How to get free games on Xbox Series X and S

The Xbox Series console lineup follows in the footsteps of other Microsoft consoles by granting you access to free games. Xbox Series X and S systems enable players to get specific games at no cost, and sometimes the titles on offer are hidden gems that are a delight.

There are a couple of ways to get free games on Xbox Series X and S. The first option available to you is the ‘free games’ section of the Xbox store. To navigate to this part of the store, press down on your controller’s d-pad or the left thumbstick from your console’s homepage. Once you reach the store icon, tap the A button.

Inside the store, press left on the d-pad or left thumbstick to open up the left-hand menu—scroll to ‘games’ and press right to enter the sub-menu. Scroll down to the ‘top free’ section, and tap A. You will be shown many titles that are free to download. Use the left thumbstick or d-pad to navigate to a title that interests you, and tap A to open each title to take a closer look at them. If you like what you see, click on the ‘get free’ option to begin installing it.

Bear in mind that some of these free games have in-app purchases. That means that you can pay real money to get in-game currency or items that help you play a certain game. Most of these aren’t necessities to enjoy the game, though, so don’t feel like you have to fork over real-world cash.

The other way to get free games is to sign up for the Xbox Games with Gold program. Follow the instructions above again but, in the ‘games’ section of the store menu, scroll to ‘subscriptions.’ Navigate to the ‘Xbox Live Gold’ option. Xbox Live Gold is a paid subscription service that allows you to play online with your friends. If you want to play online supported games, you will need to buy a Gold subscription. You can buy one or three-month subscription plans currently. Full details on these plans can be found here.

As a thank you, Microsoft gives Gold subscribers four free games each month to download and keep forever. At the time of writing, these games are older generation titles from the Xbox 360 and Xbox One days. However, every Gold game is backwards compatible on Xbox Series X and S, so you can install and play them on your new console.