The Xbox Winter Demo event has returned! From now until the end of 2024, Microsoft is providing access to over 35 free demos as part of the ID@Xbox program, some of which are very early builds for games that are far from finished.
As part of the selection, we've got two titles that are already confirmed for Xbox Game Pass in The Alters and Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo. The latter just got confirmed for the service earlier today.
You'll be able to download all the demos via the links below, but keep in mind that we may be adding a few more as the week rolls on - a few of them haven't officially gone live at launch. If you want to download them via your console, it's best to head to the "game demos" section of the Microsoft Store, but you may also find a tab on the dashboard that mentions the "Xbox Indie Game Fest Demo Event" - they'll be accessible that way as well.
"These “game demos” are not the usual kind. Typically, the demos you see in our Demo channel are created after the game is completed (or nearly completed) and represent an almost final version. Think of these as “show floor demos” and not necessarily indicative of the final product. You’ll get to experience these games early – some way early – which gives you the chance to provide your feedback! Keep in mind that these games will continue to evolve and become more polished as they approach release."
- Aikyam: "It’s up to Vishva, Ramli, and Guruji to dazzle the hearts of disgruntled villagers with extravagant turn-based battles and rally them against the demons in this Bollywood-inspired fantasy RPG!"
- Anima Flux: "Fight your way through swarms of mutants through a desolate, dystopian space city and save humanity's last stronghold, if, of course, anyone is still alive..."
- Arctic Awakening: "Arctic Awakening is a first-person narrative adventure set in the mysterious Arctic North where you and your robotic companion, Alfie, must search for your co-pilot... and a way home."
- Big Helmet Heroes: "Step into the world of "Big Helmet Heroes," a cinematic 3D beat'em up adventure that combines stunning visuals, movie-quality animations, and exhilarating action."
- Cats On Duty: "Cats on Duty is a purr-fect blend of RTS, tower defense, game genres. Manage two game fields, upgrade adorable cat towers, and watch your fluffy warriors bravely defend against foes."
- Cosmorons: "Greetings, cosmic conquerors! We present to you COSMORONS, an old-school futuristic shooter about comedic robot drudges conquering the cosmos with outlandish weapons & hijinks galore."
- Dahlia View: "Lead the investigation into a missing child and discover the dark secret of Dahlia View in this story-driven observational thriller from the creators of The Occupation and Ether One."
- Dreamcore: "Dreamcore is a psychological horror game that immerses players in the eerie atmosphere of liminal spaces. Offering a one-of-a-kind experience, the game enables players to freely explore expansive, non-linear worlds for extended gameplay sessions."
- Escape from Ever After: Onboarding: "A genre-bending RPG inspired by the classic Paper Mario games! Ever After Inc, a greedy megacorp from the real world, is taking over fairytales for their cheap labor and it’s up to you to fight back!"
- GigaBash: "GigaBash combines the chaos and creativity of titles like Power Stone, Super Smash Bros Ultimate and War of Monsters with the jaw-dropping scale of the classic kaiju movies."
- Island of Winds: "Island of Winds is an adventure game set in a fantastical world inspired by 17th century Iceland and folklore. Experience the story of Brynhildur, a Balance Keeper who embarks on a journey of self-discovery."
- KinnikuNeko: SUPER MUSCLE CAT: "Get ready to enjoy this crazy 2D platformer adventure starring KinnikuNeko! A cat with the body of a bodybuilder who will fight against a big alien army that has invaded planet Earth and captured all its inhabitants."
- Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo: "Use your wits and keen eye to gather clues from the residents and find items that will help uncover the mystery of Limbo and its curse that traps souls into repeating the same day on loop."
- Lost Twins 2: "Lost Twins 2 is an incredibly cute puzzle adventure that will challenge, entertain and maybe even inspire you. Guide Abi and Ben on their journey to find a way back home across a whimsical polygonal playground crafted with an enormous amount of care."
- Metavoidal: "You're a drummer that just failed your audition with a metal band. After coming to your senses, you realize that everything around you is being controlled and twisted by them & their music."
- My Little Universe: "Mythical world and different dungeons awaits you. Filled with wonder and plunder, challenges and adversaries, your task is to restore the broken Portal."
