Since the Epic Games Store took the world by storm in late 2018, free games have been a core part of its DNA and this trend will continue throughout 2021, by the looks of it. Epic’s generous approach makes it quite easy to access a number of great titles – some of which can steal many hours from you – while drawing more users to its store by helping them easily establish a large library of titles.
The past year’s offerings have ranged from indies – both popular and obscure – to AAA releases like Elite Dangerous, Civilization 6 and even the might GTA V which notoriously took the storefront’s servers down. The first entries on the list of free games you can grab on the Epic Games Store in 2021 see players building and managing dino parks and taking to the stars on a rogue-lite adventure. Here is the Epic Games Store free games list of 2021.
In the past, one or more games were available for free on the Epic Games Store each week. Epic has confirmed that this approach will continue throughout 2021. All you need to do in order to add these games to your library is have an EGS account, go to the free game’s store page and follow the same process as you would when purchasing it.
You obviously won’t be charged anything but will have to add the game to your library during the week in which it’s free. Should you miss it, however, you’ll have a couple of other opportunities to get it discounted throughout the year during one of the Epic Games Store’s sales. A few of these freebies were have been given away multiple times, but this approach isn’t exactly reliable.
Epic Games Store Free Games List 2021
- Jurassic World Evolution
- Crying Suns
- Star Wars Battlefront 2: Celebration Edition
- Galactic Civilizations 3
- Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition
- For the King
- Metro Last Light Redux
- Halcyon 6 Starbase Commander
- Absolute Drift
- Rage 2
- Sunless Sea
- Wargame: Red Dragon
- Surviving Mars
- The Fall
- Creature in the Well
- Tales of the Neon Sea
- 3 out of 10: Season Two
- Deponia: The Complete Journey
- Ken Follet's The Pillars of the Earth
- The First Tree
- Alien: Isolation
- Hand of Fate 2
- Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms
- Pine
- The Lion's Song
- NBA 2K21
- Among Us
- Frostpunk
- Control
- Hell Is Other Demons
- Overcooked! 2
- Horizon Chase Turbo
- Sonic Mania
- The Spectrum Retreat
- Bridge Constructor: The Walking Dead
- Ironcast
- Obduction
- Offworld Trading Company
- Defense Grid: The Awakening
- Verdun
- Mothergunship
- Train Sim World 2
- A Plague Tale: Innocence
- Minit
- Rebel Galaxy
- Yooka-Laylee
- Void Bastards
- Automachef
- Saints Row: The Third Remastered
- Yoku's Island Express
- Nioh: The Complete Edition
- Sheltered
- Speed Brawl
- Tharsis
- The Escapists
- Europa Universalis 4
- PC Building Simulator
- Paladins Epic Pack
- Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse
- Among the Sleep - Enhanced Edition
- Darq: Complete Edition
- Aven Colony
- Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands One-shot Adventure
- Rogue Company Season Four Epic Pack
- Guild of Dungeoneering
- Kid A Mnesia Exhibition
- Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna)
- Antstream - Epic Welcome Pack
- theHunter: Call of the Wild
- Dead by Daylight
- while True: learn()
- Godfall Challenger Edition
- Prison Architect
- Shenmue 3
- Neon Abyss
- Remnant: From the Ashes
- The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
- Loop Hero
- Second Extinction
- Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
- Vampyr
- Pathfinder: Kingmaker - Enhanced Plus Edition
- Prey
- Control
- Mages of Mystralia
- Moving Out
- Salt and Sanctuary
- Tomb Raider: Definitive Survivor Trilogy
We’ll keep an eye out for any announcements and update our list of 2021 Epic Games Store free games as we learn anything new.
Jurassic World Evolution
Free on the Epic Games Store: December 31 - January 7
Jurassic World Evolution is a dream come true for any fan of the franchise who wants to control all aspects of managing their own dino park. You not only get to place buildings, hire staff and take care of finances but also bioengineer your own dinosaurs as you chase specific traits. The dinos are majestic beasts with a mind of their own, so you’ll get the chance to see how they behave in their habitats, when sick or threatened. Just make sure your fences are strong enough to keep the rowdy ones inside.
Crying Suns
Free on the Epic Games Store: January 7 - January 14
Naming works like Foundation and Dune as its sources of inspiration, Crying Suns is a tactical rogue-lite in which you play the role of a space fleet commander exploring what remains of a fallen empire. While the title’s 300+ story events work to reveal more about its mysterious universe, tactical battles and procedural generation ensure that each run remains fresh.
