What's in the lineup
Pure Xbox lists four games:
- Dying Light 2: Stay Human – Reloaded Edition
- Monster Hunter Stories (limited trial)
- Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin (limited trial)
- Tropico 6
Pure Xbox says the lineup "appears" to be four games and that it is still waiting for Microsoft's official word. The report also leans on an early community post by Xbox fan Oliomono on Reddit. Treat the list as strong but not fully official.
What is confirmed and what isn't
Officially confirmed: the two Monster Hunter Stories games. In an Xbox Wire post from October 7, Capcom said both games will be available to all Xbox players as a three-hour timed trial from Thursday, October 22 to Sunday, October 25, 2026. No Xbox Game Pass membership is required.
Capcom doesn't say whether the three hours must be played in one sitting or can be spread across sessions. I won't guess.
Community-sourced: Dying Light 2 and Tropico 6. Pure Xbox says Free Play Days titles normally need a Game Pass subscription, and that Oliomono reports Dying Light 2 and Tropico 6 will need one. A listing on the deal site Promodescuentos agrees, saying these two games are available to Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and Essential members. That site is a secondary source, so confirm the exact tier on the Store page before you rely on it.
Deadline: Sunday or Monday?
Sources disagree on when the offer ends.
- Capcom's official wording says the trials run through Sunday, October 25.
- Pure Xbox says the games should be playable until late on October 25.
- Promodescuentos gives Monday, October 26 as the end, at 19:00. The site doesn't say which time zone it means, and the German outlet Xboxdynasty reports the trials as running from the 22nd to the 25th.
Free Play Days offers often cut off at different times by region, and none of these sources gives a firm universal cutoff. Plan to finish by Sunday. If you want the extra day, check the countdown on the Store listing.
Reported discounts
Pure Xbox reports these discounts: Dying Light 2 at 80% off, Monster Hunter Stories at 67% off, Monster Hunter Stories 2 at 75% off and Tropico 6 at 75% off. I haven't verified current prices, editions or regional availability. Check your local Microsoft Store listing before you buy. Sale prices and end dates can differ by region.
How to get the games
Pure Xbox's steps are to search for the game in the Xbox Store, press the "Install, Included with Game Pass" or "Free Trial" button, then play. Xbox's usual route on console is the Store's Subscriptions area, where a Free Play Days collection normally appears. That comes from earlier event announcements, not this one.
- Sign in with the account that holds your Game Pass subscription, if you have one.
- Open the Xbox Store and search for the game, or browse the Free Play Days collection.
- Look at the button on the game page:
- Free Trial means the timed Monster Hunter Stories trials.
- Install, Included with Game Pass means the subscriber-only games.
- If you see only a purchase button, you may lack the right subscription or the listing may not have gone live in your region. Try again after a refresh or a restart.
- Install and play.
What this means for your money
Free Play Days has a good record of turning into sales. Developers have said that progress carries over if you buy the full game after the event. I can't confirm that for each of these four games. Check each Store listing before you invest hours.
The Monster Hunter Stories pairing also makes sense. Capcom says the series celebrated its 10th anniversary on October 8. The company is also promoting a third game. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is due on Xbox on PC on November 18, 2026, with Xbox Play Anywhere support. That game already has its own free trial on Xbox Series X|S, and Capcom says progress carries over to the full game. That trial is separate from this weekend's offer.
Summary
- Official: The two Monster Hunter Stories games get three-hour trials through Sunday, October 25, with no Game Pass needed.
- Reported, not yet official: Dying Light 2 and Tropico 6 are included for Game Pass subscribers.
- Unclear: The exact end time and the required Game Pass tier.
- Before buying: The discounts come from Pure Xbox, so verify them in the Store.