Dying Light 2 and Five More Xbox Games Are Free to Play This Weekend From October 22 to 25
The weekly weekend gaming lineup for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One players has officially arrived with six titles spanning open-world survival, extreme sports, management sims, and turn-based RPGs. As announced on Xbox Wire, the latest Xbox Free Play Days event runs from Thursday, October 22 through Sunday, October 25, 2026 (with one major multiplayer game extending its free access until Monday, October 26). This week's selection splits neatly into two categories: three full games unlocked for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, and three titles open to every Xbox member without a subscription.
Three Full Games for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and Essential Members
Players holding an active subscription to Xbox Game Pass in October 2026 (across the Ultimate, Premium, or Essential tiers) can download and play the full versions of the following three games through Sunday, October 25:
- Dying Light 2: Stay Human - Reloaded Edition (Techland): Set fifteen years after humanity lost its battle against the virus, you step into the shoes of Aiden Caldwell across The City, one of the last standing human settlements plunged into a modern Dark Age. The Reloaded Edition packs all post-launch parkour and combat overhauls, firearms, and the Bloody Ties story expansion. Players who want to keep surviving after the weekend ends can pick up the full game at 80% off on the Microsoft Store.
- Let's Build a Zoo (Springloaded / No More Robots): This pixel-art management sim puts you in charge of importing and breeding rare creatures, hiring staff, keeping visitors happy, and experimenting with DNA Splicing to stitch together more than 300,000 different animal combinations, from the majestic Giraffephant to the peaceful PandOwl. Supporting Xbox Play Anywhere, the base game and its Dinosaur Island and Aquarium Odyssey expansions are discounted by up to 65%.
- Tropico 6 (Limbic Entertainment / Kalypso Media): Ahead of the upcoming launch of Tropico 7 on January 28, 2027, El Presidente invites Xbox players to rule across sprawling island archipelagos connected by bridges, tunnels, and cable cars. Available for free through October 25, Tropico 6 also features a 75% discount on the base game and up to 60% off its DLC packs until November 2, 2026.
Free Play Days For All: Three Games Available Without a Game Pass Subscription
Alongside the subscriber lineup, three additional titles are available under the Free Play Days For All banner, meaning any Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One player can jump in without an active Xbox Game Pass membership:
- Riders Republic (Ubisoft) - Free Through October 26: Celebrating its 5th Anniversary, Ubisoft's massive multiplayer extreme sports playground across iconic American National Parks (featuring mountain biking, snow parks, skateboarding, and dirt bikes) is free for all Xbox members for an extra day, running from October 22 through October 26, 2026. The anniversary festivities include exclusive Ubisoft-themed rewards and a special in-game concert by DJ Henri PFR, with the Deluxe Edition currently marked down by 80%.
- Monster Hunter Stories (Capcom) - 3-Hour Timed Trial: Following the recent spotlight on Monster Hunter Stories 3 on Xbox and PC, every Xbox player can try the original turn-based RPG spinoff for three hours with no subscription required, stepping into the role of a Monster Rider facing the Black Blight calamity. The full game is currently 67% off.
- Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin (Capcom) - 3-Hour Timed Trial: The second installment is also available to all Xbox players via a three-hour timed trial, letting you use a Kinship Stone to bond with iconic monsters and investigate the vanishing Rathalos population, accompanied by a 75% store discount.
How to Download and Keep Your Progress
To start playing on Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, open the Xbox Store, navigate to the Subscriptions tab, and scroll down to the Free Play Days collection. For the three open-access trials and Riders Republic, simply visit their individual store pages and select the free trial button. Any Gamerscore, achievements, and save data earned during the event will automatically carry over if you decide to purchase the full games while they are on sale.
My Take
What stands out to me in this late-October lineup is how well it balances high-adrenaline co-op action with deep management sims that can easily eat up an entire Sunday afternoon. Being able to jump into Dying Light 2: Stay Human - Reloaded Edition or celebrate the fifth anniversary of Riders Republic through Monday without even needing an active Game Pass subscription makes it effortless to test these worlds with friends. Combine that with store discounts reaching 75% to 80% off and instant save transfers, and it is one of the most practical weekend lineups Xbox has rolled out this month.
SEO consultant for over 20 years and digital entrepreneur, Charles 'Grimtag' Ronchain is the founder of Pro-Gamer.gg, Retrocharting.com, and Gamescharting.com. A competitive gamer, streamer, and retro game collector, he has worked in the video game industry for over 15 years, notably as a consultant for leading game price comparison platforms. Passionate about real-time performance data and gaming technology, he analyzes competitive esports, gaming hardware benchmarks, and creator workflows on Pro-Gamer.gg with an authentic player perspective.
