The 10 Best Free Xbox One Games
The 10 Best Free Xbox One Games
You already spent a good chunk of change on your Xbox One, especially if you splurged on a 4K-ready Xbox One X. Why spend any more just to play great games?
The Xbox Store is loaded with excellent free-to-play titles, whether you're in the mood for instant multiplayer mayhem or you want to get lost in a massive fantasy world. From fast-paced fighters and shooters to engrossing online role-playing experiences, here are our favorite free games for Xbox One.
Credit: Digital Extremes
Killer Instinct
Killer Instinct builds on the frenetic fighting and patented Combo Breaker system of the 1994 original, resulting in one of the flashiest and most strategically rich brawlers you can find on any platform. The free version of Killer Instinct gives you access to a single character, with the individual changing weekly. You can also purchase fighters or fighter packs a la carte. But even if you don't drop a dime, you'll be able to enjoy the bevy of modes and features that have been added to Microsoft's flagship fighter since launch, including online play and 4K enhancements for Xbox One X.
Credit: Microsoft
Fortnite Battle Royale
If you're curious about PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds but don't feel like dropping $30 on it, Fortnite Battle Royale delivers similar survival thrills for zero dollars. Like Battlegrounds, Fortnite Battle Royale has 100 players drop onto an island to scavenge resources and fight for survival until there's only one player or team left standing. But there's a twist: You can also build fortifications just like in the core Fortnite game, which gives you a ton of extra strategic options in terms of both offense and defense. Fortnite Battle Royale is also unique due to its zany, vibrant art style, which you can enjoy in 4K on the Xbox One X.
Credit: Epic Games
Phantom Dust
A revival of the 2004 cult Xbox classic, Phantom Dust is a unique action/strategy hybrid that blends real-time combat with the depth of a collectible card game. This title lets you battle in huge, highly destructible arenas, where you can mix and match hundreds of unique skills that let you summon everything from flaming swords to walls of ice as you try to outsmart your opponent. You can play through the game's entire 15-hour story and unlock a ton of cards for absolutely free, though you can also spend money to beef up your collection.
Credit: Microsoft
Neverwinter
Neverwinter brings Dungeons & Dragons to life in video game form, taking some of the most iconic characters and worlds of the classic pen-and-paper role-playing game and distilling them into an addictive, epic online experience. This free RPG offers rich character customization, awe-inspiring worlds and action-based combat that's fully optimized for a controller. If you're looking for something in the vein of World of Warcraft on your Xbox or simply want a fun fantasy adventure to get lost in with your friends, Neverwinter is well worth a look.
Credit: Perfect World Entertainment
World of Tanks
If the name didn't already give it away, World of Tanks is a massive tank-combat simulator that allows you to engage in epic 15-on-15 battles with some of history's most iconic armored vehicles. This intense vehicular shooter features over 450 real-world tanks to control across more than 80 maps, each of which sports its own unique weather and terrain effects. World of Tanks still enjoys a steady stream of major content updates, and it offers full 4K support for Xbox One X owners.
Credit: Microsoft
Gigantic
Gigantic is a refreshing, accessible take on the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre, offering up intense third-person action instead of excessive clicking and complicated menus. As the name suggests, this vibrant team shooter pits teams of five against the other side's Guardian, a towering, mythical being that can turn the tide of a match with its powerful attacks. You can compete online without spending a penny and can unlock the game's heroes through in-game currency, though you can pay up for cosmetics and instant access to characters.
Credit: Motiga
Fallout Shelter
Fallout Shelter took mobile gamers by storm when it launched in 2015, and now, you can experience it from your couch. This life simulator lets you build the ultimate nuclear vault in Bethesda's charming postapocalyptic universe, where you'll customize your dwellers, forge relationships, and even fend off the occasional attack from monsters and looters. Fallout Shelter supports cross-play between Xbox One and Windows 10 devices, allowing you to enjoy your vault-management addiction wherever you go.
Credit: Bethesda
Gwent
Gwent is a stand-alone version of everyone's favorite mini game from The Witcher 3, allowing you to collect and battle with a ton of different cards inspired by CD Projekt Red's rich fantasy universe. Gwent puts an emphasis on accessibility and skill over complexity and sheer luck, making this game worth checking out even if you're not a Witcher aficionado. It's also an Xbox Play Anywhere title, meaning you can keep your progress across Xbox One and PC.
Credit: CD Projekt
Warframe
One of the longest-running online console shooters out there, Warframe lets you kick ass as a variety of different space ninjas in stunning sci-fi environments. Not sold yet? This RPG-flavored shooter has some of the best developer support out there, with a seemingly never-ending stream of new events and content drops that give you and your friends plenty of excuses to keep blasting away at aliens for better loot. With tons of satisfying guns, bows and swords that you can wield in both cooperative and competitive gameplay, Warframe is an excellent free alternative to the likes of Destiny — and just a great game in its own right.
Credit: Digital Extremes
DC Universe Online
If you've ever fantasized about living in the DC Comics universe, this is the game for you. DC Universe Online lets you create your own hero or villain using a variety of power and appearance options, then take that character through a rich story line in which you'll interact with DC icons such as Superman, Batman and Lex Luthor. This massively multiplayer online game is always adding new content, and its action-focused combat makes it equally inviting for both genre vets and casual comic fans.
Credit: Sony
Mike Andronico is Senior Writer at CNNUnderscored. He was formerly Managing Editor at Tom's Guide, where he wrote extensively on gaming, as well as running the show on the news front. When not at work, you can usually catch him playing Street Fighter, devouring Twitch streams and trying to convince people that Hawkeye is the best Avenger.