WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers, Dead by Daylight, and 4 More Games Are Free to Play on Xbox Through November 1
Halloween weekend is shaping up to be packed across Microsoft's gaming ecosystem. Hot on the heels of the 25 free Xbox games giveaway celebrating the brand's 25th anniversary, Microsoft has rolled out its latest batch of Xbox Free Play Days running from Thursday, October 29 through late Sunday, November 1, 2026, alongside two trials that stretch even further into next week.
In total, six full games are playable at no extra cost this weekend across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC. While four of the featured titles require an active Xbox Game Pass membership (Ultimate, Premium, or Essential), two major entries are open to every Xbox player without needing a subscription at all.
All 6 Free Play Days Games and Access Requirements
This week's official lineup balances punishing soulslike combat, oppressive survival horror, deep-space dogfighting, and cozy supernatural management. Here is the complete breakdown of platform availability, subscription rules, and temporary Microsoft Store discounts if you decide to keep playing after the trial window closes:
- WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers (October 29 to November 1 on Xbox Series X|S, requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential): Leenzee and 505 Games' dark action-RPG drops players into the chaotic final years of the Ming Dynasty across the land of Shu, where warring factions and the monstrous Feathering disease twist the world into a nightmare. Both main editions and the Deluxe Upgrade DLC are discounted by 30% during the event ($34.99 down from $49.99 for the standard edition).
- Dead by Daylight (Through Monday, November 2 on Xbox consoles, free for all Xbox members with no Game Pass subscription required): Behaviour Interactive's iconic 4v1 asymmetrical horror staple opens its doors to everyone for Halloween weekend. The base game is discounted by up to 60%, with select DLC chapters on sale through November 4.
- EVERSPACE 2 (October 29 to November 1 on Xbox consoles and PC via the Xbox app, requires Game Pass): ROCKFISH Games' fast-paced single-player space shooter combines open-world star system exploration with deep RPG loot progression. It features the steepest discount of the weekend at 80% off the base game ($9.99 down from $49.99), alongside up to 50% off its Titans and Wrath of the Ancients expansions.
- Darkwood (October 29 to November 1 on Xbox consoles, requires Game Pass): Acid Wizard Studio's top-down survival horror classic skips cheap jump scares in favor of suffocating tension. You scavenge a cursed Soviet-bloc forest by day and barricade your hideout to survive unspeakable horrors by night. It remains listed at its standard $14.99 price.
- Spirittea (October 29 to November 1 on Xbox consoles and PC, requires Game Pass): Blending Stardew Valley life simulation with Spirited Away folklore, this pixel-art adventure tasks you with restoring a traditional mountain bathhouse to soothe troublesome spirits. It is currently 50% off ($9.99 down from $19.99).
- Football Manager 27 (5-day free trial on the Xbox PC app starting October 29, no Game Pass subscription required): Ahead of its official November 10, 2026 launch, Sports Interactive and SEGA are giving Windows players a five-day open trial on the Xbox PC app to start building their tactics early.
Read the Official Free Play Days Announcement on Xbox Wire→
How to Download the Trials and Keep Your Save Data
To download any of the console trials on Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, open the Xbox Store, head to the Subscriptions tab, and scroll down to the Free Play Days collection. PC players looking to jump into EVERSPACE 2, Spirittea, or the five-day Football Manager 27 trial can launch the Xbox app on Windows and search for each title directly.
If you were already looking for weekend thrills after sci-fi horror hit Mouthwashing landed on Xbox Game Pass for Halloween, these trials give you unrestricted access to the full versions of each game until the timer runs out. Any Gamerscore, achievements, and save files you rack up over the weekend stay tied to your Xbox profile, meaning your progress carries over seamlessly if you grab any of the games during the sale.
My Take
This is easily one of the sharpest Free Play Days lineups Microsoft has put together in months. Instead of padding the list with aging sports titles, this Halloween batch actually gives players distinct, high-stakes worlds to sink their teeth into. Having a full three-day window to test your reflexes against the brutal bosses of WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers is the best way to see if its Ming Dynasty soulslike combat clicks for you before spending thirty-five bucks. Still, the two real standouts for me here are Darkwood, which delivers some of the most nerve-shredding nighttime audio design in horror gaming without relying on cheap jump scares, and that massive 80% discount on EVERSPACE 2 that makes a ten-dollar permanent upgrade almost impossible to pass up.
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.
