The world of gaming has seen free-to-play titles rise in popularity and quality in recent years. Xbox in particular has benefited from a slew of remarkable F2P releases across various genres. These games offer enjoyable and accessible gameplay without an upfront cost, while typically generating revenue through optional in-game purchases.
We’ve compiled a list of the top games that are free right now on Xbox, with something for everyone – from space themed FPS, looter shooters and battle royales, to management and military sims and a dungeon crawler.
Warframe – Space Ninjas Unite
Canadian developer Digital Extremes has quietly nurtured Warframe into one of free gaming’s most content-rich service games over the past decade. The game is essentially a third-person shooter with a fascinating ongoing story, with exploration and looting, all wrapped up in a beautiful looking RPG. Not to mention some of the best space combat we’ve ever played.
Newcomers may be initially overwhelmed by its maze of menus and progression gates. However, patience reveals a thoroughly satisfying looter packed with customization.
Its acrobatic combat and diverse mission types set across alien landscapes can suck you into hour-long grinds once skills and gear improve. Alongside receiving regular story and game mode expansions, its player community has grown exponentially in recent years. Fans clearly appreciate how generously the sci-fi RPG enables exciting space ninja power trips without paywalls hindering enjoyment.
Check out our guide to all things Warframe here.
Apex Legends – Frantic Battle Royale Action
Apex Legends has cemented itself as one of the premier battle royale experiences since its surprise release in 2019. The hero shooter puts squads of three against 57 other players on a massive map, scavenging for weapons and gear. The last team standing wins.
Developed by Respawn Entertainment (Titanfall series), Apex features fluid movement, diverse character classes with unique abilities, and consistent content updates. Its frenetic, team-focused matches consistently provide adrenaline-fueled fun. Frequent seasons introduce new playable characters, map changes, limited-time modes, cosmetics and more.
Check out our featured Apex game guides and news.
Destiny 2 – Vast Intergalactic Journey
As Bungie’s shared-world shooter enters its seventh year in 2024, Destiny 2 now provides a vast amount of content for free. The sci-fi epic features satisfying gunplay and continually evolving narratives across a solar system rich in lore.
The core playlists offer rewarding loot hunts and challenges. Meanwhile special events occur frequently, from limited-time story missions to seasonal festivities.
However, Destiny 2’s extensive array of campaigns and end-game raids still sit behind paid expansions, requiring significant investment. Nonetheless, what’s on offer to sample for free provides countless hours of adventure.
Visit our Destiny 2 guides and news here.
Brawlhalla – Zany Local and Online Fighter
This cartoony platform brawler supports up to eight players locally and online. With over 80 fighters to choose from, spanning various historical eras and fictional genres, matchups never get old. The Smash Bros-inspired combat is simple to grasp but has considerable depth to master.
Various items and weapon drops add to the chaos, while ranked playlists offer competitive challenges. As a handy local party option or for those looking for free online fisticuffs, Brawlhalla hits the mark.
Call of Duty: Warzone – Refined Battle Royale
After the runaway success of the original Warzone mode in 2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Activision and Infinity Ward have refined the formula with Warzone in 2023. The polished sequel launched alongside 2022’s Modern Warfare II, featuring the same satisfying gunplay and movement as the premium entry.
Warzone’s new sprawling map, Urzikstan, provides ever-evolving zones of control fought over by Operators. Its compelling encounters should satisfy fans of Call of Duty’s refined first-person action, now woven into an ambitious live-service battle royale platform.
Check out our news and guides for everything Call of Duty related.
Fallout Shelter – Post Apocalyptic Management
Fallout Shelter is based loosely on the Fallout games and puts you in control of constructing and managing an underground vault, where you build a variety of modern rooms and facilities to meet the needs of your vault dwellers, as well as defend them from external wasteland threats and internal crises.
As the Overseer, you are responsible for the many aspects of creating a thriving vault community – from building power, food and water production rooms that allow expansion, to selecting and customizing the outfits and weapons your dwellers use.
Managing your dwellers also involves assigning them jobs that match their skills and personalities so they can excel and be effective workers for the vault. You can additionally send certain dwellers above ground to scavenge the post-apocalyptic wasteland landscape for useful supplies and items to support your community. While building towards self-sufficiency, you’ll need to ensure the protection of your vault members by adequately preparing and training them to deal with periodic attacks from wasteland creatures and various disasters like fires and radroach infestations.
