Xbox Giving Away Free Download To All Players To Celebrate 25th Anniversary — Gaming

Xbox has had a heck of a year from just about every angle. They've released several high-profile first-party games, and lost a handful of high-priority studios. It's a tumultuous time for the gaming industry in general, and thankfully, some of those studios have either gotten back on their feet or divested from Microsoft entirely on their own terms.

Now, thanks to a new update on the Xbox blog, we have an idea of what the studio is planning for the 25th anniversary. Beyond the FanFest event earlier this year in June for Summer Game Fest (SGF), there's more on the way.

Xbox Is Celebrating Its 25th Anniversary With A Special Freebie

For Xbox fans, Microsoft is running several 25th anniversary promotions at the moment, and one of them includes a freebie. All you need to do is log into an Xbox device before the end of the year, and bam, you're good to go.

Here's a full breakdown from Microsoft: "Beginning today, players who sign in to their XBOX account on console, PC, or the XBOX mobile app will receive the XBOX 25th Anniversary profile badge, ahead of XBOX’s 25th anniversary on November 15. The badge will be available through the end of 2026, and can be displayed on your profile."

There are a couple of things to note here. All you need to do is log into any Xbox-enabled device, including an Xbox account on your PC, Xbox Series X/S (or Xbox One), or Xbox mobile app, and you'll snag the badge. The cutoff isn't November 15, though, like the actual anniversary: it's "through the end of 2026."

There's a lot more going on for the 25th anniversary beyond a badge. Community-created Xbox designs are up for grabs, including gamerpics, backgrounds, and dynamic themes. Those are available today, and here's how you access them:

Console — Gamerpic & Theme: Settings › Profile › Customize profile, then choose your favorite.

Console — Dynamic background: Settings › General › Personalization › My background › Dynamic background.

XBOX app on PC — Gamerpic: Open View Profile and select the pencil icon over your current Gamerpic.

XBOX app on PC — Theme: Open View Profile › Customize profile and choose your Theme.

Xbox Game Pass collections are also in, which are curated lists of games, ranging from the original Xbox through the Xbox Series X/S. That includes games like Fable 1, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and Psychonauts 2.

Xbox FanFest 2026 Tour Dates

Finally, the Xbox FanFest has tour dates, and will be headed to the following cities:

Cologne, Germany — August 26, at gamescom
Tokyo, Japan — September 17, during Tokyo Game Show
London, U.K. — September 26
Mexico City, Mexico — October 17
Sydney, Australia — October 17
Toronto, Canada — November 6
Seattle, U.S. — TBD

If you're into Xbox at all, this could be a great time to get involved in the 25th anniversary. It's something to celebrate after the series of bad news and the jettisoning of several studios.