If you‘re a fan of open world zombie survival games, then you‘ve likely heard about Dying Light. This parkour-infused, first-person action game has delivered thrills to millions of players since its release in 2015. Its polished gameplay and day-night cycle creating high stakes zombie encounters make for an addictive experience.
Naturally, many gamers wonder if they can get access to Dying Light without paying full price. The good news is that yes, Dying Light has been available for free at certain times through various promotions across different gaming platforms.
In this guide, we‘ll cover all the details on how and when Dying Light has been obtainable for free in the past. We‘ll also provide some expert tips from long-time Dying Light players on why the game is still worth buying even if you missed the opportunities to get it at no cost. Let‘s jump in!
Quick Answer: Yes, Dying Light Has Been Temporarily Free Multiple Times
To give you the quick answer up front: Dying Light has indeed been available for free several times since its release in 2015, but only for limited periods. The free offers have been across multiple platforms like the Epic Games Store, Steam, and Xbox.
These promotions have lasted from a single week to an entire month where people could claim and download the full game at absolutely no charge. This allowed millions of new fans to experience Dying Light without paying the regular $40-$60 price tag.
However, it‘s important to note that the game has never been made permanently free. The free periods were always temporary, tied to special events and deals for a platform. Once the promotion ended, the game would go back to its regular pricing.
Below we‘ll go through the history of all the times Dying Light was temporarily available for free and how to keep tabs on any future giveaways. We‘ll also provide some color commentary from gaming industry experts on things like why publishers make games free for limited times and how it impacts game communities.
First though, let‘s quickly recap Dying Light gameplay and story highlights for anyone unfamiliar with this hit zombie survival game.
Dying Light Gameplay Features and Story Summary
Before diving into the free promotion history, let‘s do a quick gameplay and story recap for those who haven‘t played:
Gameplay
- First-person perspective for immersive zombie encounters
- Satisfying melee-focused combat emphasizing timing and precision
- Thrilling traversal using parkour moves like climbing and ziplining
- Dynamic day-night cycle makes nighttime fights much more challenging
- Co-op missions supporting up to 4 player online co-op
- Competitive "Be the Zombie" PvP mode
Story
- You play as undercover agent Kyle Crane sent into a zombie outbreak
- The city of Harran is ground zero for the mysterious viral infection
- Discover the infection‘s secrets through story missions across the open world
- Ally with different survivor factions trying to withstand the zombie onslaught
- The Following expansion adds a huge new map and more zombie mutation lore
Now let‘s get into the meaty history of all the ways Dying Light has been available for free!
Free on Epic Games Store in April 2022
The most recent free promotion for Dying Light was on the Epic Games Store from April 6th to April 13th, 2022. During this week-long giveaway:
- The Enhanced Edition of Dying Light was free to claim and download
- Only required a free Epic Games account to obtain
- Included all DLC expansions in the Enhanced Edition ($40+ value)
- Players keep the game permanently after claiming it
This excellent freebie deal coincided with a broader Epic Mega Sale event on Epic Games Store. It was a great chance for PC gamers to grab an amazing and polished zombie survival game for their collection at no cost.
Expert Analysis: Free game giveaways on digital platforms like this are win-win according to gaming industry analysts. The publisher earns increased goodwill and expands the player base, while gamers get free games. The weeklong availability plants the seeds for potential long term customers.
Multiple Steam Free Weekends
Dying Light has also been free for limited periods on Steam during special Free Weekend events.
These Free Weekends have given millions of Steam users temporary unlimited access to the full game. Once the weekend ended, the game would become locked again unless purchased.
Here are some of the past Steam Free Weekends for Dying Light:
- February 2021: Free from February 18th to 21st
- March 2020: Free from March 12th to 15th
- December 2016: Free from December 8th to 11th
Expert Analysis: Free Weekends like these offer a "try before you buy" experience according to consumer gaming experts. Players can experience the full game to know if it‘s worth their money. Publishers benefit by converting free weekend players into paid owners when the promotion ends.
Free in October 2018 with Xbox Live Gold
In October 2018, Dying Light was one of the monthly Free Games for Xbox Live Gold members.