Star Wars Battlefront II: Celebration Edition
Free on the Epic Games Store: January 14 - January 21
Star Wars Battlefront II: Celebration Edition includes every bit of content in the base game and its subsequent free updates, alongside a large suite of cosmetic items otherwise purchasable with in-game credits. The shooter quickly became notorious at launch due to how grindy it was and tying power progression to paid loot boxes but has by now redeemed itself in the eyes of many. It’s also one of the best looking and sounding ways of experiencing Star Wars. If you haven’t already, there’s really no excuse to give it a shot when it becomes free on the Epic Games Store.
Galactic Civilizations III
Free on the Epic Games Store: January 21 - January 28
Galactic Civilizations III is a 4X strategy game that makes good use of a tried and tested sci-fi premise. As humanity discovers it’s not alone in the universe, you step in to decide its fate or that of the alien factions surrounding it. Its story campaign takes you through the lore of each faction while its sandbox maps can hold up to 100 opponents and have a variety of layouts, worlds and challenges. The path to victory can follow different routes, from military to political, cultural and technological, but regardless of your pick, you’ll want to develop a strong economy, fleet, construct hypergates that facilitate travel, and maybe even dabble in espionage.
Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition
Free on the Epic Games Store: January 28 - February 4
Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition is a 2D metroidvania that puts you in the shoes of a heroine fighting to restore freedom to the world of Salt and its citizens. Able to defy gravity and jump across floors, walls and ceilings, Dandara must survive tough battles and uncover mysteries as she gets closer to ridding her world of oppression. The Trials of Fear Edition comes with additional content, including three new areas to explore, a new boss but also fleshing out the game’s lore and adding a new control scheme for keyboard and mouse.
For the King
Free on the Epic Games Store: February 4 - February 11
For the King mixes tabletop and rogue-like elements, facing parties of heroes with procedurally generated maps, quests, and events, as well as turn-based combat. Their adventures contribute to stabilizing the realm of Fahrul following the murder of its king. Everything that Fahrul has to offer can be experienced in single player alongside local or online co-op.
Metro Last Light Redux
Free on the Epic Games Store: February 4 - February 11
Metro Last Light Redux is the best way to experience the second title in the series and the continuation of Artyom’s journey through the Moscow metro and above. From the claustrophobic tunnels to the ravaged exterior world, you’ll scavenge for gas mask filters and resources while facing vile humans and mutated beasts. Blending survival with action sequences, Redux contains a series of improvements over the sequel’s initial version and all the DLC it received.
Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander
Free on the Epic Games Store: February 11 - February 18
Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander revolves around your mission to reclaim and rebuild a space station that previously belonged to a precursor race. Using only the resources salvaged from the station itself and nearby systems, you’ll have to get it back up and running. But while base building is a large part of the game, you’ll also have to manage crew members and make sure that your ships and people survive the game’s tactical battles.
Absolute Drift
Free on the Epic Games Store: February 18 - February 25
Absolute Drift is a top-down racing game that focuses entirely on mastering the art of drifting. Its clean, minimalist art style avoids distractions regardless if you’re driving one of the 6 available drift cars across its relaxing free-roaming arenas or participating in the 3 competitive modes and their 34 levels.
Rage 2
Free on the Epic Games Store: February 18 - February 25
Rage 2 was one of those sequels nobody really expected would happen. Co-developed by Avalanche Studios and id Software, the title returns to a post-apocalpytic setting, blending open-world elements with punchy shooting and satisfying, upgradeable powers. There’s a fair share of vehicle combat, too, alongside a story with a considerably less disappointing ending.
Sunless Sea
Free on the Epic Games Store: February 25 - March 4
Sunless Sea is a nautical survival game with roguelike elements set in the Fallen London universe. Interweaving Victorian Gothic and Lovecraftian elements, the title puts you in the role of a ship captain that sets out to explore the Unterzee, an expansive underground ocean. While deadly monsters will eventually force you to part with life, you’ll also have to manage fuel, supplies, and your crew’s sanity. Ending up with your boat stranded in the middle of nowhere is never fun. Although its combat can become frustrating at times, the stories behind the places you visit and people you encounter make braving the Unterzee worth it.
