As it does every week, Xbox has officially made several paid games available to play for free through September 13. Xbox owners should be sure to hop in and check out the games while they can, as Xbox’s Free Play Days promotion can be a tad underrated (and sometimes overwhelmed by the number of additions to Xbox Game Pass).
Hopping into these Xbox games is also simple: go to the subscriptions tab on the Xbox store and scroll down to Free Play Days. Some Xbox Free Play Days games require an Xbox Game Pass subscription, while others are available to everyone (all of which is noted below). For this weekend, Madden NFL 27 and Dustborn are free for all Xbox members, while Borderlands 4, F1 25 2026 Season Edition, CarX Drift Racing Online, and Surviving Mars: Relaunched require an eligible Xbox Game Pass membership. The promotion runs through Sunday, September 13.
Xbox Free Play Days Game List (September 10-September 13)
- Borderlands 4 (Xbox Game Pass Required)
- F1 25 2026 Season Edition (Xbox Game Pass Required)
- Surviving Mars: Relaunched (Xbox Game Pass Required)
- CarX Drift Racing Online (Xbox Game Pass Required)
- Dustborn (Free for All)
- EA Sports Madden NFL 27 (Free For All)
Find all 10 pairs
Find all 10 pairs
Regular Cover ArtClean Cover Art
Xbox Free Play Days: Borderlands 4
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Image via Gearbox -
Image via Gearbox Software -
Image via Gearbox
Borderlands 4 is the latest entry in Gearbox’s long-running looter shooter series, bringing the familiar combination of first-person gunplay, absurd weapons, and character abilities to a new, more open-world format. Borderlands 4 takes place on the new planet Kairos, where four new Vault Hunters become caught up in a conflict against the planet’s ruthless ruler. Players can customize their builds through skill trees, use different Action Skills, and experiment with the game’s massive collection of weapons while working through the campaign. Its addition to Xbox Free Play Days is clear: Borderlands 4‘s new Loveless the Hacker DLC character is out, and some folks may be enticed to check out the game before delving into brand-new content.
- Original Release Date: September 11, 2025
- Genre: Open-World Looter Shooter
- Developer: Gearbox Software
- Publisher: 2K Games
- Metascore (Xbox): 90, based on 7 Critic Reviews (its highest rating)
- Xbox Store Link: Download via the Subscriptions Tab on the Xbox Console or Purchase Borderlands 4 at a discount on the Xbox Store
Xbox Free Play Days: F1 25 2026 Season Edition
F1 25 is the official Formula 1 racing game for the 2025 season, giving players the chance to race on the full F1 calendar while managing their own career and team. F1 25 includes the revamped My Team mode, the third chapter of Braking Point, and the various single-player and multiplayer racing options expected from an F1 game. The version included in this Free Play Days promotion is F1 25: 2026 Season Edition, which also includes the 2026 Season Pack and lets players move from the 2025 season into a new career featuring the 2026 team.
- Original Release Date: May 30, 2025
- Genre: Sports Simulation
- Developer: Codemasters
- Publisher: EA
- Metascore (Xbox): 82
- Xbox Store Link: Download via the Subscriptions Tab on the Xbox Console or Purchase F1 25 at a discount on the Xbox Store
Xbox Free Play Days – Surviving Mars: Relaunched
Surviving Mars: Relaunched is the quintessential sci-fi city-building game, which puts players in charge of establishing a functioning human colony on Mars. That means building domes and infrastructure, managing oxygen, water, food, and power, and keeping colonists alive while dealing with the planet’s various challenges. Surviving Mars: Relaunched also includes expanded content and the new Martian Assembly, which allows players to shape their colony’s society through laws and eventually work toward independence from Earth.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.
Xbox Free Play Days: CarX Drift Racing Online
CarX Drift Racing Online is a racing game built almost entirely around drifting, giving players a large collection of cars and plenty of ways to customize them. CarX Drift Racing Online features realistic drift physics, more than 100 vehicles, extensive visual and performance customization, and online multiplayer with up to 16 players. There are also community-created tracks and different ways to compete, making CarX Drift Racing Online more of a multiplayer sandbox than a traditional racing campaign.
- Original Release Date: November 17, 2017
- Genre: Racing Simulation
- Developer: CarX Technologies, LLC
- Publisher: CarX Technologies, LLC
- Metascore (Xbox): N/A (95% Positive, 40K User Reviews on Steam)
- Xbox Store Link: Download via the Subscriptions Tab on the Xbox Console or Purchase CarX Drifting Racing Online at a discount on the Xbox Store
Xbox Free Play Days: Dustborn
Dustborn is a story-driven action-adventure game that follows Pax, an exiled con artist traveling across an alternate-history version of America with a group of companions. Dustborn puts a pretty unusual spin on the road trip setup, with Pax traveling aboard a robot-driven tour bus while building relationships, completing missions, and dealing with the people who want an important package back. The game also lets Pax use the power of words to influence people and get out of difficult situations.
- Original Release Date: August 20, 2024
- Genre: Story-Driven Action-Adventure Game
- Developer: Red Thread Games
- Publisher: Spotlight by Quantic Dream
- Metascore (Xbox): 65
- Xbox Store Link: Download via the Subscriptions Tab on the Xbox Console or Purchase Dustborn at a discount on the Xbox Store
Xbox Free Play Days: EA Sports Madden NFL 27
Madden NFL 27 gives football fans another chance to jump into EA’s latest NFL game without needing an Xbox Game Pass subscription, and given that this game released in August 2026, it’s available here is also clear: check it out, get ready for football season, etc. In terms of new Madden NFL content, Franchise mode added the new Persona Engine, giving NFL players distinct personalities that influence their motivations and reactions, while the on-field gameplay also adds changes to receiver and defensive back battles, short-yardage situations, coverage, and pre-play controls. Madden NFL 27 also includes the Superstar G.O.A.T. Career Journey and more customization for Ultimate Team Captains. Unlike the other major Free Play Days games this weekend, Madden NFL 27 is free for all Xbox members to try through September 13.
- Original Release Date: August 13, 2026
- Genre: Sports Simulation
- Developer: EA Orlando
- Publisher: EA Sports
- Metascore (Xbox): 77
- Xbox Store Link: Download via the Subscriptions Tab on the Xbox Console or Purchase on the Xbox Store
Source: Xbox Wire
