Xbox Makes One of 2023's Biggest Games Free to Download and Play

Xbox has made one of 2023's biggest games free to download and play, but there's a small window of availability to not just download, but to play. 2023 isn't over yet, and it's already been arguably the best year so far this console generation in terms of game releases. Again, the yet isn't even over yet and gamers have been treated to games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Hogwarts Legacy, Final Fantasy 16, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Starfield, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Baldur's Gate 3, Resident Evil 4, Dead Space, Hi-Fi Rush, Mortal Kombat 1, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Street Fighter 6, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Cocoon, Sea of Stars, Dave the Diver, and Diablo 4. And it's the most latter of these games that can now be played for free on Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X.

More specifically, Diablo 4 is free for all Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X users from October 19 until October 22. No Xbox Game Pass subscription is required, but you only have a 10-hour trial with the game. The game takes roughly 25 hours to mainline and 45 hours to beat and experience most of the side content. Meanwhile, completionist playthroughs will take roughly 160 hours. As a result, you're not going to be able to beat the game in 10 hours, which is by design, but you may see about 40 percent of its main campaign. 

Once the trial is over, you will lose access to the game, and considering it's not part of Xbox Game Pass means you will need to fork over $69.99 to continue to play, assuming it's not on sale at the time. 

As for the game, it debuted on June 5 to strong sales and Metacritic scores ranging from 86 to 91, depending on the platform. However, it's struggled in the post-launch phase for various issues. Despite this, it maintains a fairly robust playbase. 

"In a sense, Diablo 4 is perfect for both franchise mainstays and newcomers alike," reads a snippet of our official review of the game. "The lore of Sanctuary expands drastically while the game, story and all, is large enough to keep new players busy. The game is built to allow the developers to scale it with ease with battle passes and seasons for a new generation, but it's nowhere close to being empty. In that sense, it almost feels if the Diablo team packed as much in it as possible into it at the beginning to avoid the feeling of other comparable live service games. Nevertheless, the entire package may end up as the franchise's most exciting piece given it has a little something for everyone."