Over the years, Microsoft has offered Xbox Live Gold subscribers the opportunity to experience several high-profile games through its Free Play Days promotion, with the last few months alone offering titles such as Civilization 6, Tekken 7, and NBA 2K21. Today, Xbox announced two new games will be free to hop into this weekend, with players able to access a revered triple-A exclusive and the most recent iteration of a popular racing series.
The games on offer are Gears 5 and F1 2020, with both titles available to download for those with access to Xbox Live Gold or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate right now. They'll be free until May 23 at 11:59 AM PT and will be accompanied by a sale, with Gears 5's standard copy being reduced to $16 and F1 2020's standard copy dropping to $15.
As for what players can expect from both games, Gears 5 quickly became one of the Xbox One's most defining experiences when it launched back in 2019, offering a meaty campaign and an active multiplayer scene. The story follows the events of the previous four Gears of War titles, with Gears of War 4's Kait Diaz taking the reins as she looks into her cryptic past. The sequel takes players to never-before-seen areas of the Gears universe, implementing new, semi-open-world game design and plenty of locust hordes to decimate.
Meanwhile, F1 2020's appearance couldn't come at a better time, allowing players interested in the recent announcement of F1 2021 to get a grasp on what makes the annual motorsport franchise tick. As always for Codemasters' F1 tie-ins, the game comes loaded with real-world tracks, drivers, and teams, allowing players to hop into a career mode or race against their friends online. Last year's entry added an array of new features to the game, including additional races and accessibility options, so those new to the series can get stuck in without worrying too much about getting lost.
If neither game appeals, Xbox Game Pass subscribers will also get several new additions today, including Maneater, The Wild at Heart, and The Catch: Carp & Coarse Fishing. There are even more games set to launch on the service over the next week, including Conan Exiles and EA's new team-focused multiplayer game, Knockout City. The latter will arrive on Game Pass when it launches on May 25, bringing the new release's chaotic action to subscribers for no additional cost. Game Pass players on PC can also expect some new games very soon, including Slime Rancher, SpellForce 3: Soul Harvest, and Secret Neighbour.