Xbox Free Play Days is split into three different access rules this weekend. Some games require Xbox Game Pass, two Monster Hunter games use three-hour trials, and Riders Republic is open to every Xbox player through Monday, October 26.
That makes the headline simple and the fine print slightly less simple, because apparently one free weekend needed a small flowchart. Here is what Xbox's official October 22 announcement actually says, including the dates, membership requirements and the part where progress can follow you into a purchase.
Three games require Game Pass
Dying Light 2: Stay Human - Reloaded Edition, Let's Build a Zoo and Tropico 6 are available from Thursday, October 22 through Sunday, October 25 for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and Essential members.
Xbox does not publish an exact closing hour in the announcement, and availability can vary by region. If one of these is your target, start the download and confirm access on the product page instead of treating “Sunday” like a promise that survives until 11:59 p.m. in every time zone.
The three games cover very different moods. Dying Light 2 is the large parkour-and-survival option. Tropico 6 hands you an archipelago and the questionable privilege of running it. Let's Build a Zoo turns animal management into a cheerful-looking machine full of staffing, breeding and DNA-splicing decisions. The weekend is not lacking variety. It may be lacking hard-drive mercy.
Riders Republic stays open through October 26
Riders Republic does not require Game Pass for this promotion. Xbox says every Xbox player can try it from October 22 through Monday, October 26. Ubisoft is using the window for the game's fifth anniversary, with themed rewards and an in-game concert featuring DJ Henri PFR.
This is the most forgiving access window in the group, but the same sensible rule applies: verify the offer on your account and region before building the whole day around it. The official announcement says title availability and discounts can vary by region.
Monster Hunter Stories gets two timed trials
Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin are also open to all Xbox players without a Game Pass membership. Each game is a three-hour timed trial, so the clock matters more than the calendar once you begin.
These are turn-based role-playing games built around Monster Riders, bonds and party-building rather than the main series' familiar hunt loop. Three hours is enough to learn whether that rhythm works for you. It is not enough time to admire every menu, reorganize the party twelve times and then act surprised when a timer behaves like a timer.
How to install and what carries over
On Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Store, choose the Subscriptions tab and find the Free Play Days collection. On Xbox.com, sign in and open the individual game page to see the installation option tied to your account.
Xbox says your Gamerscore and achievements carry into the full game if you purchase it. The announcement also lists limited-time discounts, including 80% off Dying Light 2, 75% off the Tropico 6 base game, up to 60% off its DLC through November 2, and up to 65% off Let's Build a Zoo and its expansions. Those are Xbox promotional prices, not Zypher prices, and Xbox warns that discounts can vary by title and region.
Keep the games on a physical shelf
Zypher has a current Xbox listing for Riders Republic for Xbox Series X and Xbox One. Zypher also lists the original Monster Hunter Stories for Nintendo 3DS. The 3DS cartridge is a separate platform edition from the Xbox trial, so match the listing to the hardware you own and read the available condition before ordering.
Looking for another game after the trials close? Browse Zypher's current catalog, or sell your old games to Zypher and clear room before the next free weekend starts downloading half the internet.
Source
- Xbox Wire: Free Play Days - Dying Light 2, Riders Republic, Monster Hunter Stories, Let's Build a Zoo, and More, published October 22, 2026 and checked October 25, 2026.
