‘Borderlands: The Handsome Collection’ is free on Xbox One — if you act fast

By Gabe Gurwin Updated October 28, 2016

Updated on 10-28-2016 by Gabe Gurwin: Microsoft confirmed The Handsome Collection’s status as a “Free Play Days” game in a post on the Xbox Wire while also announcing that anyone who tries it during this period will be able to purchase the game permanently with a 60 percent discount. At 4 p.m. EST on Friday, October 28, producer James Lopez will be streaming the game with members of the Xbox, team and will take questions on both Twitch and Beam.

Low on cash and itching for something to play this week? If you own an Xbox One, then you’re in luck, because Borderlands: The Handsome Collection is completely free on the platform until Sunday.

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The collection includes both Borderlands 2 as well as Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! Both games feature the villain Handsome Jack. The original Borderlands is not included, though the Xbox 360 version is backward compatible on Xbox One and is only going for about $7 right now.

If you go to the Microsoft store page for Borderlands: The Handsome Collection‘s “unlock bundle,” the game is listed as being 100-percent free. This is, however, only partially true. Though you can play both games to completion for free right now, they’re available as part of the Xbox “Free Play Days” promotion.

Previously, Forza Motorsport 5, Forza Motorsport 6, and even Halo 5: Guardians were made available to anyone with an Xbox Live Gold membership. The promotions tend to run until the end of the weekend, which, depending on your skill level and patience, could be enough time to complete one of the two games, particularly if you enlist the help of another player and run through the campaign cooperatively.

In addition to the two full games, Borderlands: The Handsome Collection also bundles in all extra downloadable content (DLC), including Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep and the “Mechromancer,” Gaige.

We’ve heard very little about the future of the Borderlands franchise since the release of The Pre-Sequel, but developer Gearbox has confirmed that its third installment (a separate studio made the majority of The Pre-Sequel) is in development. The studio’s most recent project, Battleborn, failed to make a splash in the competitive shooter space, as Blizzard’s Overwatch was released shortly after to massive interest and critical acclaim.

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Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…

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