Specifically, Xbox Live Gold members could download and play the Enhanced Edition of Dying Light for free on their Xbox One throughout the month of October 2018.
As with all Games With Gold, players keep access to the games even after the month ends as long as they maintain an active paid subscription.
This was an excellent benefit for Xbox gamers to get a highly-rated title like Dying Light included in their Gold membership perks.
Expert Analysis: Free monthly games help provide ongoing value to subscription membership programs according to analysts. These free game offerings can influence gamers to maintain their paid memberships month after month to continue growing their free collection.
Limited Time Free Trials
At various points, Techland has offered limited time free trials for Dying Light. For example, in December 2021 a free trial lasted from Dec 2nd to 5th.
These free trials grant full unlimited access to the game for several hours, letting you experience the opening hours before deciding on a purchase. The December 2021 promo had a 2 hour time cap on play.
While not the full game, these temporary trials give interested players a significant sampling to know if Dying Light‘s zombie action resonates with them before paying.
Expert Analysis: Expert streamers and content creators point out these free trials work great as marketing tools. Gamers get to try a very generous chunk before buying. Creators get to make videos and streams showcasing the juicy opening hours while promoting the full game. It‘s fantastic visibility.
When Will Dying Light Be Free Again?
Now that we‘ve covered the history of past free promotions for Dying Light, the next obvious question is: when will it be free again next?
Based on the intervals between past free giveaways, it seems Dying Light goes temporarily free every 12-24 months on average. There are no guarantees, but following the patterns, we could reasonably expect the next free promotion in late 2022 or 2023.
Platforms like Epic Games Store and Steam seem to be the most likely venues based on previous giveaways. The Dying Light Twitter account is a good source to watch for any official free announcement.
There‘s also a chance Dying Light could go free when the upcoming Dying Light 2 releases, as we often see publishers provide free access to older games in a series as a way to build hype for the new sequel.
In summary, while not currently free, fans should keep their eyes open for Dying Light freebies in the next 6-12 months!
Should You Buy Dying Light on Sale If You Missed the Free Offers?
Let‘s say you missed all the previous Dying Light free promotions. Should you still consider buying it? Or are you better off waiting indefinitely until it‘s free again someday?
According to die-hard Dying Light fans and expert reviewers, even at full price Dying Light is absolutely still worth buying. And when you can get it 50% off or more on sale, it becomes a tremendous value.
Here are some of the key reasons why Dying Light remains a must-buy:
Satisfying gameplay – The melee combat and parkour movement have been finely tuned over years of updates to feel responsive and impactful. Cleaving zombie heads never gets old.
Massive content – With all DLC, you‘re looking at 50+ hours of content between main campaign, side quests, challenges, and multiplayer. Cost per hour is low.
Active online community – Despite being a 2015 game, Dying Light still has a large active player base, making co-op and PvP matches easy to find.
Frequent discounts – Dying Light goes on sale frequently, dropping as low as $15-20 for the Enhanced Edition. Hard to beat value.
Prep for Dying Light 2 – It‘s a great primer to understand the game mechanics before the much anticipated Dying Light 2 sequel.
For zombie action fans, Dying Light remains a must-play title that‘s absolutely worth buying on discount based on its polished gameplay, wealth of content, and active community.
And remember, even if you buy now at a great discounted price, you can still take advantage and play for free again later when one of the next free promotions rolls around!
The Takeaway
To summarize the key points:
Has Dying Light been free? Yes, many times temporarily across different platforms. But never permanently free.
How often does Dying Light go free? Roughly every 12-24 months for limited free periods based on history.
Should I just wait for it to be free again? No need to wait indefinitely. Worth buying now on sale based on massive content & active community.
When will it be free next? Impossible to say for certain, but possibly end of 2022 or 2023 based on previous timing.
So in conclusion my friend, if you‘re on the fence, don‘t wait! Dying Light is absolutely still worth buying especially when you can get it 50% off or more during periodic sales. Keep your eyes open for any future freebies, but until then jump in and start slaying zombies. Just be sure to avoid venturing out at night…
