At this point, Xbox Game Pass can be a hard sell. Over in Xbox Land, there’s been a huge swath of changes in the past six months, and Game Pass as a whole is too expensive for a lot of people.
That’s why this promotion is going to be such a big deal. As announced by the Xbox Wire blog, another open-world game is completely free to play until March 24, and you don’t need an Xbox Game Pass to partake.
Xbox Gamers Shouldn’t Miss This Free Game
It’s Perfect To Try Out
Microsoft has announced that Sea of Thieves will be free for everyone (regardless of Xbox Game Pass subscription tier) until March 24 at 20:00 UTC. Debuting in 2018 and still chugging, this open-world pirate adventure was crafted by Rare and is still getting updates. It’s also hosted several expansions to date and still has a fairly active player base. It’s about to get a lot more active following this promo, too.
Here are the full terms, so you know exactly when the trial ends: “Calling all Xbox players – everyone’s invited to Sea of Thieves’ eighth birthday party! From Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 15:00 UTC until Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at 20:00 UTC, the game will be free to install and enjoy – the perfect opportunity to set sail on your Maiden Voyage or, if you’re a practiced pirate, to welcome some friends aboard as new crewmates!”
Sea of Thieves actually joins several other games for Free Play Days For All:
- Firefighting Simulator: Ignite
- Trailmakers
Free Play Days is also running a promotion for Xbox Game Pass members, with more titles on offer:
- Totally Reliable Delivery Service
- Hell Let Loose
Again, “Free Play Days For All” does not require an Xbox Game Pass membership, so you can play those games just by owning an Xbox console. Microsoft runs these events pretty reliably, so check back in with Screen Rant to see which games will be in the next round when the time comes. For now, enjoy Sea of Thieves, and maybe recruit a few people to play.
Sea Of Thieves Is A Ton Of Fun
Especially With A Crew
While the state of the game was a bit iffier at launch, in the eight years Sea of Thieves has been around, it’s hosted multiple events and collaborations, a few of which are free. Notably, the most recent major drop was The Legend of Monkey Island in 2023, which itself waspreceded by a Pirates of the Caribbean tie-in.
Sea of Thieves has also released numerous quality-of-life patches and updates to help the game run more smoothly. This is arguably a great time to try the game, and if you like it, you can pick it up at 50% off ($19.99) during the Free Play Days period.
- Number of Devices Concurrently
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Standard subscription plan allows two accounts playing at once, with four accounts playing at once on Friends & Family plan
- Highest Resolution
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1440p streaming
- Number of Accounts
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~35 million subscribers
- Compatibility
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Xbox Series X|S, PC, ROG Xbox Ally, Android, iOS, Samsung & LG TVs, Meta Quest, Web Browser
- Price Per Month
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Essential $9.99 | Premium $14.99 | Ultimate $29.99
- Price per year
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12-month membership codes only available at certain retailers