However, players might want to remember that the Epic Games Store already has a slate of free titles for gamers to try. In fact, some of the free titles in Epic Games may amaze players well-enough to stay tuned for the rest of the platform’s future offerings. Just what are these free games?
Updated on December 15, 2022 by Rhenn Taguiam: With the Epic Games Store staying strong in its commitment to providing decent deals and even free games to players, it makes sense for gamers to be on the lookout for free games on the platform every week. And while certain titles go back to being priced listings after their time as free games, Epic Games Store does have a wide selection of permanently-free titles that gamers can enjoy.
Among these titles are a battle royale with base-building elements, a gacha game with a rather immense open world and intense story, a racing game with an intensive track-building element, and even a love-letter to ARPGs.
20 Fortnite
Players who want one of the most unique approaches to the battle royale concept should consider giving Fortnite a shot. Unlike other more intense battle royale games, this more light-hearted take on the brutal battle royale genre gives players quite a ton of things to do throughout a match.
What perhaps makes Fortnite a game worth playing isn’t just the fact that it has quite a lot of collaborations with various media. Rather, Fortnite actually offers three (3) completely separate and equally engaging gameplay modes. The traditional battle royale format is Fortnite Battle Royale, where players can not only shoot to dominate but even build obstacles to gain the upper hand. There’s Fortnite: Save the World where the game needs four-man teams to fend off an army of zombie-like husks. Lastly, Fortnite Creative is a sandbox mode where players can do almost anything they like, ranging from casual exploration to the creation of mini-games.
19 Genshin Impact
While the initial perception to a gacha game is a low-effort cash grab hidden through a collectible game format, such isn’t the case with Genshin Impact. Boasting incredibly beautiful graphics and a gripping story, one wouldn’t expect that beneath this rather immense open world title is the opportunity for players to collect equally-appealing characters.
What perhaps makes Genshin Impact worth playing is its approach to gameplay and personalization. The ability to acquire the title’s in-game currency (Primogens) to pull characters and weapons (Wish) as a free player gives gamers a lot of incentives to grind through the game’s story mode and sets of daily missions. Players who want to take a break from intense multiplayer matches can open Genshin Impactand get engulfed with the riveting story of the Traveler and their fate in the mysterious land of Teyvat.
18 Trackmania
Fans of racing games may have heard of the classic Trackmania series, where games focus not just on racing per se, but rather on giving players the ability to create their own custom tracks. This is the emphasis of the Trackmania reboot in 2020, where players have the means to create wildly-ridiculous tracks with the sole purpose of having cars try to finish them as quickly as possible.
Compared to other racing games, Trackmania gives players quite a decent change of pace. This is especially for creative gamers who want to push the limits of physics in racing games with crazy tracks in Trackmania. Fans who want to equally wow and annoy their friends with seemingly-impossible tracks may want to build them in Trackmania.
17 Demon’s Tilt
Despite the rather grim and bloody aesthetic of Demon’s Tilt, it boasts one of the best mechanics of a free to play game in the Epic Games store: hack and slash pinball. At its core, Demon’s Tilt takes the pinball concept and applies action-like mechanics. While players can do classic pinball moves such as nudging, the game now gives players extra mechanics such as the need to avoid obstacles or even the option to attack enemies.
The game takes place across three (3) screens where the ball could be thrown around the entire game. All of these screens have power-ups players can use to increase their scores, as well as bosses that may pop up in order to further challenge the players in their journey.
16 Path Of Exile
One of the most surprising free-to-play games to ever come out of modern gaming would be Path of Exile, perhaps a love letter to the ARPG genre popularized by the Diablo franchise. In Path of Exile, players take control of an Exile, an incredibly powerful being that is now forced to fight for their survival in the ruined continent of Wraeclast after being exiled from the nation of Oriath.
In this dark fantasy world, players can take the role of either the Marauder, Duelist, Ranger, Scion, Shadow, Templar, or the Witch and carve their path in this action RPG. With an intense and replayable PVE and PVP mechanic, Path of Exile is easily one of the more entertaining titles to come out of the platform.
15 Warframe
Who doesn’t want to fight aliens and extradimensional creatures as a gun-toting, katana-wielding, high-speed ninja? In Warframe, players get exactly that. This free action RPG tasks players to become the Tenno, highly-trained warriors who wear Warframes. The Warframes are specialized suits of armor with various abilities. In the game’s lengthy, single-player narrative, the player’s Tenno becomes the last hope in a Solar System corrupted by humanity’s descendants.
