The Epic Games Store gives away at least one paid PC game every week, permanently, and you do not have to install it to keep it. The catch is the window: a new title replaces the old one every Thursday, and anything you did not claim before the swap is gone. This page explains how the giveaway actually works, how to see what is free right now in about ten seconds, and how to stop missing weeks.
Quick answer: Open store.epicgames.com/free-games to see this week’s titles. New free games appear every Thursday at 8 AM Pacific, which is 11 AM Eastern and 3 PM UTC in winter or 4 PM UTC during daylight saving. You have seven days to claim, you need an Epic account with two factor authentication enabled, and once claimed the game is yours permanently.
Epic has run this promotion continuously since the store launched, and it has become the single best reason to keep an Epic account even if you buy everything else elsewhere. The rules are simple once you know them, and they contrast sharply with how digital ownership works on other storefronts.
How the giveaway works
Source: Epic Games Store player support documentation.
How to check what is free right now
Three routes, in order of speed.
The web. Go straight to the free games page on store.epicgames.com. It always shows the current title and, usually, the one arriving next Thursday. This is the fastest option and it works on a phone.
The launcher. Open the Epic Games Launcher, click Store, and the free games carousel sits near the top of the home page. Claiming here adds the title to your library immediately.
The mobile app. Epic now runs a mobile store as well, with its own weekly giveaway. The offers are not always identical to the PC ones, so check both if you use both. Handheld and living room players should also watch what Valve is doing with SteamOS.
Tip: You do not need the launcher to claim. The web store works in any browser, including on a phone, and the game lands in your library ready to install whenever you want it. Claiming takes about fifteen seconds on mobile.
Claiming, step by step
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sign in to your Epic account, or create one. It is free and does not require a payment method. |
| 2 | Enable two factor authentication under Account, Password and Security. Claims are blocked without it. |
| 3 | Open the free games page and click Get on each title on offer. |
| 4 | Complete the checkout. The total is zero, but you still confirm the order. |
| 5 | Check the Library tab. If it is listed there, it is yours whether or not you ever install it. |
Never miss a week
The seven day window is generous but the swap is unforgiving, and most people who miss games miss them because nothing reminded them. Pick one of these.
A recurring calendar entry. Thursday at 11 AM Eastern, repeating weekly, with the free games URL in the notes. Boring and completely reliable.
Store notifications. In the launcher, open Settings and enable notifications for promotions. Epic will tell you when a new giveaway starts.
Wishlist the upcoming title. When Epic previews next week’s game, add it to your wishlist. You get an alert when the offer goes live.
Note: Epic player support states plainly that it does not have advance information about upcoming free games beyond what the store shows. Any site claiming a confirmed list months ahead is guessing or repeating a leak, so treat those with caution.
The seasonal exception worth knowing
Around mid December Epic usually switches from weekly to daily giveaways for roughly two weeks, with a new title every twenty four hours. The claim window shrinks to a single day, so the calendar reminder that works for the rest of the year is not enough. If you only check in once during December, that is when a dozen games slip past.
What kind of games actually turn up
The catalogue is broader than the reputation suggests. Over a typical year the rotation mixes four recognisable groups, and knowing them helps you judge whether a week is worth setting a reminder for.
| Type | Why it is given away |
|---|---|
| Older triple A titles | The publisher wants a sequel or a remaster in front of a new audience |
| Well reviewed indies | Visibility is worth more than the tail end of sales |
| Games with live services | The base game is the funnel, the store inside it is the business |
| Genuinely obscure back catalogue | Cheap for Epic, and occasionally a real discovery |
Claim everything regardless of whether you intend to play it. There is no storage cost until you install, no limit on library size, and the calculation is simply that a free entitlement can only ever be worth zero or more.
Is the account worth keeping if you only use Steam?
Yes, and you can keep the two apart. An Epic account is free, the launcher is optional, and claiming through the browser takes seconds. Nothing forces you to move your habits, and a game you claimed in 2024 is still sitting there today if you decide to play it.
The genuine downsides are worth stating plainly. Epic’s launcher has fewer features than Steam, some titles arrive with fewer accessibility and mod options, and cloud saves are less consistent across the catalogue. None of that changes the value of a free permanent licence.
Common problems
The Get button does nothing. Almost always two factor authentication. Enable it, refresh the page, and try again.
The game is not available in my country. Some titles are restricted by publisher agreement or local ratings. There is no legitimate workaround, and using a VPN to change your store region violates the terms of service and can cost you the account and everything in it.
I claimed it but it is not in my library. Give the order a few minutes and restart the launcher. If it still does not appear, check the email address on the account, since it is common to have claimed on a second Epic account created through a game sign in.
It says I already own it. You claimed it in a previous giveaway. Epic repeats titles occasionally, and the library is the record.
Warning: Free game listings are a favourite hook for phishing. Epic never asks for your password on a third party site and never requires a payment card to claim a free title. Type the store address yourself rather than following a link from a chat message, the same discipline that protects you from malware handed out over Discord.
Frequently asked questions
What time do Epic free games change?
Epic publishes 8 AM Pacific on Thursdays, which is 11 AM Eastern, 4 PM in the United Kingdom during British Summer Time and 3 PM in winter. The change can lag by a few minutes on busy weeks, so if the old title is still showing, refresh rather than assuming you missed it.
Do I keep the game if I cancel Epic or delete the launcher?
Yes. The entitlement is attached to your account, not to the launcher. Uninstalling the client, or not installing it at all, does not affect ownership. You can reinstall years later and the game will still be there.
Do I need to download the game to keep it?
No. Clicking Get and completing the zero cost checkout is enough. Epic’s own support confirms the game is yours permanently even if you never download it, which matters when a giveaway lands on a week with no free disk space.
Are the free games full versions or demos?
Full versions. They are the same builds sold on the store, including any base game downloadable content that the listing specifies. Titles occasionally exclude later expansions, which the store page states before you claim.
Can I gift a free game to someone else?
No. Giveaway titles cannot be gifted or transferred, and the claim is bound to the account that made it. Everyone who wants a copy needs to claim it themselves within the window.
The bottom line
The mechanics have not changed in years: Thursday, 8 AM Pacific, seven days, yours forever, two factor authentication required. Bookmark the free games page, set one recurring reminder, and check daily during the December run. That is the entire strategy, and it quietly builds a library worth hundreds of dollars over a couple of years. Pair it with Steam’s published sale calendar and you rarely need to pay full price for anything.
