Xbox owners can play two games for free this weekend without an Xbox Game Pass subscription
You can try out two free games without needing Xbox Game Pass this weekend, as players on the green side of the gaming world have been given special access to both Madden NFL 27 and Dustborn to try out.
There's simply nothing better than a free game and while you only get to keep these two for a couple of days, it can serve as the perfect way to test out whether you want to fork up the money to buy it permanently.
Games are not cheap these days and players often are more inclined to opt for something they know they're going to like, with a new experience seen by many as a risk that might not be worth taking considering the cost.
That's why you shouldn't pass up the opportunity to play these free titles over the weekend, as you never know whether you might have just found your next obsession.
What games are free on Xbox this weekend?
As reported by T3, both Madden NFL 27 and Dustborn are free for all players as part of the FreePlayDays program on Xbox this weekend, and they present a rare opportunity as you don't need an active Xbox Game Pass subscription to try them out.
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Madden NFL 27 likely needs no introduction, but it remains the go-to title for football fans across America, and there's a good chance that you could sink hundreds of hours into this particular experience.
You're likely already familiar with the series but the yearly releases and high cost of entry can put some people off — making this weekend the perfect chance to see if it's the right time to buy in or whether you're better off waiting a few more years.
Comparatively, Dustborn is likely something you might not have heard of, but it's definitely worth considering over the weekend. It's a single player game published by Quantic Dream – the company behind narrative classics like Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, and Detroit: Become Human – and it could be something that takes you by surprise.
What's more, it also has an active discount on the Xbox store right now, meaning if you what you play you only need to pay an extra $4.49 to buy the complete package to keep forever.
If you do have Xbox Game Pass, however, you can also try out an addition four games this weekend, and they are as follows:
- Borderlands 4
- F1 25 (2026 Edition)
- Surviving Mars: Relaunched
- CarX Drift Racing Online
There's bound to be something that takes your fancy here, so make sure to give at least one a go as it would be silly to pass it up.
How often are games free on Xbox?
There are new games available for free every weekend with the FreePlayDays program, although most of the time you'll need a Game Pass subscription in order to access them.
It might be worth picking one up, however, as not only do you get the ability to play these limited-time trials, but you also get the hundreds of 'free' games through the Game Pass library, with some industry classics alongside day-one access to most new Xbox first-party games in the future.