Xbox turns 25 with free items for Forza Horizon 6, Halo and Minecraft

Xbox is marking its 25th anniversary with in-game items across several of its biggest games. Players can pick up a themed livery in Forza Horizon 6, an armour style in Halo: Campaign Evolved and a green character item in Minecraft.

The rewards do not all work the same way. Some appear in a game’s menus, while others have a claim window, so it is worth checking the relevant instructions before assuming an item will be waiting indefinitely.

The anniversary itself falls on November 15. Xbox announced the rewards alongside new Fable footage and the return of Wolfenstein, but you do not have to wait for those games to use the items available now.

A red car drives through a city street in Forza Horizon 6

A regular Forza Horizon 6 screenshot; this car does not show the anniversary livery. Image: Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios, via Steam

Find the Forza livery and Halo armour in their respective games

In Forza Horizon 6, the anniversary design is for the 2025 GR GT cover car. Xbox says to look in the Gifts tab of the Message Center. Its design draws on the original console’s colours and materials.

A car drives along a dirt road in Forza Horizon 6

Another Forza Horizon 6 scene, not an image of the anniversary design. Image: Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios, via Steam

That is a cosmetic livery for an existing car, not a separate racing expansion. The Forza gameplay screenshots below show races rather than the new anniversary design.

For Halo: Campaign Evolved, the Damascus Prototype Armour Style is available to players through a redemption code. Xbox’s announcement includes the code and a link to Halo Waypoint.

Xbox also announced that Firefight is coming to Halo as a free winter update. The anniversary armour and the future co-op mode are separate additions, so claiming the former does not depend on a Firefight release date.

The Xbox Series X standard edition of Forza Horizon 6 is sold separately at Amazon. You do not need to buy another copy to claim a reward in a game you already own.

Cars race beside snowy mountains in Forza Horizon 6

These images show the game and do not depict the anniversary livery. Image: Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios, via Steam

Minecraft and Gears have deadlines to keep in mind

The Minecraft reward is an OG Green Character Creator item. Xbox says to claim it in the dressing room before December 10 at 10am Pacific; it requires Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, which is sold separately.

Gears of War: E-Day has an anniversary weapon skin set available free in the in-game shop. Xbox says that after the shop rotates on November 17, it moves to the player barracks, where it can be obtained with earnable Coins or purchased with premium currency.

There are anniversary liveries for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 too. Those are available to owners in the Aircraft Livery menu, with four aircraft named in Xbox’s announcement.

Image credits: Xbox; Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios, via Steam.

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