Path of Exile – Ever-Expanding Action-RPG
This dungeon-crawler provides extensive character builds to explore within its dark, fantastical realm. Path of Exile’s daunting skill tree and crafting system take time to navigate yet offer almost infinite customization for your playstyle. Generally great for those who enjoy complex ARPGs like Diablo but want something fresh.
Semi-frequent free expansions introduce new story chapters alongside leagues and game modes offering exclusive rewards. Ambitious updates continue bolstering PoE’s endgame for veterans too. Just be prepared to occasionally spend cash on storage space with its mountain of loot.
Fortnite – Pop Culture Phenomenon
Epic’s cartoony shooter hardly requires an introduction at this point. Still, the way Fortnite continually reinvents itself is mightily impressive years later. Limited-time events allowing players to fight alongside Marvel’s Avengers, witness virtual concerts and more have propelled it to multimedia stardom.
The building mechanics offering fast-paced construction in real-time gunfights also help Fortnite stand apart. Meanwhile, the basic Battle Royale mode remains polished and accessible to pick up for newcomers. As one of free gaming’s most visible ambassadors, Fortnite showcases the heights F2P experiences can reach.
Life is Strange – Coming of Age Story
Life is Strange is an episodic graphic adventure game set across five parts. It aims to transform story-driven decision games by incorporating time manipulation mechanics.
You take on the role of Max, a high school senior who rediscovers her childhood friend Chloe and finds out she has the ability to rewind time. Together, they investigate the mysterious disappearance of a fellow student while uncovering dark secrets about their hometown, Arcadia Bay. Max starts having premonitions and soon realizes that changing past events can lead to unforeseen consequences.
The gameplay centers around narrative choice-making with long-term effects on the story. Key mechanics include the ability to rewind time and alter pivotal decisions to reshape events and ultimately determine the outcome. Exploration of environments and characters is also core to progressing the narrative.
Features include an impactful coming-of-age story with a time-bending twist, hand-painted, stylized graphics that bring the world to life, and a licensed indie soundtrack that keeps you wanting to play more.
Rocket League – Sporting Excellence
Psyonix’s unconventional sports-action hybrid provides easy fun by blending soccer with rocket-powered cars. The straightforward premise quickly becomes an addicting test of mechanical mastery and positioning. Eye-catching cosmetics and limited events also help expand its longevity and player investment.
Meanwhile, dedicated competitive modes allow you to rank up and refine skills against comparable challengers. Rocket League has also become renowned for its extensive cross-platform community, so you’ll never struggle finding quick matches.
Whether you follow the professional esports scene or just fancy some casual matches during weekends, Rocket League’s reliance on pure skill over luck makes it an evergreen multiplayer marvel five years since its launch.
World of Tanks – Artillery At the Ready
This strategic war simulator has attracted over 160 million registered captains into historical armour-plated skirmishes since its 2011 debut. World of Tanks’ vast garage offers 600+ tanks spanning nations and classes to research, upgrade and then steer across open battlefields.
Maps add environmental tactics as you coordinate with teammates to capture bases and reign artillery barrages upon foes. Recent graphical updates provide slick new weather and destruction effects that fully immerse you onto dense European cities amidst the heat of war.
Accessible controls make World of Tanks easy to try for everyone, although expert tankers and squad tactics ultimately triumph. Altogether, its balance of authenticity and enjoyable action cement it as a premier war MMO destination with exciting depth if you stick around.
Halo Infinite Multiplayer – Master Chief Would Approve
Microsoft’s flagship shooter provides its robust core PvP modes completely free of charge. Players step into the boots of Spartan super-soldiers once more, battling through familiar Team Slayer and Capture the Flag variants. Slower than leading contemporaries yet grounded by weighty weapons, Halo Infinite finds a measured sweet spot while introducing some new wrinkles.
Players can test their skills in social Quick Play playlists or ranked Arena showdowns, while earning customization rewards to show off. The diverse maps are further bolstered through Forge, a creation tool for building and sharing custom zones. While Halo Infinite’s single-player campaign still requires purchase, its polished multiplayer earns a medal.
PUBG – OG Battle Royale
Before Fortnite and Apex Legends, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds kicked off gaming’s modern battle royale fever in 2017 through its tense, skill-driven standoffs. Dropping into sprawling environments with 99 other players still creates anxiety-inducing moments where the smallest decisions determine victory or defeat.
Gunplay requires aiming skill and positioning knowledge to outwit foes. PUBG has since expanded beyond its core experience with new game modes introducing AI enemies alongside options for first-person or third-person camera perspectives. While feeling slightly dated today, its more serious, tactical style remains compelling.
