Hey friend! If you‘re an Xbox gamer who loves football, you‘re probably curious whether you can play the new Madden NFL 23 game for free. I‘ve got good news for you – there are a few different options to access Madden 23 on Xbox without paying the full $59.99 cost.
Let me walk you through the details on how to score Madden for free or cheap this season!
How to Get Madden 23 Free with Xbox Game Pass
The easiest way to play Madden 23 for free on Xbox is through your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate bundles together Xbox Live Gold, EA Play, and Xbox Game Pass for one $14.99 monthly fee. So as a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, you automatically get access to 100+ games on Xbox Game Pass, online multiplayer capabilities with Xbox Live Gold, and a library of Electronic Arts titles through EA Play.
Back in February 2023, Electronic Arts added Madden NFL 23 to the EA Play vault that is included with Game Pass Ultimate. So right now, you can download and play the full Madden 23 experience at no extra cost if you have an active Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership!
This free version includes all the core Madden 23 game modes like Franchise, Ultimate Team, The Yard, Superstar KO, and so on. You get the complete on-field experience with all 32 NFL teams and over 2,800 real NFL players. The only limitation is you won‘t get bonus perks offered in the premium Dynasty Edition of Madden 23.
But the free Game Pass version provides endless hours of football fun in Franchise mode as you build your favorite team into a dynasty, or take your custom player from rookie to superstar in Face of the Franchise mode. Plus you can assemble your Ultimate Team, battle rivals in online Head-to-Head seasons, and enjoy exciting NFL matchups any time you want, at no additional money beyond your Game Pass membership.
And the value keeps growing, because EA continues updating Madden 23 all season long with new content, rosters, player likeness upgrades, and features. So it really is the complete Madden experience, accessible for free if you have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate!
Taking Advantage of the EA Play Subscription
Maybe you don‘t have Xbox Game Pass but still want to scoop up Madden for less. Well, you can also access Madden 23 right now through a standalone EA Play subscription.
For just $4.99 per month, an EA Play membership gives you full access to a huge library of Electronic Arts games. Major titles like FIFA 23, NHL 23, Need for Speed Unbound, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and of course Madden NFL 23 are all available to subscribers.
When you join EA Play today, you can immediately download Madden 23 on your Xbox and start playing. All your Franchise, Ultimate Team, Superstar KO, and Yard progress is saved and carries over even if you cancel EA Play later.
So for the cost of a cup of coffee, you get a month of football fun in the newest Madden game. And if you decide to continue your subscription, you keep building your ultimate team, developing your players, and dominating the gridiron in Madden 23 all year long.
Compare that to paying $59.99 or more upfront to buy Madden 23 outright. With EA Play, you save a ton of cash and can play the full game now for just five bucks. If you tend to buy Madden every year, an EA Play subscription will quickly pay for itself in savings and value.
How Long Can You Access Madden 23 for Free?
Now, before you get too excited about free eternal Madden, I do need to set proper expectations. Madden 23 will not be available permanently for free on Xbox Game Pass or EA Play.
Based on how EA handles their Xbox deals, you can expect Madden 23 to be available on these subscriptions for 6-12 months typically.
For Game Pass, EA rotates their titles in/out about every 6 months to 1 year. When Madden 24 releases next August 2023, that‘s a likely time Madden 23 will leave Game Pass.
With EA Play, the past few years they‘ve removed the previous year‘s Madden when the next Madden launches. So again, Madden 23 probably gets replaced by Madden 24 next August on EA Play.
But the good news is you‘ve got many months to enjoy Madden 23 for free through Game Pass and EA Play! Just don‘t expect it to be free forever. Take advantage of it now on these subscriptions to maximize your savings.
And if you end up loving Madden 23 and don‘t want to lose access later, you can always purchase the full game permanently while keeping all your Franchise, MUT, Superstar KO, and Yard progress.
Wait for Sales on Madden 23 to Pay Even Less
Let‘s say you don‘t subscribe to Game Pass or EA Play but still want Madden 23 at a discount. Well, here are a few tips to grab it for cheap!
Wait for sales – Madden games predictably go on sale every few months, especially around holidays. Keep an eye out for Xbox Store sales offering 30%, 50%, or even deeper discounts on Madden 23 – then is the best time to buy cheap.
Buy a physical copy – Physical discs from retailers like Amazon, Walmart, or GameStop drop in price faster than digital versions. You can often find great deals on new or used physical copies.
Game share with a friend – Set each other‘s Xbox as your "Home" console, and you can both play Madden 23 while just buying one digital copy to share.
Trade in old games – Visit GameStop and trade in old sports titles you don‘t play anymore to save on Madden 23. Those unwanted games convert into savings!
By keeping an eye out for Xbox deals or getting creative, you can often buy the newest Madden release for $20-30 instead of $60 if you time it right.
Will Madden 24 Be Free on Game Pass at Launch?
Based on EA‘s partnership with Xbox, there‘s a strong chance Madden NFL 24 will be available on Game Pass via EA Play right at launch next year.
For Madden 23, EA Play subscribers gained access to the game 3 days early. So it‘s very possible Madden 24 could be playable on Game Pass on launch day, or shortly after launch week, for next year‘s release.
Official details for Madden 24 are still very limited this early. But I‘d bet on at least a similar arrangement to provide free or discounted access to next year‘s game through Game Pass and EA Play once again.
If you‘re on the fence about paying full price at launch, holding out for Game Pass or EA Play access could be a smart move to save money on Madden 24 next August. I‘ll be sure to share any details as soon as Madden 24 release plans are announced!
Let‘s Sum Up Your Free Madden Options
In summary, here are your best routes to playing Madden 23 for free if you‘re an Xbox gamer:
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – Immediate access to full Madden 23 game
- EA Play subscription – Immediate full access for just $4.99 monthly
- Wait for sales – Purchase at 30-50% off during Xbox sales
- Physical copies – Cheaper than digital versions
- Game sharing – Split cost with friend by sharing digital copy
- Trade old games – Use trade credit for big savings
While not free permanently, you can enjoy Madden 23 for zero additional dollars right now with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or EA Play membership. Or use sales and deals to grab it cheap!
I hope these tips help you score Madden 23 for free or on the cheap this season. Let me know if you have any other questions! Enjoy the football fun!
