Xbox Dropping Massive Free Open-World Survival RPG, No Game Pass Needed

2 hours ago 8

Published Mar 25, 2026, 5:00 PM EDT

Bruno Yonezawa is a Gaming Senior Writer for Screen Rant. He's been practicing professional journalism for over 10 years, and is also a communications specialist. He's played games all his life and turned that passionate hobby into a passionate career, in an industry where he's worked as a writer, editor, analyst, and more.

A new open-world survival RPG is arriving on Xbox for free, and console owners will be delighted to know that they won’t need an Xbox Game Pass subscription to gain access to the game. A lot of the free games that Xbox owners have access to are locked behind Microsoft’s subscription service, which regularly adds new titles for its members. In May, for example, Xbox Game Pass is getting a major sequel that fans are eagerly waiting for as a day-one release.

However, not every freebie is part of the subscription service, necessarily. Indeed, all Xbox members will be able to try out a game for free, regardless of whether they are Game Pass members or not. As was announced on the official Xbox Wire website, Once Human will have a closed beta test period on Xbox Series X/S consoles soon, and players will be able to check it out without any costs ahead of the title’s release as a free-to-play game.

Xbox Is Officially Getting Once Human

The Survival RPG Will Be Playable In A Closed Beta

Player Standing Below a Puzzle Mystical Crate in Once Human

According to the report, the closed beta test period will start on March 26 at 10 pm ET. The servers will close, effectively ending the closed beta on April 9 at 2:59 am ET. Players interested in checking out the game before the official release of Once Human on consoles can already pre-download the content. However, you’ll need to register via the Xbox Insider Hub, which needs to be installed from the Microsoft Store on your console.

To do this, open the app on your Xbox Series X/S and locate the Once Human Closed Beta in the Previews section. There, you’ll choose Join and complete your registration. This is a closed beta period, so access is not guaranteed. If you manage to play it, you’ll get to experience a large portion of the game (up to level 20) and gain the Closed Beta Pack for your account, for when the game is officially released later this year.

Once Human Is A Huge Free Game, And A Hit On Steam

The Survival RPG Has Sci-Fi & Eldritch Horror Themes

Once Human screenshot of hooded figures with candles and a creepy large enemy in a forest clearing

The open-world survival RPG crafted by Starry Studio is a massive game, and it’s already a success on other platforms. Once Human on Steam has a Very Positive review status, with thousands of players praising it. In the game, you’ll be set in a post-apocalyptic future, where you must fight monsters, collect resources, and establish your own base to survive. The game is sunken into sci-fi and eldritch horror themes.

Once Human is a multiplayer game, too, so you’ll be able to collaborate with friends to ensure survival, while facing other players as you compete for resources and territory. This is a free-to-play game, so after it is released, you’ll be able to play the RPG without any costs on Xbox, even if you’re not a Game Pass member.