XBOX Free Play Days adds PAYDAY 3, Anno 117 and more through November 8

XBOX Free Play Days is back with a busy weekend lineup, bringing together co-op heists, Roman city-building, undercover multiplayer, and a roguelite built around bouncing balls. Eight games are included in this week’s event, although membership requirements and playtime limits vary.

The biggest perk for players without Game Pass? Anno 117: Pax Romana and Crime Boss: Rockay City are available to try without a Game Pass subscription from November 5 through November 8. PAYDAY 3, Nowhere Prophet, BALL x PIT, Deceive Inc., and Age of Wonders 4 require XBOX Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential, while IXION gets a separate two-hour trial during the event.

Microsoft shared the full lineup in its latest XBOX Wire announcement.

Which games are included in XBOX Free Play Days?

Here’s how this weekend’s lineup breaks down:

Game	Access requirement	Availability
PAYDAY 3	Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential	November 5–8
Nowhere Prophet	Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential	November 5–8
BALL x PIT	Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential	November 5–8
Deceive Inc.	Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential	November 5–8
Age of Wonders 4	Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential	November 5–8
IXION	Listed under the Game Pass-required lineup	Two-hour trial, November 5–8
Anno 117: Pax Romana	No Game Pass membership required	November 5–8
Crime Boss: Rockay City	No Game Pass membership required	November 5–8

The important distinction is that IXION has a two-hour playtime cap. This is not the same as having unrestricted access throughout the weekend.

Anno 117 and Crime Boss don’t require Game Pass

Anno 117: Pax Romana gives players a chance to build their own corner of the Roman Empire. You’ll develop cities, manage your economy, and decide whether diplomacy or military power is the better way to expand your influence.

Ubisoft is also offering 40% off the Gold Edition during the promotion. That discount applies to the Gold Edition, not the $59.99 base-game listing shown in the announcement. Progress made during the free weekend carries over if you purchase the game.

If building an empire sounds a little too orderly, Crime Boss: Rockay City takes things in the opposite direction. Its criminal sandbox mixes heists, rival gangs, and turf battles, with missions playable alone, with bots, or alongside friends.

Crime Boss is listed at $4.99 during the promotion, down from $19.99. Both it and Anno 117 can be tried during the event without a Game Pass membership.

PAYDAY 3 leads the Game Pass lineup

PAYDAY 3 puts players behind the mask for first-person heists in New York. Your crew can try to keep things quiet, but once the alarms start, getting out with the loot becomes a much louder problem.

The Free Play Days offer covers XBOX Series X|S from November 5–8. The base game is also 35% off from November 4–18, bringing the advertised U.S. price down to $19.49 from $29.99.

The rest of the membership lineup offers plenty of different ways to spend the weekend:

• Nowhere Prophet combines deck-building with tactical battles as you lead followers across a randomly generated wasteland. It is advertised at $7.49, a 70% discount.
• BALL x PIT mixes brick-breaking combat with ball fusion and base-building. Between runs, you’ll expand your settlement and recruit more heroes. It is 50% off at $7.49.
• Deceive Inc. turns multiplayer competition into a game of disguises, gadgets, and suspicious strangers. Its 90% discount brings the price down to $1.99.
• Age of Wonders 4 blends fantasy empire-building with turn-based tactical combat. The announcement lists it at $24.99, down from $49.99.

IXION gets a two-hour trial

IXION rounds out the event with a shorter taste of its space-station survival challenge.

You’re responsible for keeping the Tiqqun running, balancing infrastructure, resources, and the needs of its population while dealing with threats inside and outside the station. The trial lasts two hours and is available November 5–8.

If those two hours leave you wanting to keep the station alive a little longer, the announcement lists IXION at $12.24, down from $34.99.

How to download this week’s Free Play Days games

To find the event on your console:

1. Open the XBOX Store.
2. Select the Subscriptions tab.
3. Scroll to the Free Play Days collection.
4. Choose a game and open its store page to install it.

You can also use the game links above and sign in with the Microsoft account associated with your eligible membership. The installation offer should appear when your account meets the game’s requirements. Look for the collection on XBOX One or XBOX Series X|S, but check each game’s listing for supported hardware—not every title in the event supports both generations.

Can you keep the games after the weekend?

Free Play Days provides temporary access, not permanent ownership. If you want to continue playing afterward, you can purchase a participating game and retain the Gamerscore and achievements earned during the event.

Microsoft notes that discounts, availability, and promotional offers can vary by title and region, so check the final price before buying. You can find more details in the official XBOX Free Play Days FAQ.

With two games available without Game Pass and several steep discounts across the rest of the lineup, this weekend gives players a chance to try something different without committing to a full-price purchase.