Wargame: Red Dragon
Free on the Epic Games Store: March 4 - March 11
Set in 1991, Wargame: Red Dragon sees the Western forces and the Communist bloc clashing. You take control of one of its 17 playable nations, leading units across air, land, and sea, while having to take into account both your enemy’s maneuvers and the terrain you’re fighting on if you’re looking to emerge victorious. The game’s dynamic campaign system will keep you busy for quite a while but, if you’re more competitive, you can also take to multiplayer to show your skills against up to 20 players.
Surviving Mars
Free on the Epic Games Store: March 11 - March 18
Surviving Mars is a colony sim that focuses on your efforts to establish a self-sustaining presence on the Red Planet. You start with a handful of robotic drones and remote-controlled vehicles that prepare a slice of the planet for the arrival of the first human colonists. Once there, you’ll need to keep them happy while using their expertise to keep production chains and your budding society running in the face of impending disasters.
The Fall
Free on the Epic Games Store: March 18 - March 25
Blending puzzles and side-scrolling action,The Fall follows ARID, and AI who takes control of a high-tech combat suit, attempting to protect its unconscious human pilot after they crash land on an unknown planet. As they explore this new environment and deal with its hostile forces, ARID also goes on an introspective journey that sees her questioning the very rules that drive her.
Creature in the Well
Free on the Epic Games Store: March 25 - April 1
Creature in the Well is a top-down dungeon crawler that takes inspiration from pinball, of all things. Rather than using it to slash opponents, the protagonist’s sword is mainly used to charge and bounce energy orbs around an ancient facilty’s interiors, in an attempt to restart machinery that can save the city of Mirage from a deadly sandstorm.
Tales of the Neon Sea
Free on the Epic Games Store: April 1 - April 8
Tales of the Neon Sea is a point-and-click adventure game in which you play as Rex, a hard-boiled detective that’s, predictably, investigating crimes. Less predictably, his assistant is a cat named William whose ability to squeeze into areas Rex can’t often uncovers vital evidence. If the cat companion doesn’t seal the deal, you’re officially a monster, but the intriguing story, vibrant cyberpunk world depicted using beautiful pixel art, and varied puzzles might convince you to give this adventure a chance.
3 out of 10: Season Two
Free on the Epic Games Store: April 8 - April 15
The journey of fictional video game developer Shovelworks Studios continues in 3 out of 10: Season Two. Continuing along the lines of the first season, which is still free on the Epic Games Store, the adventure game promises fully animated and voiced scenes and narrative-driven minigames as it takes a satirical look at game development across its five episodes.
Deponia: The Complete Journey
Free on the Epic Games Store: April 15 - April 22
Deponia: The Complete Journey bundles together the first three games in the series, making for 40+ hours’ worth of point-and-click adventure gameplay in the style of Daedalic Entertainment. Set on the eponymous trash planet, the titles follow the misadventures of Rufus and Goal blending humor, heartfelt moments, and good old puzzles.
Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth
Free on the Epic Games Store: April 15 - April 22
Another point-and-click adventure game from Daedalic Entertainment, Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth is based on the bestselling novel set in 12th-century England. The game tells the stories of three different characters, centered around the construction of a cathedral in a small town, and also lets players change the events from the novel as they decide the protagonists’ fates.
The First Tree
Free on the Epic Games Store: April 15 - April 22
The First Tree is a third-person exploration game, or walking simulator to some, that tells two parallel stories: one of a fox trying to find her missing family; another of a son reconnecting with his estranged father in Alaska. While keeping the narrative-driven theme of the week’s free Epic Game Store games, this one is a considerably more relaxed experience.
Alien: Isolation
Free on the Epic Games Store: April 22 - April 29
If you missed Alien: Isolation when was part of last year’s 15 Days of Free Games event, worry not, as it’s coming back. You’ll have an entire week to pick up one of the best video games to make use of the license and face the dreaded Xenomorph yourself.
Hand of Fate 2
Free on the Epic Games Store: April 22 - April 29
Hand of Fate 2 is a fairly unique title in the indie sphere that blends boardgame elements with lots of hack and slash combat and a modicum of platforming. Facing one mysterious dealer, you move through rows of cards, uncovering different encounters that your character has to complete. Some are purely narrative, offering items or hurting you depending on your choices, while others throw you into fights in which you’re often outnumbered. There’s also the occasional platforming gauntlet to spice things up. Your goal is to reach the end as well equipped as possible and take down the powerful enemy waiting for you. Fate, however, may not always be on your side.
Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms
Free on the Epic Games Store: April 29 - May 6
Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms takes characters from various Dungeons & Dragons games, novels, and shows, throwing them together to adventure across the Sword Coast. Blending incremental game and strategy elements, the Epic Games Store version comes with the limited Epic Champions of Renown bundle, available for all players who long in through the storefront during its first week.
Pine
Free on the Epic Games Store: May 6 - May 13
Pine is an open-world action adventure which puts you in the role of young adult Hue, tasking you with exploring, bartering, talking, crafting and fighting across its six biomes. The different species that inhabit the world act independently of you but, as you befriend and antagonize them, you’ll find them thriving or leaving their current habitat behind.
The Lion's Song
Free on the Epic Games Store: May 13 - May 20
The Lion’s Song follows Wilma, a talented young musician student that’s dealing with writer’s block while she attempts to write a career-defining composition. An episodic adventure game at its core, players get to accompany Wilma on her journey, making choices that affect how her story plays out.
NBA 2k21
Free on the Epic Games Store: May 20 - May 27
NBA 2K21 is the first free mystery game on the Epic Games Store for this year, which marks the beginning of the Mega Sale. Developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports, NBA 2K21 is the 22nd installment in the series, which was released in September, 2020.
Among Us
Free on the Epic Games Store: May 26 - June 3
Among Us is party game playable both locally and online that supports between 4 and 10 players. Regardless of whether you heard about it or not when it blew up on Twitch, you need to know that it splits teams into Crew and Impostors. The former must complete certain tasks while weeding out the Impostors and ejecting them into the cold vacuum of space. As an Impostor, it’s your job to deceive the Crew into keeping you on board while methodically eliminating each one of them.
Frostpunk
Free on the Epic Games Store: June 3 - June 10
Frostpunk offers a rather interesting spin on city builders, asking players to take care of building structures and manage resources, but also choose the laws of their city. Moral decisions often challenge how far you want to go: under the heavy strain of a seemingly endless winter, forcing everyone – including children – to work overtime in your factories might just be the only path to survival.
Control
Free on the Epic Games Store: June 10 - June 17
Control’s shapeshifting weaponry and telekinetic powers offer a unique brand of combat, at least among developer Remedy Entertainment’s titles, while it’s story takes you across multiple mind-bending locations inside a secretive government agency called the Bureau. Few things are what they seem and, while it takes a bit to wrap your head around everything, putting in the time to do so most certainly pays off.
Hell Is Other Demons
Free on the Epic Games Store: June 17 - June 24
Hell Is Other Demons combines bullet hell shooter and roguelite elements as it sends you on a killing spree across its handcrafted world. It rewards fast thinking while its visuals, also inspired by games from days long gone, send you on a trip down nostalgia lane.
Overcooked! 2
Free on the Epic Games Store: June 17 - June 24
Overcooked! 2 is all about holding back the ominous Unbread through chaotic cooking action. It’s very much one that can make you not want to talk to your friends for a week after they got in between you and making sushi that’s not utterly burned, but free is free and hard to argue against.
Horizon Chase Turbo
Free on the Epic Games Store: June 24 - July 1
Inspired by arcade racers like Out Run or Lotus Turbo Challenge, Horizon Chase Turbo is a blast from the past that sends you racing through 48 of the world’s cities while featuring multiplayer split-screen support.
Sonic Mania
Free on the Epic Games Store: June 24 - July 1
Sonic Mania’s 2D environments and classic platofmer gameplay harkens back to the franchise’s glory days. Playing as Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, you get to platform your way across levels, collect rings, fight a variety of bosses and, of course, go fast.
The Spectrum Retreat
Free on the Epic Games Store: July 1 - July 8
The Spectrum Retreat is a narrative-driven first-person puzzler in which players seek to uncover the mysteries of the Penrose hotel, “a peaceful yet unsettling refuge from the outside world.”
