10 Best Free Xbox Games You Don’t Need Game Pass For

Time and time again, Xbox Game Pass has proven to be a wonderful subscription service for both Xbox and PC players. Its catalog is always rich with diverse titles, and it’s exciting to look forward to high-profile, first-party games that will arrive on Game Pass day one.

Of course, Xbox users don’t need a Game Pass subscription to play every game for free. And, as it would turn out, some of the best free Xbox games don’t require Game Pass at all, such as Fortnite, Warframe, and Marvel Rivals.

Fortnite

Developed and Published by Epic Games

Fortnite needs no introduction nor hype regarding how immense its popularity is as a battle royale game, let alone an epicenter of popular culture and entertainment. As free-to-play games go, it’s unlikely that any will eclipse Fortnite for the foreseeable future in terms of the licensed IP crossovers it boasts.

Fortnite

Systems

Released

September 26, 2017

ESRB

T for Teen – Diverse Content: Discretion Advised, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact

Engine

Unreal Engine 5

Zenless Zone Zero

Developed and Published by miHoYo

Continuing its domination in the free-to-play gacha game sphere, miHoYo’s Zenless Zone Zero rewrites the book yet again. With different gameplay and drastic improvements compared to other miHoYo games, Zenless Zone Zero remains distinguished apart from how homogenous it and other miHoYo gacha games could all appear on the surface to third-party observers who aren’t familiar with the genre.

Zenless Zone Zero

Systems

Released

July 4, 2024

ESRB

T (Teen) – Suggestive Themes & Violence

Developer(s)

HoYoverse (Formerly miHoYo)

Engine

Unity

Overwatch 2

Developed and Published by Blizzard Entertainment

Despite Marvel Rivals reheating its nachos and debatably being the more popular of the two, Overwatch 2 sustains its playerbase as a free-to-play hero shooter. In fact, anyone who has bounced off of Marvel Rivals yet thoroughly enjoyed Overwatch may comfortably find Overwatch 2 to be the hero shooter they desired all along, especially with all the changes that have been made to the sequel since it was released.

Overwatch 2

Systems

6/10

Released

August 10, 2023

ESRB

T For Teen // Blood, Mild Language, Use of Tobacco, Violence

Engine

Proprietary Engine

Apex Legends

Developed by Respawn Entertainment, Published by EA

Apex Legends is a thrilling and confident installment in the hero-shooter battle royale genre. Developed by none other than Titanfall’s Respawn, fans can expect fluid movement systems and excellent gunplay in this free-to-play game. Since Titanfall is more or less confirmed to be on ice, Apex Legends may be the closest that series’ fanbase gets to a new game.

Apex Legends

Systems

9/10

Released

February 4, 2019

ESRB

T for Teen: Blood, Violence

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

Engine

Source on console/PC, Unreal Engine 4 on mobile

Warframe

Developed and Published by Digital Extremes

Warframe has it all as a free-to-play, semi-open-world, third-person parkour/looter shooter action-RPG. Still in an open beta after 12 years, Warframe’s latest major update, The Old Peace, is available now and as of December 10.

Warframe

Systems

Released

March 25, 2013

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence

Developer(s)

Digital Extremes

Publisher(s)

Digital Extremes

Engine

Evolution Engine

Rocket League

Developed and Published by Psyonix

Rocket League is fairly unique as a football/soccer-esque game played in various vehicles. Its premise is palatable, and its core loop is quick enough that Rocket League’s nature as a free-to-play game is exceptional, much less positively addictive, meaning that it doesn’t have to be a free-to-play game that players invest all their time into in order to gain a fruitful or productive experience.

The Finals

Developed and Published by Embark Studios

What helps The Finals stand out as a free-to-play shooter is how dynamic it is. The Finals’ team-based shooter gameplay, especially mixed with adaptive environmental destruction, makes for a refreshing PvP experience.

The Finals

Systems

Released

December 8, 2023

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Violence

Developer(s)

Embark Studios

Publisher(s)

Embark Studios

Engine

Unreal Engine 5

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

PUBG: Battlegrounds

Developed by PUBG Studios, Published by Krafton, Microsoft Studios, Tencent Games, and Kakao Games

PUBG: Battlegrounds may pale in comparison to larger-than-life games such as Fortnite. However, it’d be foolish for fans of the battle royale genre to overlook PUBG: Battlegrounds as a hallmark title in the free-to-play space since it indeed became free to play in 2022.

PUBG: Battlegrounds

Systems

Released

March 23, 2017

ESRB

T for Teen: Blood, Violence

Developer(s)

PUBG Corporation

Publisher(s)

PUBG Corporation

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Path of Exile 2

Developed and Published by Grinding Gear Games

Path of Exile 2 is a tremendously exciting sequel, but there is an odd ‘catch’ to it actually being “free-to-play.” To be clear, Path of Exile 2 isn’t currently free to play, but it has been and eventually will be, too.

A dungeon-crawling action-RPG contemporary to the likes of Diablo 4, Path of Exile 2 is still in its paid early access period, but earlier this month had a free-to-play weekend between December 12–15 to celebrate The Last of the Druids. When it fully launches, however, it will also be free to play.

Path of Exile II

Systems

Released

December 6, 2024

ESRB

Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Nudity, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Language, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items)

Developer(s)

Grinding Gear Games

Publisher(s)

Grinding Gear Games

Engine

Proprietary Engine

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op

Marvel Rivals

Developed and Published by NetEase Games

Marvel Rivals’ first anniversary was celebrated recently, and it was announced at The Game Awards 2025 that Deadpool will be arriving in Season 6, Night at the Museum, on January 16. So, while Marvel Rivals is already packed to the brim with free-to-play content, there is always more to look forward to with brand-new playable characters being released every month.

Marvel Rivals is frothing at the mouth with anniversary events at the moment, and with a new character just added—X-Men’s Rogue—there has never been a better time to hop into this free-to-play hero-shooter, even if some FOMO may come attached with all the battle passes the game has offered thus far.

Marvel Rivals

Systems

8/10

Released

December 6, 2024

ESRB

T For Teen // Violence

Engine

Unreal Engine 5