the perfect opportunity to rekindle or spark your love for the beautiful game."

Yet while Xbox Game Pass players have been treated to a small preview of the latest footie bananza, thanks to the subscription's partnership with EA Play, the 10-hour trial just isn't enough time for a proper kickabout.

So, Xbox has now shadow-dropped its first 'essential' freebie on the day of FC 27's full release, and its a worthwhile tangent to discover.

Rematch is now free on Xbox Game Pass

While FC 27 and its realism-heavy competitors are hellbent on putting you in the shoes of the elite, Rematch is a football title that brings an anime-styled twist to FIFA Street, with a reliance on skills and flair, and the know-how of its Rocket League-like arenas.

Created by the developers behind Sifu, Rematch has enjoyed a strong start to its tenure, with exciting gameplay steering clear of the genre norms.

Slated as "a new perspective on football," players can enjoy a third-person take on 5-a-side, either taking to online games with friends or fill-ins, jumping into competitions to hoist trophies, or harnessing skills in the intuitive training ground with a range of challenges.

Now, Rematch has gone free-to-play on Xbox Game Pass, having previously enjoyed freebie weekends, as it joined the Essential tier as of September 25.

Read More: Steam Gains Free New Football Game Set To Rival FIFA And EA Sports

Xbox revive 'Essentials' giveaways

While Rematch might not be everyone's cup of tea - you can be forgiven as an RPG fan for wanting for Sifu action from the studio, rather than ballgames - it does show a renewed sign of intent from Xbox.

Having released 20 games on its Essential tier between April and July this year, including DayZ, Neon Abyss, and the Shadowrun trilogy (Returns, Dragonfall, and Hong Kong), the free giveaways looked to have dried up.

In fact, since Blinx: The Time Sweeper, Fuzion Frenzy, Conker: Live and Reloaded, and Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge were added on July 22, there hasn't been another release.

That was until Rematch.

Two months after the last Essentials Game Pass release, Rematch marks the start of Xbox's revival of this tier.

So, whether you want a free take on heads and volleys, or are a Game Pass Essentials owner, this new release boasts a lot of excitement.