Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is part of Xbox Free Play Days from October 22 to 25, 2026, and every Xbox player can try it for three hours on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Unlike most Free Play Days games, it does not need a Game Pass membership.
How the free trial works
Xbox Wire lists Capcom’s RPG in its “Free Play Days For All” section, together with the first Monster Hunter Stories. Both games come with a timed trial of three hours each, and Xbox states that Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and Essential are not required.
An event note on the game’s Xbox Store page gives the window as October 22 to 25. Neither Xbox nor Capcom lists an exact end time, so it is safest to finish your three hours before Sunday night.
To start, open the game’s page on Xbox.com or look for the Free Play Days collection in the Subscriptions tab of the Xbox Store on your console. Xbox says that if you buy the game afterward, you keep the achievements and Gamerscore you earned during the event.
What Monster Hunter Stories 2 is
This is the turn based side of Monster Hunter. Instead of hunting monsters, you play a young Rider who raises them. A Kinship Stone lets you bond with monsters, called Monsties, which fight next to you in battle.
Your character is the grandchild of Red, a legendary Rider. The story starts when you meet Ena, a Wyverian girl looking after an egg that could hatch into a legendary Rathalos with the power to bring ruin to the world.
The game first came out in July 2021 on Nintendo Switch and PC. Capcom brought it and the first Monster Hunter Stories to Xbox One on November 14, 2025, and both also run on Xbox Series X|S. The Xbox Store lists online cooperative play for two players and online multiplayer for up to four.
The timing fits the series calendar. Monster Hunter Stories turned 10 on October 8, and the same store note points out that Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is already available.
Price to keep it, and the rest of the lineup
If three hours are enough to hook you, the full game is 9.99 US dollars instead of 39.99 US dollars, a 75 percent discount that the Xbox Store shows running until November 5. The first Monster Hunter Stories is 9.89 US dollars, down from 29.99 US dollars.
Riders Republic is also free for all Xbox players from October 22 to 26. Dying Light 2: Stay Human Reloaded Edition, Let’s Build a Zoo and Tropico 6 are this weekend’s other Free Play Days games, but those three do require Game Pass Ultimate, Premium or Essential.
Release date, platforms and price
- Free to play: October 22 to 25, 2026, three hour trial for all Xbox players, no Game Pass required
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One
- Price: 9.99 US dollars until November 5, 2026 (regular price 39.99 US dollars)
- Where to get it: Xbox Store
This article is based on the Xbox Wire Free Play Days post of October 22, 2026 and the official Xbox Store page for Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin.
About Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
- Genre: RPG
- Metacritic: 82
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