New Windows PCs can come with Skyrim, Halo and 23 more Xbox games, but not every buyer qualifies

Microsoft has detailed the 25 PC games available with eligible new Windows computers in the United States, including Skyrim Special Edition, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and Minecraft Dungeons. Buyers must purchase and activate a qualifying device during the promotion, then claim the collection through the Microsoft Store.

The 25 Years of Xbox Bundle is tied to a new PC purchase, not a giveaway available to all existing Windows users. Microsoft's offer terms say eligible purchases must be made from November 2 through December 31, 2026, while supplies last.

The company says the games will appear for eligible devices no later than November 30. They must be claimed by February 12, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. UTC, using the same Microsoft account used to activate the PC.

Image: Bethesda Game Studios / Bethesda Softworks

Which PCs are eligible for the games?

The offer covers select new Windows Home PCs and handhelds from participating manufacturers and retailers. Microsoft says the Windows Pro exception is qualifying devices using Nvidia RTX Spark; other Windows Pro PCs are not eligible under the published terms.

Refurbished, open-box, returned and demonstration units do not qualify. Purchases from unauthorized resellers, marketplaces, liquidators, auction sites or third-party sellers are also excluded. Buyers should check that the specific PC and seller participate before making a purchase.

For example, Microsoft's Windows PC shopping page displays the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5X alongside the bundle promotion. That is a starting point for checking a device, not confirmation that every configuration or retailer listing qualifies. The terms also require activation in the United States during the offer period.

Some eligible PCs cannot run every included game. Microsoft says a game that is not suitable for the device remains in the account's library and can be downloaded to another compatible Windows PC with the same account, subject to its system requirements.

Image: Splash Damage / Xbox Game Studios

What is in the bundle?

The collection spans role-playing games, shooters, strategy games and older Xbox titles. Here is Microsoft's full list:

• Skyrim Special Edition; Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary; Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition; Minecraft Dungeons; Gears of War: Reloaded.
• Call of Duty: WWII; The Elder Scrolls Online; Fallout 76; DOOM; DOOM II.
• Oblivion Game of the Year Edition; Age of Mythology: Retold; Quake; Quake II; Wolfenstein: The New Order.
• The Outer Worlds; Rise of Nations: Extended Edition; As Dusk Falls; Battletoads; Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire.
• Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection; Fuzion Frenzy; Gears Tactics; Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge; BLINX: The Time Sweeper.

The games are digital licenses associated with the claiming Microsoft account. They must be claimed as one bundle and cannot be split across accounts or transferred. Microsoft says a Game Pass subscription is not required after claiming, though some games may have separate online requirements.

How to claim the collection

After activating an eligible PC, open the Microsoft Store app, go to Library > Included with device, find the 25 Years of Xbox Bundle and select Claim. Check the account before confirming: the games are attached to that account.

On an eligible handheld that starts in Xbox mode, Microsoft advises returning to the Windows desktop first and opening the Store there. Some titles also support Xbox Play Anywhere, but that does not mean all 25 include console versions. Check each game's compatibility and age rating before downloading.