Free Play Days is live from Thursday, September 17, through Sunday, September 20, giving Xbox and PC players two different ways to try the lineup. Sea of Thieves is open to all Xbox members, while Hell Let Loose: Vietnam is limited to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and Essential members, as detailed in Xbox Wire’s Free Play Days article.
Sea of Thieves has no Game Pass requirement
Anyone with an Xbox membership can try Sea of Thieves on Xbox and PC during the event without subscribing to one of the listed Game Pass plans. The timing also gives players a chance to check out Season 20, which adds Custom Seas tools for creating player-made modes and challenges for fellow crews.
Season 20 also changes the seasonal rewards structure, giving players clearer ways to track what they earn during their time at sea. For a pirate crew looking for something less rigid than a tactical military shooter, the free access window offers a very different kind of weekend session.
Hell Let Loose: Vietnam brings large-scale jungle combat
Hell Let Loose: Vietnam requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium or Essential membership, and the trial is available on Xbox and PC. Its battlefields combine thick jungle and mountain gorges with squad-based combat, while tunnels, helicopters, patrol boats and historically accurate weapons add more ways to approach each fight.
The game launched on August 13 with six maps and four modes, details covered in the launch lineup for Hell Let Loose: Vietnam. Free Play Days now gives eligible members a chance to see how its 50v50 battles handle the Vietnam setting without buying in first.
How to install the Free Play Days games
On Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Store and select the Subscriptions tab, then scroll to the Free Play Days collection. PC players can find each game’s individual page on Xbox.com and continue to the Microsoft Store. You must be signed in to install the games, with Hell Let Loose: Vietnam requiring an eligible Game Pass plan.
Both games can also be purchased during the event at a limited-time discount. Xbox says players who buy a game can keep the Gamerscore and achievements earned during the trial, although discounts and availability may vary by title and region.
Will you spend the weekend building a crew in Sea of Thieves or coordinating a squad in Hell Let Loose: Vietnam? Share your choice in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
