What to Know
- Join Microsoft Rewards to earn Microsoft Points, which you can redeem for free subscriptions.
- If you're planning to upgrade, Xbox consoles and controllers usually come with a gift card
- Take advantage of free trials or promotions like Free Play Days.
This article covers four ways you can get a Game Pass Core (formerly Xbox Live Gold) subscription for free.
Get Free Subscription Codes via Microsoft Rewards
Microsoft Rewards, as its name suggests, is a rewards program run by Microsoft that allows you to earn Microsoft Points and redeem them for a range of prizes such as Game Pass Core free subscriptions. You can also earn Xbox Gift Cards with Microsoft Rewards, which can be redeemed for free subscriptions, as well.
Microsoft Points can be earned by completing daily quizzes and polls, performing web searches via the Bing search engine, clicking on selected links, and buying movies, TV series, apps, and video games through the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 PCs and Xbox consoles.
Make sure to install the free Microsoft Rewards app on your Xbox One or Xbox Series X console to gain access to extra point-earning tasks.
It’s very easy to earn points with Microsoft Rewards, and simply completing the daily tasks can often be enough to unlock free subscriptions on a very regular basis.
Get Free Game Pass Core Codes With Controllers and Consoles
All Xbox consoles and first-party Xbox controllers typically come with a free gift card. The Xbox gift card can be redeemed whenever you like, and it can also be given to a friend or family member for them to apply to their own accounts.
Only one user on an Xbox One or Xbox Series X console needs a Game Pass Core subscription for everyone to enjoy online multiplayer gaming. You don’t need a subscription for each player.
The length of the free subscription can vary from a few days to two weeks, and you can add as many gift cards as you like to stack the rewards. For example, if you get a free 14-day card with an Xbox console and another with a new Xbox controller, you can apply them both to get 30 days of Game Pass Core membership for free.
Play Multiplayer for Free During Free Play Days
Xbox Free Play Days are special events that occur every Saturday and Sunday and allow Game Pass Core and Ultimate subscribers to play two or three video games for free. Occasionally, Xbox Free Play periods are accompanied by a special free multiplayer promotion, which allows all Xbox console owners, regardless of membership status, to play online matches as if they had upgraded to the paid tier.
Such promotions are usually announced several days beforehand on the official Xbox social media account and Xbox blog.
Use Game Pass Free Trials
All new Xbox accounts are given a free trial when they first log in to an Xbox console. While you likely won’t want to create an entirely new account to use for your gaming, you can create a new one to activate its free trial and then continue using your existing account to play online on the same console. Remember, only one account needs to have Game Pass for everyone to enjoy its benefits.
Your billing method will be charged when the trial period is over, so make sure to cancel your trial before then.
What About Free Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Trials?
Xbox Game Pass is a Netflix-style subscription service that gives subscribers full access to around 100 Xbox-branded video games every month on Xbox One and Xbox Series X consoles. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is a higher tier of Xbox Game Pass that includes access to both the Xbox console and Windows 10 versions of the service, plus the usual perks of multiplayer and online chat.
Much like free Game Pass Core trials, Microsoft may also offer Ultimate trials to new accounts or give them away in the form of gift cards. Given that Ultimate includes the features of Core, these trials are good ways to get all of the benefits for free.
What Does a Free Xbox Network Account Include?
If you have a free Xbox Network account, which is the same thing as a Microsoft account, you can play Xbox-branded video games on your Xbox consoles, Windows PCs, and via the cloud with Xbox cloud gaming. Basic Xbox network accounts are completely free and provide gamers with the ability to back up their game saves to the cloud, connect with friends, and unlock Xbox Achievements.
An Xbox network account is basically just a Microsoft account that’s used to access Xbox-related media and services. The same account used for Skype, Outlook, Office, etc., can be used as an Xbox account by logging in with the same username and password.
However, to play online multiplayer titles such as Fortnite and Destiny 2, you need to upgrade to at least a Game Pass Core membership. Fortunately, there are a variety of easy ways to enjoy some online connectivity without the need to pay for a monthly or annual subscription.