Bridge Constructor: The Walking Dead
Free on the Epic Games Store: July 8 - July 15
Bridge Constructor: The Walking Dead gives the physics puzzler a bleak, zombie-filled makeover. Players team up with beloved characters like Daryl, Michonne and Eugene, attempting to see vehicles from the popular TV series to safety, all while holding back and blowing up seemingly endless waves of undead
Ironcast
Free on the Epic Games Store: July 8 - July 15
Ironcast takes elements from games like FTL and Puzzle Quest and mashes them together. Taking control of a 7-meter tall steampunk mech – which alone is reason enough to check it out – you defend Victorian England against invading mechs all while managing resources and showing off your match-three skills.
Obduction
Free on the Epic Games Store: July 15 - July 22
Obduction is a sci-fi adventure developed by the team behind the Myst series. It’s a more relaxed take on the genre, that mixes exploring a beautiful, at times strange, world with investigation and puzzle solving.
Offworld Trading Company
Free on the Epic Games Store: July 15 - July 22
Offworld Trading Company returns as a free title on the Epic Games Store, taking players to a colonized Mars and tasking them with becoming a titan of industry. Rather than military might, you’ll have to make the right decisions when it comes to which resources to exploit and use market manipulation to come ahead of your corporate competitors. With multiple resources to choose from, diplomatic ties to forge or break, and various CEO types – each with their own traits and abilities –, the title brings a good dose of replayability to the table.
Defense Grid: The Awakening
Free on the Epic Games Store: July 22 - July 29
Defense Grid: The Awakening returns as a free Epic Games Store title in 2021. If you want an expression of the tower defense genre in its purest form and also happen to be into sci-fi, there’s no reason not to hop in and start figuring out how best to place down towers in order to beat the game’s 20 levels.
Verdun
Free on the Epic Games Store: July 22 - July 29
Verdun is a World War I first-person shooter whose multiplayer battles strive to realistically represent the trench warfare that marked the conflict. You’ll defend against enemy charges and perform your own all while avoiding poison gas and lethal bullets flying out of hidden positions as you race across no man’s land. Teamwork and communication, as you can probably tell, are both required if you’re looking to emerge victorious.
Mothergunship
Free on the Epic Games Store: July 29 - Aug 5
First-person shooter Mothergunship pits you against swarms of deadly robotic foes but also equips you with some of the craziest weapon customization options you can find. Where other games let you add scopes and suppressors to your guns, Mothergunship lets you stack guns on top of guns. Whether you choose a quad minigun build or mix sawblade and rocket launchers with traditional assault rifles, it’s all up to you.
Train Sim World 2
Free on the Epic Games Store: July 29 - Aug 5
Train Sim World 2 dials up the realism with more real-world locations and train models that you can customize and drive in various locations around the world. Its tutorials help ease you into the role of train driver, while its Journey and Scenario modes test your understanding of how each locomotive handles.
A Plague Tale: Innocence
Free on the Epic Games Store: Aug 5 - Aug 12
Set in 14th-century France, A Plague Tale: Innocence follows brothers Amicia and Hugo De Rune as they attempt to escape the Inquisition and Black Plague alike. A third-person action-adventure game that emphasizes stealth and ranged combat, its stunning visuals and inclusion of supernatural elements make for a harrowing journey. The deadly tide of rats that threaten to overrun the world are impressive foes but, under certain circumstances, can also be turned into allies.
Minit
Free on the Epic Games Store: Aug 5 - Aug 12
Minit is a 2D puzzle game donning an action-adventure garb. Its gameplay relies on using 60-second loops to venture out, help others, and progressively learn more about the world around you. While its minimalistic visual style might not be everyone’s cup of tea, underneath it lies a delightful little indie game.
Rebel Galaxy
Free on the Epic Games Store: Aug 12 - Aug 19
Rebel Galaxy puts you at the helm of a star destroyer and gives you free hand to explore, fight, and trade your way across the edge of the universe. You can opt to befriend aliens and hunt down pirates, dedicate yourself to mining, fill your space pockets through trading, or branch out and sample a bit of everything that the stars have to offer.
Yooka-Laylee
Free on the Epic Games Store: Aug 19 - Aug 26
Yooka-Laylee is an open-world platforming game that taps into similar energy as the genre classics while donning a playful, modern coat. As you venture across its worlds, seeking to stop corporate villain Capital B’s plans, you’ll have to overcome various puzzles which require expanding the two heroes’ arsenal of abilities Plenty of collectibles and mini-games also await, as do several boss fights and a cast of charming characters.