However, the real fun begins with the title’s multiplayer components. Thanks to the game’s mechanics, players can zig-zag and zoom around the battlefield using precise jumps, rolls, wall-dashes and other maneuvers while fighting opponents. Moreover, the game’s wide offering of unique and devastating Warframe abilities add a fast-paced, high-octane twist to conventional action RPGs.
14 Neverwinter
Players and TTRPG fans who want a more real-time take to Dungeons & Dragons will love Neverwinter from the Epic Games Store. This free MMO takes place in D&D’s hit region of Neverwinter, where players take on the role of adventurers who will try to save the world from an ever-growing threat.
Unlike other MMO, Neverwinter boasts a real-time combat system that allows players to actively aim, attack, and dodge attacks from opponents. In turn, Neverwinter gives players the opportunity to live out their tabletop dreams as though they are their actual characters. Moreover, the game comes with an engrossing narrative and a gripping story that will easily immerse players into their characters.
13 Rogue Company
Mercenaries shouldn’t just get paid; they need to look good, too! In Rogue Company, players take the team shooter experience and add a more stylish twist. As such, this free Epic Games Store game seems like the typical third-person shooter on the outside. However, the game’s rather wild take on the whole “mercenaries for hire” concept adds a unique flavor that separates it from conventional cooperative titles of the same genre.
In the game, players take on the role of members of the Rogue Company. They serve as mercenaries who take on various jobs to grow in fame, prestige, and power. And thanks to the game’s rather straightforward mechanics, players can easily take on missions, dominate the match, and grab aesthetic gear to build their ultimate rogue.
12 Rocket League
Fans of sports titles and racing games can turn to Rocket League to enjoy the best parts of the two genres. As players might expect, Rocket League involves two teams tossing a soccer ball around a massive field - using cars. In turn, entire matches become a site of hilariously fast-paced fun as cars chase each other and activate their speed boosts. They do all of these while still trying to score goals, as though playing soccer on wheels.
Thanks to this free Epic Games Store title, players have a handy and insane game to enjoy whenever they find themselves in the mood for both soccer and a bit of racing. To make matters more awesome, Rocket League even lets players customize and improve their vehicles.
11 Spellbreak
Conventional battle royales take a backseat as Spellbreak infuses the traditional “last man standing” formula with spells and magic. Essentially, players get thrust into battle as Vowbreakers, mages who tap into forbidden elemental magic to change the world around them. In turn, players need to eliminate other Vowbreakers to prove their domination in the battlefield.
As with other battle royale games, players need to continuously move around the map - all the while avoiding elimination, staying clear of the closing environment, and eliminating enemies. They can even equip various items to improve speed and add armor, while scattered Gauntlets can give players access to two different elemental spells at a time. Thanks to this magic and mana component, players can dish out various elemental attacks and even combine them to create devastating effects. In turn, players can create walls of fire, slide in lines of ice, or suck others into a tornado.
10 Delores: A Thimbleweed Park Mini-Adventure
Fans of classic graphic adventure games of early gaming might want to check out Thimbleweed Park. In the main adventure game, which costs $19.99, FBI agents Reyes and Ray investigate a murder in Thimbleweed Park. They need to interview persons of interest, investigate scenes, and uncover the real nature of Thimbleweed Park.
Delores: A Thimbleweed Park Mini-Adventure is a small standalone chapter that has the same charm as its predecessor, even if it is not considered a proper sequel. In the title, players have to navigate through scenes by using special verb commands to accomplish objectives.
9 Sludge Life
Of all free Epic Games Store titles, Sludge Life is perhaps the most eccentric. The website describes it as a vandalism-centric game played on the first-person view. Set in an open-world tiny island, the player will embark on a journey to dominate the graffiti elite.
What’s perhaps unique about Sludge Life, aside from its mature tone, is its remarkable art style and gameplay. Thanks to the game’s central mechanic, players can vandalize the open world and roam it as they please. They may also find apps and play games within Sludge Life, and three different endings.
8 Dragon Nest: Auto Chess
Chess modes have become extremely popular in some MOBA titles, especially since this mini-game can take some steam off the intensity of in-game mechanics. Interestingly, not all chess modes come to MOBA titles. For instance, MMO Dragon Nest has Auto Chess that’s free to play from the Epic Games Store.
