Progress earned during the free period doesn't vanish when the window closes.
Each weekend, Microsoft quietly lowers the gate between curiosity and commitment, inviting players to step inside worlds they might never have paid to enter. From May 7th to 10th, Game Pass subscribers across all tiers can explore Catan's ancient rhythms of trade and territory, or Deadside's fractured post-apocalyptic wilderness, at no added cost. The Free Play Days program is less a promotion than a philosophy — that discovery, not purchase, is the true beginning of a player's relationship with a game. Progress made during these borrowed hours is never lost, ensuring that what begins as a trial can quietly become something lasting.
- A four-day window opens Thursday morning, and the clock is already running — players who wait until Sunday risk never experiencing what the games have to offer.
- Two deliberately contrasting worlds compete for attention: Catan's quiet negotiation of resources and Deadside's chaotic scramble for survival pull at entirely different instincts.
- The barrier to entry is nearly invisible — a few clicks on Xbox.com or a scroll through the Subscriptions tab, and both games begin downloading with no hidden charges.
- Achievements, Gamerscore, and campaign progress earned during the free period are permanently saved to the player's account, meaning nothing is truly temporary about this trial.
- When the window closes on Sunday night, access cuts off automatically — but discounted purchase options and preserved cloud saves keep the door from shutting completely.
Microsoft is offering two games free to all Game Pass subscribers this weekend — Catan and Deadside — available from May 7th through May 10th with no additional cost beyond an existing Ultimate, Premium, or Essential membership. The offer runs through the company's recurring Free Play Days program, which cycles titles through temporary access windows as a way of connecting players with games they might not otherwise try.
Accessing either title is simple. On Xbox.com, subscribers can navigate to each game's page and trigger a free installation through the Microsoft Store. Console players can find both titles directly under the Free Play Days section in the Xbox Store's Subscriptions tab. The only practical consideration is storage space, since both games will occupy meaningful disk real estate.
The pairing is intentional. Catan translates the beloved board game into digital form, centering on resource management, negotiation, and strategic competition against human or AI opponents. Deadside drops players into a post-apocalyptic multiplayer world built around survival, scavenging, building, and combat. Microsoft is betting that the contrast will attract different kinds of players across the same weekend.
One detail makes the offer more meaningful than a simple trial: all progress earned during the free period — achievements, Gamerscore, campaign advancement — remains permanently attached to the player's account. If someone decides to purchase either game afterward, they continue exactly where they left off. Discounted pricing typically follows Free Play Days events, though exact figures vary by region.
The broader logic mirrors an industry-wide pattern. Temporary free access generates visibility for titles that might otherwise go unnoticed, and a meaningful share of players who sample games during these windows become paying customers. For independent developers, landing in a Free Play Days rotation can be genuinely transformative.
The window closes Sunday night. Anyone planning to play should begin downloading early — installation times vary, and waiting until the final hours risks running out of time entirely. Cloud save integration across devices means sessions can move between consoles without interruption, adding one more quiet advantage to a weekend that costs subscribers nothing extra.
Microsoft is opening two games to its Game Pass subscribers this weekend at no extra charge. Between Thursday, May 7th and Sunday, May 10th, anyone holding an Ultimate, Premium, or Essential tier subscription can download and play Catan and Deadside without paying anything beyond their existing membership. The offer is part of the company's Free Play Days program, a recurring initiative that cycles different titles through temporary free access windows.
Getting started is straightforward. Subscribers can visit Xbox.com, find each game's page, and get routed to the Microsoft Store, where they log in and trigger the free installation tied to their Game Pass account. Console players have an equally simple path: open the Xbox Store on an Xbox One or Series X|S, navigate to the Subscriptions tab, scroll down to Free Play Days, and install from there. No hidden charges appear during the access period, though players should check their storage space before downloading, since both games will consume disk real estate.
The two titles appeal to different instincts. Catan is a digital translation of the beloved board game, built around resource management, negotiation, and strategy. Players compete against each other or artificial opponents, making decisions that ripple through each match. Deadside takes a completely different path, dropping players into a post-apocalyptic multiplayer survival world where they build, explore, scavenge, and fight. Microsoft is deliberately pairing a cerebral strategy game with an action-focused survival experience, betting that the variety will pull in multiple player types across the same weekend.
One significant detail: progress earned during the free period doesn't vanish when the window closes. Gamerscore, unlocked achievements, and campaign advancement all stay attached to the player's account. If someone falls in love with either game and decides to buy it later, they pick up exactly where they left off. The company also typically offers limited-time discounts on full purchases after Free Play Days end, though the exact percentage and availability shift by region and title.
This strategy reflects a larger industry pattern. Temporary free access lowers the barrier to trying something new and generates visibility for titles that might otherwise get lost in the noise. Independent developers especially benefit from the exposure that comes with landing in a Free Play Days rotation. Statistically, many players who sample a game during these windows convert into paying customers afterward.
The clock starts Thursday morning and runs through Sunday night. Anyone planning to actually play should start downloading sooner rather than later—depending on internet speed and file size, installation can eat up hours. Waiting until Sunday afternoon risks running out of time to experience what the games offer. After May 10th, access cuts off automatically for anyone who hasn't purchased. The saved progress remains in Xbox's cloud storage, but playing requires either buying the game or waiting for the next Free Play Days opportunity.
One more advantage worth noting: Xbox Game Pass integrates cloud saves across devices. A player can pause a session on an Xbox Series X and resume on an older console or tablet without losing their place. For people who cycle through Free Play Days regularly, this means accumulating experience across multiple games without spending extra money. For casual players, it simply means less financial pressure on an entertainment budget that's already stretched thin.
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Why does Microsoft bother with these free weekends? Doesn't it just train people to wait for free access instead of buying?
It's the opposite math. The free window is a trial. Most people won't buy a game they haven't touched. But if they play it free and like it, they're far more likely to pay. It's removing the risk from the decision.
So Catan and Deadside are specifically chosen to appeal to different people?
Exactly. Catan pulls the strategy crowd—people who like thinking several moves ahead. Deadside gets the action players who want chaos and survival. By offering both, Microsoft maximizes the chance that someone in the Game Pass audience finds something worth their time.
What happens to my progress after Sunday?
It stays. Your achievements, your level, everything syncs to your account in the cloud. If you buy the game later, you start right where you left off. The company is betting that letting you keep what you earned makes you more likely to come back and pay.
Is this actually working for them? Are people buying after these free weekends?
The data suggests yes. Developers see real conversion. But it's also about keeping subscribers engaged. If Game Pass feels like it's constantly offering new things to try, people renew their subscriptions. That's the real win.
And the cloud saves work across devices?
Yes. You can play on your Series X at home, then pick it up on an older console or tablet when you're traveling. It's seamless. That's a feature that costs Microsoft money to maintain, but it keeps people locked into the ecosystem.