Microsoft Gives Xbox Series X Users 8 Free Console Downloads

Xbox Series X and S owners can now download eight free dynamic themes for their consoles. Microsoft has consistently offered these backgrounds at no cost, and this release is no different. One theme showcases the new Xbox logo unveiled last month, with the other seven featuring artwork from popular games: Diablo 4, Invincible Vs, Overwatch, and Kiln. These games were likely chosen because Diablo 4 recently launched an expansion (Lords of Hatred), Invincible Vs is a brand-new title, Overwatch just started a new season, and Kiln is the newest game from Xbox Game Studios.

These new backgrounds for Xbox Series X and S aren’t very dynamic – in fact, the movement is barely noticeable. This seems to be a limitation of the Xbox interface, as all the dynamic backgrounds released for these consoles have had the same issue. You can check them out below.




The new Xbox profile backgrounds with my avatar

— Idle Sloth (@IdleSloth84_) May 1, 2026

Free Backgrounds and Free Games

These backgrounds are available at no cost to everyone with an Xbox Series X or S – you don’t need an Xbox Game Pass subscription. While we’re not sure how long they’ll be offered, all previous console backgrounds have been permanent, so we expect these five will be too. The only potential issue would be if one of the featured games loses its licensing, which could cause the background to be removed – but that hasn’t happened yet.

Xbox players have recently enjoyed a string of free games. It started with a mistake on the Xbox Store where a $60 Bandai Namco title and an Xbox exclusive game were given away for free. Now, Xbox Series X and S owners are receiving five more free games, but these are intentional giveaways, not errors.

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2026-05-02 00:09