It runs through October 18. The exception in this week’s lineup is The Alters: its three-hour trial does not require Game Pass. The table below separates the two offers.
Open Xbox’s official weekend announcement ↗When does NBA 2K27 become available?
Xbox gives the NBA 2K27 start as October 16 at 12 p.m. PDT. That is later than the Thursday start for the other member games.
| Location | Local start |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles · PDT | Friday, October 16 · noon |
| New York · EDT | Friday, October 16 · 3 p.m. |
| London · BST | Friday, October 16 · 8 p.m. |
| Seoul / Tokyo | Saturday, October 17 · 4 a.m. |
The announcement gives October 18 as the final date but does not specify a closing hour. Check the live offer rather than treating a customary weekend cutoff as confirmation for this event.
Which games need Game Pass?
| Game | Access requirement | Dates / limit |
|---|---|---|
| NBA 2K27 Standard Edition | Ultimate, Premium or Essential | Oct 16–18 · starts noon PDT Friday |
| Crusader Kings III Bus Simulator 21 Next Stop Soccer Story Ravenswatch | Ultimate, Premium or Essential | Oct 15–18 |
| The Alters | No Game Pass required | Oct 15–18 · three-hour timed trial |
Source: Xbox Wire’s October 15 announcement. This is temporary access, not a free-to-keep giveaway.
How do you find the offer on your console?
Xbox Support gives this route: Store → Home → Subscriptions → Free Play Days. Use the account with your eligible membership and open the exact game’s listing.
For NBA 2K27, start from the linked Standard Edition listing. A normal purchase price on another edition is not enough to tell you whether this trial has opened.
- The clock. Have you reached the NBA start time in the table?
- The account. Is the membership on the account you are using?
- The listing. Are you looking at the edition named in the offer?
- The region and device. Read the local Store details instead of assuming every version has identical access.
This is our troubleshooting order, not a claim that any particular account has been checked. Do not buy a second edition just to test whether a trial button appears.
Is The Alters free for the whole weekend?
The offer is a three-hour timed trial within the event window. Treat the time allowance and the last eligible date as two different limits. A weekend promotion does not mean an unlimited weekend of play for this game.
Our suggestion: begin when you can give the game a proper session. Pick one thing you want to learn from the trial—whether you like its pacing, for example—rather than rushing to finish as much as possible.
Can you keep playing afterward?
Xbox Support says buying a game after Free Play Days lets you continue where you left off, retaining earned points and purchased DLC. The event itself does not give you permanent ownership.
Availability can vary by country or region. This guide covers the Xbox promotion; it does not establish matching free access on PlayStation, Steam or every PC edition.
Before paying to continue, compare the exact edition with what you tried. Decide whether you want that game, rather than treating the end of a trial as a reason to make a rushed purchase.
Sources & updates
Checked October 16, 2026. Event dates and exceptions come from Xbox Wire; access, regional availability and continuation rules come from Xbox Support. Time-zone conversions and the troubleshooting checklist are ours. No hands-on performance claims or server-availability promises.
