Free Play Days – EA Sports College Football 27, The Survivalists, The Lonesome Guild, and Under The Waves

Xbox is rotating four games into Free Play Days from September 3 to September 6, 2026, giving players a low-friction way to sample them over the weekend. EA Sports College Football 27 is open to all Xbox members without a Game Pass requirement, while The Survivalists is available to Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and Essential subscribers. The Lonesome Guild and Under The Waves are also included for all members, but only as two-hour timed trials.

For developers, this is the kind of promotion that can move the needle on wishlists, conversion, and retention without a full discount campaign. Free Play Days lowers the barrier to entry, especially for games with a strong first-session hook or a clear onboarding path. It also gives teams a chance to see how far players get in a short window, which can be useful context for tuning tutorials, early pacing, and trial-to-purchase messaging.

The practical upside is strongest for games that can sell themselves quickly. EA Sports College Football 27 is also paired with a 25% discount on the Deluxe Edition and a Kickoff Bundle with Madden NFL 27, while Under The Waves is discounted by 85% through September 6. Players keep Gamerscore and achievements earned during the event, which helps preserve momentum if they decide to buy in after the trial.