XBOX Free Play Days: Dying Light 2 Leads 6-Game Weekend, No Game Pass Needed for 3

XBOX Free Play Days is back with six games to check out this weekend, and you won’t need Game Pass to try half the lineup. Dying Light 2: Stay Human – Reloaded Edition, Let’s Build a Zoo, and Tropico 6 are available for XBOX Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and Essential members from October 22 through October 25. Meanwhile, Riders Republic and both Monster Hunter Stories games have offers open to all XBOX players.

There is one important catch: the Monster Hunter Stories games have three-hour timed trials, rather than unrestricted weekend access. Riders Republic gets a longer free-play window, running through October 26 with no Game Pass membership required

It’s another mixed-access lineup, similar to the recent XBOX Free Play Days event featuring Sea of Thieves, with some games reserved for subscribers and others available to everyone.

XBOX Free Play Days October 22 lineup: What’s free and who can play?

Here’s how this week’s offers break down, according to Microsoft’s XBOX Wire announcement.

Game	Access requirement	Free-play window or limit
Dying Light 2: Stay Human – Reloaded Edition	Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential	October 22–25
Let’s Build a Zoo	Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential	October 22–25
Tropico 6	Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential	October 22–25
Monster Hunter Stories	No Game Pass required	Three-hour timed trial
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin	No Game Pass required	Three-hour timed trial
Riders Republic	No Game Pass required	October 22–26

The distinction matters if you’re planning your weekend around one particular game. The two Monster Hunter trials have a playtime limit, while Riders Republic is available for an extra day compared with the three subscriber-only games. These are temporary opportunities to play, not free copies to keep.

Dying Light 2 brings parkour and zombies to the weekend

Dying Light 2: Stay Human – Reloaded Edition is the pick for anyone who would rather spend the weekend jumping between rooftops than carefully managing a budget.

Techland’s open-world action game drops you into Villedor, one of humanity’s last surviving cities. Parkour helps you navigate its rooftops and escape trouble, while combat and story choices shape your time on the ground. Heading out after dark makes things considerably more dangerous as the infected take over the streets.

Reloaded Edition also includes access to the Bloody Ties DLC, although the store listing notes that it requires a separate download. You can play solo or team up with up to three other players for online co-op.

If the free weekend gets you hooked, the XBOX Wire announcement lists the game at $11.99, down from $59.99, for an 80% discount. Prices and availability can vary by region.

Let’s Build a Zoo and Tropico 6 offer two very different management challenges

Prefer building something instead of outrunning it? Let’s Build a Zoo puts you in charge of an animal park, including hiring staff, keeping visitors happy, and importing and breeding creatures.

Then things get weird. Its DNA-splicing system lets you create more than 300,000 animal combinations, including the Giraffephant and PandOwl. The promotion also includes discounts of up to 65% on the game and its Dinosaur Island and Aquarium Odyssey DLC, with the base game listed at $6.99 instead of $19.99.

Tropico 6, meanwhile, trades zoo management for running an island nation as El Presidente. You’ll develop an archipelago and connect its islands using bridges, tunnels, and other transportation options.

The base game is listed at $9.99, down from $39.99. Microsoft also highlights a 75% base-game discount and up to 60% off DLC through November 2, giving you longer to decide whether to keep running your tropical empire after the free-play period ends.

Both Monster Hunter Stories games have free trials without Game Pass

You don’t need a Game Pass subscription to try Monster Hunter Stories or Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. Each game has a three-hour timed trial.

These spin-offs take a different approach from the main Monster Hunter games, combining turn-based RPG combat with stories about Monster Riders who form bonds with monsters.

The first game follows a Rider facing the threat of the Black Blight. Wings of Ruin introduces another young Rider, monster-bonding through a Kinship Stone, and an adventure tied to the legendary Rathalos.

If either trial convinces you to keep going, Microsoft lists Monster Hunter Stories at $9.89, down from $29.99, and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin at $9.99, down from $39.99.

Riders Republic is free through October 26

Riders Republic gets the longest free-play window of this lineup. All XBOX players can try it from October 22 through October 26 without a Game Pass subscription.

Ubisoft’s open-world sports game takes players across environments inspired by America’s national parks, with activities including bike racing and snow sports. The free weekend also coincides with its fifth-anniversary celebration, featuring Ubisoft-themed rewards and a special concert with DJ Henri PFR.

For anyone sitting out a Game Pass subscription, this is the offer with more breathing room: a multi-day free-play window rather than a three-hour trial.

How to download this week’s XBOX Free Play Days games

To get started on your console:

1. Open the XBOX Store on your XBOX One or XBOX Series X|S.
2. Select the Subscriptions tab.
3. Scroll down to the Free Play Days collection.
4. Choose a participating game and install it.

You can also use the individual game links above. Sign in with your Microsoft account so the store can show the applicable trial or subscription-based installation option. For Dying Light 2, Let’s Build a Zoo, and Tropico 6, use the account connected to your eligible Game Pass membership.

If you buy a participating game after trying it, you can keep the Gamerscore and achievements earned during the event. Just check the store before purchasing: discounts, editions, and availability can differ by game and region.

For more weekends with a mix of subscriber-only games and no-subscription offers, check out our previous XBOX Free Play Days coverage.