Free games on Xbox: 14 picks you can play online without Game Pass

The Xbox ranking

1. 

   Fortnite Free for real

   Listed among the most-played games in Xbox's UK free-to-play section, with a cosmetic shop.

2. 

   VALORANT Free-ish

   Free on Xbox Series X|S; Game Pass is optional and only speeds up Agent unlocks.

3. 

   Rocket League Free for real

   Free on Xbox and part of Xbox's own free-to-play list, with play decided by skill.

4. 

   Apex Legends Free-ish

   Free on Xbox, with legends unlockable through play and mostly cosmetic paid items.

5. 

   Marvel Rivals Free for real

   Free on Xbox Series X|S, with paid Luxury Battle Passes that do not expire.

6. 

   Overwatch Free for real

   Now just called Overwatch, it is free on Xbox and shown in Xbox's own free-to-play promotions.

7. 

   THE FINALS Free for real

   Free on Xbox Series X|S, with cosmetic paid items.

8. 

   Warframe Free for real

   Free on Xbox, with a great deal reachable without paying.

9. 

   Fall Guys Free for real

   Free on Xbox with cross-play, a gentle option for younger players.

10. 

    Call of Duty: Warzone Free-ish

    Free on Xbox without buying the premium Call of Duty games, which it promotes heavily.

11. 

    Roblox Free-ish

    Free on Xbox, though individual experiences sell their own items.

12. 

    eFootball Free-ish

    Free on Xbox Series X|S, with paid currency that speeds up squad building.

13. 

    Genshin Impact Free-ish

    Free on Xbox Series X|S since November 2024, with paid-or-earned random draws for characters.

14. 

    Destiny 2 Free to start

    Free to start on Xbox, but much of the story sits in paid expansions.

Game Pass is not needed for free-to-play multiplayer

Microsoft's UK free-to-play page states that all Xbox players can access online multiplayer for free-to-play games on their console at no charge. This dates back to an April 2021 change, when Xbox removed the old Xbox Live Gold requirement for free-to-play games.

Game Pass, which now comes in Essential, Premium, Ultimate and a PC-only plan, includes online console multiplayer for paid games. For the free games on this page, it is optional. Some store listings say so directly: Genshin Impact's UK Xbox listing tells players they do not need to buy Game Pass to play in Co-Op Mode.

Browsing the Xbox store's Free-to-Play section

Xbox.com and the console store both have a Free-to-Play games section, with a most-played list and genre filters. On each game's listing, check:

• "Free" or "Free+" as the price. "Free+" means the game is free with optional in-game purchases.
• "Optimised for Xbox Series X|S". Several free games have separate Xbox One and Series versions.
• The add-ons list. This shows currency packs and bundles. For example, the UK listing for Valorant showed VALORANT Points packs starting at £3.99 when checked on 3 November 2026.

Watch for separate listings of the same game. Roblox, for instance, appears as both an Xbox and a Windows version in the store.

Xbox Family Settings app: organisers and members

Xbox family controls are built around a family group in which adults are organisers and children are members. The Xbox Family Settings app for iOS and Android lets organisers manage screen time, content filters and how members can play and communicate with other players, from their phone.

For free games, the communication settings deserve a look alongside spending. Many free shooters and party games have voice and text chat, and both the Xbox settings and each game's own menus can limit them.

Approving purchases and using funds instead of a card

Xbox's support pages describe two main ways to keep a child's spending predictable:

• Require approval for purchases. An organiser can set the family so that a member's purchases need an adult's approval first.
• Add money instead of a card. An organiser can add funds to a child's account for spending in the Microsoft Store, so there is a built-in ceiling.

Either way, remember that premium currencies such as V-Bucks and VALORANT Points are bought through the Microsoft Store on Xbox, so these controls cover them. Our explainer on spotting pay-to-win covers which of those purchases affect how a game plays.

Series X, Series S or Xbox One: picking the right version

The Xbox store sometimes lists more than one version of a free game, and the right one depends on your console. Listings marked Optimised for Xbox Series X|S are built for current consoles, and some newer free games, including Valorant, Marvel Rivals, The Finals and Genshin Impact, are listed for Series X|S rather than Xbox One.

A few other things to check on the listing:

• Storage. Large free games update often, and an Xbox Series S has less built-in space than a Series X, so check the size before downloading several.
• Duplicate entries. Roblox appears as both an Xbox and a Windows version in the store; on a console, pick the Xbox one.
• Cross-play settings. Many free games mix console and PC players, and most have an in-game option to limit this.

What Game Pass members get in free games

Game Pass does reach into free games as a perk. Xbox advertises in-game benefits for free-to-play titles such as Call of Duty: Warzone, and the UK Valorant listing says Game Pass members can link their Riot account to unlock all current and future Agents. Agents can also be unlocked by playing, so this is a shortcut rather than a requirement.

The picks below are ordered by editorial view, based on what is documented as free and whether paid items are cosmetic or affect play. Pokémon Unite, Brawl Stars, Marvel Snap and Honkai: Star Rail are left out because they are not on Xbox.