I know many gamers, including myself, look forward to Epic‘s weekly free game drops. It‘s become a bit of a hobby collecting all the freebies for my library.
So when I recently noticed some talk that Epic may be cutting back on free games, I decided to dig into the details myself as a long-time fan of these promotions.
In this post, I‘ll share what I uncovered about the past, present, and future of Epic‘s free game program. Read on to learn if free games are truly ending!
Why We Love Epic‘s Free Games
Ever since the Epic Games Store launched, free games have been my favorite part. Every Thursday morning, I make a cup of coffee and claim whatever new freebie is available.
It‘s a fun weekly ritual, plus an amazing way to try out games I otherwise might not play. My game library has grown exponentially larger thanks to Epic‘s generosity.
I also love that the free games are permanent additions to my collection. Once claimed, I own them forever with no strings attached.
Other gamers I‘ve talked to feel the same way. We all have a bit of hoarder mentality when it comes to deals and freebies. The exclusivity and time pressure of a limited free game drop makes it extra enticing.
Epic‘s free game promotions are genius at attracting customers and building goodwill. I know I‘ve discovered many new favorite games through these giveaways.
So naturally I was concerned when I started seeing speculation that Epic may be winding down the free games. Let‘s investigate if there‘s any truth to this.
Why Does Epic Give Away Free Games?
From a business perspective, Epic doesn‘t hand out free games purely out of generosity. There are calculated strategic reasons that make the promotions worthwhile:
Attracts users to the Epic Games Store: Free games entice gamers to create an Epic account and try their store. This builds Epic‘s user base.
Promotes indie games: Spotlighting smaller indie games helps market them to a bigger audience. Epic builds goodwill with developers.
Stays competitive: Rival Steam also gives away free games and runs sales. Epic has to match these promos to stay competitive.
Highlights platform features: Epic sometimes offers exclusives or games utilizing achievements, cloud saves, etc. This shows off their platform capabilities.
Collects customer data: Claiming free games requires providing an email and account details. This gives Epic valuable customer info and marketing opportunities.
Drives engagement: Users have to open the Epic Store each week to claim the latest free game. This recurring habit boosts engagement.
Based on these reasons, free games are clearly an important growth strategy for Epic Games. As long as the promotions benefit Epic commercially, I think it‘s unlikely they would stop them altogether.
Have Free Game Quality and Frequency Declined?
Recently, I‘ve noticed some of my fellow gamers complaining that Epic‘s free game selections are not as good as they used to be.
In the first couple years after launch, Epic routinely gave away major AAA blockbusters like GTA V, Civilization VI, Batman Arkham Collection, Borderlands Collection and many other big titles.
Lately, the free offerings tend to be smaller indie games or older AA games. There have been fewer super exciting AAA freebies in 2022 and 2023 so far.
To quantify this, I pulled data on some of the top free games from each year:
| Year | Notable Free Games |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Subnautica, Super Meat Boy, What Remains of Edith Finch, Axiom Verge, Thimbleweed Park |
| 2019 | Subnautica: Below Zero, Alan Wake, For Honor, Jackbox Party Pack, Jurassic World Evolution, Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden |
| 2020 | GTA V, Civilization VI, Ark: Survival Evolved, Borderlands Handsome Collection, Crying Suns, Just Cause 4, Metro: 2033 Redux |
| 2021 | Control, Borderlands 3, Remnant: From the Ashes, NBA 2K21, Alien: Isolation |
| 2022 | Prey, Fallout 3, Star Wars Battlefront II, Rage 2, Maneater |
You can see a clear trend of the free game quality shifting away from prominent new AAA releases, towards more modest or older titles. This matches the general sentiment I‘ve noticed recently.
However, looking at the frequency of giveaways, Epic has maintained a steady pace of 1-2 new free games each week since early 2022:
| Month | # of Free Games |
|---|---|
| January 2022 | 5 |
| February 2022 | 4 |
| March 2022 | 5 |
| April 2022 | 4 |
| May 2022 | 5 |
| June 2022 | 4 |
| July 2022 | 5 |
| August 2022 | 5 |
| September 2022 | 4 |
| October 2022 | 6 |
| November 2022 | 5 |
| December 2022 | 4 |
| January 2023 | 4 |
Aside from a couple one-week gaps, the pace of free games has been consistent.
So while the quality of the giveaways seems weaker to some users, Epic has maintained the same frequency so far.
What Does This Mean for the Future of Epic Free Games?
Epic has not given any indication they plan to stop the free game promotions. In fact, they reiterated their commitment in a September 2022 press release:
“Epic Games Store will continue to offer exciting free games throughout 2023 and beyond… We will continue providing great free games for our community."