Void Bastards
Free on the Epic Games Store: Aug 19 - Aug 26
Void Bastards is a roguelike that names BioShock and System Shock 2 as sources of inspiration. While shooting is an integral part of getting your team out of the the Sargasso Nebula, you’ll also need to plan your path through the game’s derelict ships, as you look for supplies and interact with control systems to, maybe, make your life a bit easier.
Saints Row: The Third Remastered
Free on the Epic Games Store: August 25 - September 2
Saints Row: The Third Remastered gives the decade-old game a fresh coat of paint. The title is notorious for dialing up the chaos to eleven and leaning into the wackier side of open world games, as players fight to take control of Steelport from the Syndicate.
Automachef
Free on the Epic Games Store: August 26 - September 2
Automachef blends resource management and puzzles while tasking players with setting up automated restaurants that don’t (instantly) catch fire as soon as they start producing tasty food. If the more directed campaign levels and Contracts mode prove a tad too restrictive for your imagination, the game’s Sandbox mode lets you set it free.
Yoku's Island Express
Free on the Epic Games Store: September 2 - September 9
In Yoku’s Island Express, you help pint-sized protagonist Yoku uncover the secrets of Mokumana Island through a mixture of pinball mechanics, platforming, and open world exploration. You get to choose how you approach its different quests while unlocking new abilities as you help the island’s inhabitants.
Nioh: The Complete Edition
Free on the Epic Games Store: September 9 - September 16
Nioh: The Complete Edition is Team Ninja’s take on a soulslike. You play a lone samurai making his way across Japan while battling warriors and Yokai who want to claim his life. Flashy action, intense fights, and brutal difficulty are all part of what’s one of the bigger Epic Games Store free games of 2021.
Sheltered
Free on the Epic Games Store: September 9 - September 16
Survival management game Sheltered centers around protecting your family in a harsh, post-apocalyptic world. You not only need to secure resources necessary to keep everyone alive, but also ensure that your shelter is in as good a state as can be. You’ll also do your fair share of crafting, pick which of your family’s stats to improve, and recruit outside helpers whose loyalty you have to earn.
Speed Brawl
Free on the Epic Games Store: September 16 - September 23
Speed Brawl is a 2D combat-racer that challenges you to maintain momentum while moving, pulling off combos and unleashing special moves upon your opponents. Its 6 brawlers each bring unique playstyles to the mix and you can try them out across 50 events and races.
Tharsis
Free on the Epic Games Store: September 16 - September 23
Tharsis contrasts the game it’s paired with by offering those who pick it up a sci-fi turn-based space strategy game that also has dice and its fair share of cannibalism. Humanity’s first mission to Mars is struck by a micrometeoroid storm, and it’s up to you to make sure it pulls through food shortages and all manner of other hardships. Probably not a lot of cannibal dice, though, unless you wave your sanity goodbye.
The Escapists
Free on the Epic Games Store: September 23 - September 30
The Escapists returns as a free Epic Games Store game in 2021, giving players who missed it the first time around another shot to try their hand at escaping its pixelated prisons. A sandbox game at its core, the title lets you experiment with different methods of evading your captors as you navigate the prison’s strict rules. You can cause riots, steadily dig tunnels to freedom, or find other ways of getting out.
Europa Universalis 4
Free on the Epic Games Store: September 30 - Octomber 7
Europa Universalis 4 gives 2021’s list of Epic Games Store free games a dose of grand strategy, giving players a shot at ruling vast empires or seeing them crashing and burning. Spanning the period between 1444 AD and 1821 AD, the title lets you manage different facets like trade, diplomacy, and military, as you navigate its complex political weave.
PC Building Simulator
Free on the Epic Games Store: October 7 - October 14
PC Building Simulator pretty much does what it says on the tin, letting you try your hand at building virtual PCs using real-world components from manufacturers like Nvidia, EVGA, Asus, and many others. Given how difficult and expensive obtaining some of parts can be nowadays, it’s one way to make sure you don’t get too rusty by the time of your next upgrade. And, if you’d like something more involved, its career mode puts you in charge of your very own PC repair and building business.
Paladins Epic Pack
Free on the Epic Games Store: October 14 - October 21
Paladins is a free-to-play game to begin with, but redeeming the Epic Pack unlocks four champions – Androxus, Raum, Tyra, and Ying – from its sizable roster, one for each of the game’s playable roles. Better yet, you also get the Exalted Androxus, Subjugator Raum, Baroness Tyra, and Snapdragon Ying skins.
Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse
Free on the Epic Games Store: October 14 - October 21
Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse is an action-adventure game that puts you in the shoes of one shambling undead with a mild sense of style, for once. Originally released in 2005, the title received a remaster this year, so you can turn humans into zombies and literally throw your head at people in glorious 4K and with better controls.
Among the Sleep - Enhanced Edition
Free on the Epic Games Store: October 21 - October 28
Among the Sleep - Enhanced Edition brings a set of improvements to the first-person horror adventure, including better visuals, new dialogue, “enhanced puzzles and gameplay,” as well as a museum level that lets you check out unreleased footage and concepts that didn’t make it into the original release.
Darq: Complete Edition
Free on the Epic Games Store: October 28 - November 4
Darq: Complete Edition follows Lloyd, who’s in the unenviable situation of being trapped in a lucid nightmare. Expect your fair share of puzzles, gravity shifts, and stealth before you’ll see the story through to its end.
Aven Colony
Free on the Epic Games Store: November 4 - November 11
Aven Colony is a colony sim centered around building and managing humanity’s first extrasolar settlement. Located on Aven Prime, a planet of untamed deserts, tundras, and jungles, you’re tasked with maintaining your colony’s infrastructure, looking after its inhabitants, and expanding it to welcome more people from Earth. Just look out for the extreme electrical storms, toxic eruptions, deadly sandworms, and the fungal infection ominously named The Creep.
Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands One-shot Adventure
Free on the Epic Games Store: November 9 - November 16
Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands One-shot Adventure is the standalone version of 2013’s Borderlands 2 DLC that transported the title’s Vault Hunters into a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired world, in which Tina takes on the role of dungeon master. Arguably one of the shooter’s best post-launch DLC, it provides similar thrills as the base game just with a new coat of paint and with lots of Tina’s great humor. It’s also a good warm-up for next year’s Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, albeit one with an unnecessarily long title.
Rogue Company Season Four Epic Pack
Free on the Epic Games Store: November 11 - November 18
The Rogue Company Season Four Epic Pack unlocks two of the game’s playable characters, Switchblade and Scorch, but also contains the former’s Inferno Imp outfit alongside 20,000 Battle Pass XP that speeds up your seasonal progression. While not quite the same as the full games the storefront has been giving us over the past couple of years, it’s a welcome addition if you happen to spend your free time in Rogue Company.
Guild of Dungeoneering
Free on the Epic Games Store: November 18 - November 25
Turn-based dungeon crawler Guild of Dungeoneering doesn’t put you in control of its heroes. Instead, you build the dungeon which these adventures must brave, using cards. As you place down monster rooms, traps, and loot, they decide on which path they want to take. In between runs, you also get to manage the guild you run, giving you more options to improve your heroes.
Kid A Mnesia Exhibition
Free on the Epic Games Store: November 18 - November 25
An interactive exhibition featuring art by Thom Yorke and Stanley Donwood Kid A Mnesia Exhibition celebrates the anniversary of Radiohead’s Kid A and Amnesiac albums.
Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna)
Free on the Epic Games Store: November 18 - November 25
In Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna), you follow Nuna and Fox in their search for the source of an eternal blizzard that threatens their existence. A platformer at its core, it also provides quite a bit of insight about the Iñupiat, an Alaska Native people, through unlockable videos.
Antstream - Epic Welcome Pack
Free on the Epic Games Store: November 25 - December 2
The Antstream - Epic Welcome Pack gets you 1090 Gems worth $14.99 that you can use in Anstream Arcade to play games, complete challenges, and take part in limited-time tournaments. In case you’re unaware, Antstream Arcade features more than 1000 titles, including classics like Space Invaders, Bubble Trouble, and Metal Slug, you can stream straight from the developer’s servers.
theHunter: Call of the Wild
Free on the Epic Games Store: November 25 - December 2
theHunter: Call of the Wild is an atmospheric hunting game that lets you tackle hunts alone or alongside friends, in online co-op. Striving for authenticity, the title asks players to learn the behavior and movement patterns of animals as they hunt game across different biomes. You’ll also need to choose the right weapon for the job as well as the ammo that fits the animal you’re about to hunt, while taking into account the wind’s direction and bullet drop before you pull the trigger.
