Two free games landed on Xbox this weekend, and you have until May 10 to play them without spending anything extra. Microsoft's Free Play Days event is running again, and this time Catan and Deadside are the picks for Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and Essential members.
What's actually free this weekend
The two games available from May 7 through May 10 are about as different as two games can get. Catan is the beloved board game adaptation that's been pulling families and friend groups into heated resource-trading arguments for years. Deadside is a gritty open-world survival shooter with a reputation for unforgiving PvP and a playerbase that does not hold your hand.
Both are fully playable at no extra cost beyond whatever Game Pass tier you're already on.
How to download them right now
On console, head to the Subscriptions tab in the Xbox Store and find the Free Play Days collection. Both titles are available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. If you want to queue the download remotely from a browser or phone, you can navigate directly to each game's Xbox store page and push it to your console from there.
Any Gamerscore you earn and progress you make during the free weekend carries over if you decide to buy either game afterward. You won't lose your saves.
Catan: board game classic goes digital
For anyone who has never played Catan, the premise is simple enough: collect resources, build settlements, block your opponents, and trade your way to victory. The console edition supports online multiplayer, so you can subject your friends to the full Catan experience without needing a physical copy. The key here is that the free weekend gives you a proper window to test whether the digital version scratches that itch before committing to a purchase.
Deadside: survival shooter with a steep learning curve
Deadside sits in the same rough neighborhood as DayZ and Rust. It's an open-world multiplayer survival game set in a post-apocalyptic world where other players are often the biggest threat. The game has been in active development and has built a dedicated community around its hardcore approach to survival mechanics. A free weekend is genuinely one of the better ways to figure out if that kind of punishing experience is for you.
The bigger picture for Game Pass members
Free Play Days has been a consistent perk of Game Pass for a while now, offering members short windows to try games they might have skipped at launch. The fact that progress and Gamerscore carry over if you buy the game afterward makes these weekends more than just a demo, they're a genuine try-before-you-buy setup that can actually push people toward a purchase.
If you're trying to figure out whether either game is worth adding to your library long-term, check out our game reviews for deeper breakdowns on titles across every genre. And if you want to get the most out of your Game Pass subscription beyond free weekends, our gaming guides cover everything from beginner tips to advanced strategies across the biggest games available right now.
The window closes May 10, so there's not much time to sit on this one.