Based on their words, free games aren’t going away. However, some changes to the program seem likely due to a few factors:
Budgets for promotions have limits. Securing free game deals isn‘t cheap, especially for top new releases.
Major publishers now have less incentive to put major new games into free giveaways so soon after launch. They don’t want to undercut paid sales.
Epic may shift focus to highlighting more indie games and exclusives. These are cheaper for Epic to make free.
Big AAA hits as freebies will probably be spaced farther apart, reserved for special events and promotions.
So in my opinion, the days of routinely getting brand new triple-A blockbusters for free every other week are likely over. Epic set high expectations early on that probably aren‘t sustainable.
However, we’ll still see some decent games periodically mixed in. Epic just has to balance giveaway quality with budgets and publisher relationships.
As an avid gamer and fan of freebies, I’m overall optimistic Epic won’t abandon the free games. They just may not blow us away quite as often. But I’m still excited to see what comes each week!
How Does Steam Compare for Free Games?
Steam is Epic‘s biggest rival, so how do the two platforms compare when it comes to free games?
Steam offers free-to-keep games across various promotions like seasonal sales and special events. Here are the key differences I see:
Epic Games Store advantages:
Consistent weekly free game drops
Occasional major AAA freebie releases
Only need to claim to get permanent free games; no strings attached
Free games have no DRM restrictions after claiming
Steam advantages:
More total free games available across all promotions
Frequent free weekends for new major releases
Massive seasonal sales with deep discounts
More flexibility in how free games are offered
Bigger collection of permanently free games
For the sheer volume of free games, Steam comes out way ahead thanks to the frequent sales and huge catalog of games.
However, I think Epic is better when it comes to consistently offering exciting new free full games on a weekly basis. It feels more special knowing I need to log in each Thursday morning to claim the latest deal.
Different gamers may prefer one over the other depending on their priorities. But both platforms give PC gamers awesome opportunities to expand their libraries for free.
I plan to keep collecting free games from both stores for the maximum savings!
Are Epic‘s Free Games Really Free?
When something seems too good to be true, it often is. Since Epic gives away free games so regularly, some consumers worry there may be some kind of hidden catch or cost.
I want to emphasize that the free games are yours to keep forever at absolutely no cost. Once they are claimed, you don‘t even need an active Epic account to play them.
You can download the free games, delete your Epic account, and still play them indefinitely with no restrictions. The only requirement is downloading the Epic Games Store app to claim the promotions.
Epic‘s goal is simply to get more gamers invested in using their platform. The company makes money from game sales and their share of revenue, not the free giveaways themselves.
So rest assured, Epic‘s weekly game deals really are just free gifts to grow their user base, with no sinister ulterior motives. Enjoy them guilt-free!
Is the Epic Games Store Worth Using Just for the Free Games?
Should you bother claiming Epic‘s weekly free games if you otherwise prefer Steam? Here are some pros and cons to consider:
Pros:
Get 1-2 free games per week to keep forever
Chance to get occasional major AAA game giveaways
Free games require no subscription or additional purchases
No DRM on claimed games; can play offline forever
Cons:
Have to use Epic Games Store instead of Steam
Selection less exciting than past years
Many free games are indies or older titles
Must log in weekly to claim offerings
For most gamers, it’s worth visiting Epic each week to expand your library risk-free. Even if you only enjoy a fraction of the games, the total value gained adds up dramatically over time.
However, don’t feel like you need to claim every game if nothing interests you that week. They often cycle back around in future promotions if you change your mind.
I think it comes down to personal preference. But the small time investment to grab Epic’s weekly freebies pays off in the long run with more games to play.
The Bottom Line on Epic Free Games
Based on Epic‘s public comments, there are no signs the weekly free game giveaways will be going away anytime soon. They remain an effective tactic for attracting more users to the Epic Games Store.
However, the days of consistently epic AAA freebies are probably over. Rising competition makes deals for top-tier new releases more expensive for Epic.
In my opinion, we’ll still get some solid free games periodically, but expectations should be managed. Not every week will be a home run.
For diehard deal seekers like myself, I still think claiming Epic’s weekly freebie is a fun ritual and worth the minor effort. Even lesser-known games can turn out to be hidden gems.
I‘m hopeful Epic will celebrate major events or milestones by breaking out especially juicy freebies to keep players excited. But we’ll have to wait and see!
One thing is certain – as long as gamers like me keep collecting Epic’s weekly offerings, the company has plenty of incentive to keep the free games coming. So I don’t expect this beloved promotion to end anytime soon. Happy gaming!