Dead by Daylight
Free on the Epic Games Store: December 2 - December 9
Dead By Daylight is an asymmetrical multiplayer horror game in which four Survivors have to escape a Killer who’s out to get them. Survivors play from a third-person perspective but can only outrun and outwit their hunter while trying to escape the game’s procedurally-generated levels. Killers play from a first-person perspective, but have access to lethal abilities and can also benefit from Survivors choosing to betray their comrades. Boasting a roster of both original and licensed characters, the title continues to receive regular updates five years after launch.
while True: learn()
Free on the Epic Games Store: December 2 - December 9
while True: learn() is a puzzle game about machine learning, neural networks, big data and AI. Although those all sound like daunting topics for a video game to approach, the title frames its puzzles as part of your attempt to communicate with your cat (who’s great at coding), while also benefitting from a colorful art style.
Godfall Challenger Edition
Free on the Epic Games Store: December 9 - December 16
Godfall Challenger Edition lets you try out the action-RPG’s three endgame modes by giving you access to a maximum level Valorplate and appropriate equipment. You can tackle them on your own or alongside two other players and unlock new loot as you go along. What you don’t have access to is the title’s campaign, which you’ll have to purchase separately.
Prison Architect
Free on the Epic Games Store: December 9 - December 16
In Prison Architect, you design and manage your very own prison, looking after everything from the layout of its rooms and cells to the staff you hire and the well-being of your inmates. On the way to rehabilitating them, you’ll have to deal with riots and prisoners trying to escape, while ensuring that your funding doesn’t run out.
Shenmue 3
Free on the Epic Games Store: December 16 - December 17
Shenmue 3 kicks off 2021’s daily free game giveaways that mark the end of the year on the Epic Games Store. The title continues Ryo Hazuki’s quest to avenge his father by sending him throughout rural China, where he must solve the mystery of the Phoenix Mirror, an artifact that his father’s killer also desires.
Neon Abyss
Free on the Epic Games Store: December 17 - December 18
Fast-paced roguelike action-platformer Neon Abyss sees you running and gunning across expanding procedurally generated dungeons as you attempt to take down the New Gods. You’ll die a lot, but each run helps you grow in power over time while unlocking bosses, items, and more. Add some cool, colorful pixel art, and you’ve a game that’ll easily keep you busy through the holidays.
Remnant: From the Ashes
Free on the Epic Games Store: December 18 - December 19
Remnant: From the Ashes is the third free game Epic Games Store will be giving away during the Christmas Holidays. Players have been thrown into a world of chaos by an ancient evil from another dimension, and as one of the last remnants of humanity, you must survive an onslaught of deadly enemies as you carve a foothold on the world and rebuild civilization.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Free on the Epic Games Store: December 19 - December 20
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a first-person adventure game in which you attempt to solve the mystery of a missing boy through exploration and puzzle solving. The title is inspired by weird fiction and comes with a thick atmosphere.
Loop Hero
Free on the Epic Games Store: December 20 - December 21
Loop Hero brings its own take on the RPG genre, blending in roguelike and autobattler elements while putting players in charge of deciding their hero’s path through the use of cards. You must find the right balance in order to keep your hero alive while seeking out loot and resources, all in an effort to break the loop of an evil lich who seeks to end the world.
Second Extinction
Free on the Epic Games Store: December 21 - December 22
Second Extinction pits you and up to two friends against hordes of mutated dinosaurs as you explore its open world, looking to complete different missions. A co-op first-person shooter that puts action at the forefront, it entered early access in October 2020.
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
Free on the Epic Games Store: December 22 - December 23
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden was published by Funcom and developed by The Bearded Ladies when it released in 2018. It’s a tactical game combining the turn-based combat of XCOM, where you take control of a team of Mutants navigating a post-human Earth. It’s singleplayer, there’s no co-op or multiplayer modes.
Daily Mystery Game
Free on the Epic Games Store: Each day, starting with December 23 until December 30
The series of 15 daily giveaways will continue until December 30, some of the games rumored to be new to the Epic Games Store. As we’ll spend some time figuring out what these things people call “holidays” are, you’ll want to keep an eye on French website Dealabs, as one of its users has reliably leaked all of the freebies ahead of time thus far.
If you’d like a refresher on the free games you could grab on the Epic Games Store in 2020, check out our old list. For current freebies, head to our 2022 article.
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