- Outbreak: Shades of Horror: "Return to the world of survival horror in this next-gen fueled undead nightmare. See the sights on Main Street as the undead tear across Cypress Ridge."
- Petey Pedro unBEETable Adventure: "A nostalgic game for those RAD 80's and 90's kids. Easy to pick up, hard to master play style. Help Petey Pedro get back home after falling into a magical world where the SWEETS he chose over a healthy BEET are now his worst nightmare."
- Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate: "Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate" is a side-scrolling beat'em up with the heart of a fighting game, supporting cross-platform pixel art anime action with up to 8P online multiplayer and all the characters from "Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Overdrive"!"
- Potions: A Curious Tale: "Potions: A Curious Tale is an adventure & crafting game where your wits are your greatest weapon and combat is not always the answer."
- Preserve: "Preserve is a puzzle nature-building game that takes players on a journey into a harmonious ecosystem. The objective is to foster and sustain a thriving and diverse biomes, where each component coexists in a symbiotic harmony."
- Puzzledorf: "Can you escape the land of Puzzles? Enter Puzzledorf and test your skills, solving puzzles and finding your way out! Puzzledorf is full of vibrant, block-pushing puzzles where simplicity meets surprising solutions."
- Rhythm Towers: "Music is the beating pulse of Planet Rhapsody. Groovy tunes constantly thrum through the blue-grass meadows, echo across the haunting wastelands, and howl above the craggy mountains."
- RoboDunk: "DUNK FROM SPACE in the 1st roguelite basketball game! Upgrade robots & unlock skills in the 1-2 player campaign. Blast & tackle in 4 player versus!"
- Robo Frenzy: "Robo Frenzy is a sandbox boss rush game where you craft weapons and build machines while taking on massive robot bosses. After defeating a boss, you can collect parts to create your own shareable boss battle!"
- Robots at Midnight: "Bash through gangs of hostile robots and corrupt bosses in this stylish & punchy Action-RPG. As Zoe, a scrappy agile hero, you’ll search for your past while fighting for the future."
- Section 13: "Section 13 is a roguelite twin-stick shooter that can be played solo or in a group of up to 3 players. As an Agent of the S2P Corporation, it’s up to you to investigate an ongoing incident at the most secretive facility of a company whose whole thing is keeping secrets."
- Seed of Heroes: "Journey through various realms, take on hordes of enemies, collect treasures, and defeat bosses that will try to stop you. Pass the trials and tribulations, and prepare for the Ragnarok."
- Spiral: "Spiral is a third-person narratively driven exploration game sharing a poetic vision of cognitive degeneration seen from the inside."
- Steel Seed: "Steel Seed is a single player stealth-action adventure game set in a dark sci-fi world. In her epic journey inside a hostile underground facility run by AIs, Zoe is alone with Koby, a flying drone, as her only companion."
- STONKS-9800: Stock Market Simulator: "Make your fortune in the high-stakes world of the Japanese stock market with STONKS-9800. As a businessman in the 80s & 90s, you'll buy & sell stocks, manage your finances, & watch your profits grow."
- Super Farming Boy: "Super Farming Boy™ is an exciting mix of ACTION, PUZZLE, and FARMING SIM, heavily relying on CHAIN REACTIONS and COMBOS."
- The Alters: "Have you wondered how your life would change if you chose a different path in the past? Who would you become? Jan Dolski is about to face answers to these questions which makes the predicament he is in even more daunting."
- Turbo Overkill: "Heavily inspired by some of the all-time greats like Id's Doom & Quake, and Apogee's Duke Nukem 3D, with stunning cyberpunk visuals, Turbo Overkill is the most savage FPS ever released by Apogee."
- Universe For Sale: "Universe for Sale is a hand-drawn adventure game set in the dense clouds of Jupiter, where sapient orangutans work as dockhands and mysterious cultists strip the flesh from their bones in order to reach enlightenment."
- Unwording: "Solve word puzzles, explore the neighborhood through multiple perspectives, and help Tom work towards experiencing a better day by overcoming his negative self-talk and thought patterns."
- Yet Another Zombie Survivors: "You've had enough of hiding behind the barricades. Now it's time to let the zombie horde pay for their unholy existence. The virus has spread throughout the world, but humanity is far from giving up."