Akin to other chess games, Auto Chess serves as a spin-off of Dragon Nest. In this game, players build sets of memorable monsters from the MMO and battle other players for supremacy. Classes from the game return as player classes, giving them special abilities and perks that apply to their monsters and playstyles.
7 Might & Magic: Chess Royale
Players who want a wilder variation of chess modes might want to look at Might & Magic: Chess Royale. In this Might & Magic spin-off, players get to build armies from popular monsters in the acclaimed high fantasy franchise as they battle each other. Akin to other chess spinoffs, players can choose units to position around the battle map. These units have unique abilities and synergies that work together to dominate the battlefield.
However, what makes Chess Royale interesting is its 100-player setup, where players have to embark on turns battling each other in a huge chess battle royale.
6 Smite
Players who want a new take on the MOBA genre might want to try out Smite. Unlike juggernauts DOTA 2 and League, Smite lets players control Gods from various pantheons on a team-versus-team deathmatch. Unlike other MOBAs that focus on isometric views, Smite let players control their own Gods themselves.
As such, players can actively run, dodge, and aim their skills exactly where they want to use them. This element makes battles much more engaging and flexible for players. With more than 90 gods to choose from, players have a ton of characters to try and experiment with; that said, not all of the gods are free.
5 Battle Breakers
Players who want to play an RPG without the hassle of making intricate characters might want to try Battle Breakers. This game, called a Hero Collector RPG, combines card games with RPG elements. In this title, players explore dungeons of various terrains with a unique cast of hundreds of anime champions.
In battle, players can summon their champions to unleash various special abilities and attacks to eliminate minions, mini-bosses, and major bosses in flashy brawls. Moreover, fans of Battle Breakers may be delighted to know that this game is totally cross-platform. As such, players can transition gameplay from the PC to mobile, enabling a much more portable experience.
4 Magic: The Gathering Arena
Fans of Magic: The Gathering would ideally want all their favorite cards in their deck. Unfortunately, some cards tend to be extremely expensive. Thankfully, those who want to play Magic: The Gathering but do not have the cards to do it might want to try out Magic Arena. In this online game, players can build decks, fight other opponents, and build their favorite decks in this portable experience.
Since Wizards of the Coast created Magic Arena, fans of the game can consider this the official online MTG experience. Moreover, Magic: Arena receives constant upgrades from WotC. As such, it’s likely that decks will constantly get updated as soon as new physical booster packs appear in traditional MTG.
3 Paladins
Players who want to try an Overwatch alternative might want the more fantastical Paladins. Unlike Overwatch, Paladins has Champions that wield both magic and guns in a battle for supremacy. Others might complain that Paladins doesn’t have as many robust features as Blizzard’s popular hero shooter; however, Paladins does compensate with a vibrant environment and a unique set of heroes.
Paladins also offers quite an interesting hero customization system. Thanks to its deckbuilding mechanics, players can customize their Champions’ abilities to fit their playstyle.
2 The Cycle
Players looking for an alternative FPS experience might want to try The Cycle. In this game, players embark on a quest of fame and glory in a deathmatch that pins them against other gamers, beasts, and fulfill various objectives. They can do these quests alone, as a duo, or even as a squad. However, unlike other Battle Royale games, The Cycle touts itself as a PvEvP, or Player-versus-Environment-versus-Player.
Unfortunately, matches run on a clock. Players need to get their gear and abilities, pursue their contracts, and finish the match before the Cycle – a devastating storm – ravages the battlefield. Matches in The Cycle declare winners depending on who escapes the Cycle with the most quests finished. To add to the challenge, players need to meet these requirements while battling both wild beasts and enemy squads on the battlefield.
1 Dauntless
Players itching to play Monster Hunter: World but don’t want to buy the game might look for Dauntless for a free yet awesome experience. Similar to Monster Hunter, Dauntless focuses on team-based monster hunting.
As Slayers, players team up with each other – or as themselves – to slay gigantic Behemoths that threaten the world. After eliminating these Behemoths, players can use their parts to craft fantastical gears. And unlike Monster Hunter, gear in Dauntless has that magic and sorcery flair that makes users feel like they are straight out of adventure stories. Aside from being a completely-free title, Dauntless easily becomes a fun-to-play experience thanks to seasonal events and regular updates.
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