Since December 2018, every two weeks on Thursday, Epic Games Store has made free games available to users of the online storefront. Originally intended to last for only a year as a way to draw visitors to the newly launched online store, Epic Games announced the extension of the free game promotion for an additional year in January 2020.
The next free game to be offered on the Epic Games Store goes live on the site on November 26 and will be accessible at no cost through December 3. MudRunner, an off-road gaming experience, gives players access to a total of 19 different all-terrain vehicles that they must use to successfully navigate the Siberian wilderness. The goal is to meet a variety of objectives and make deliveries, conquering the untamed sandbox environments with only a compass for guidance.
For players who find that they enjoy MudRunner and can’t quite get enough, the Epic Games Store will also offer the American Wilds expansion and three different DLC packs for sale, all of which add new maps and vehicles for gamers to enjoy. While not yet accessible on the storefront, these add-ons will likely become available for purchase at the same time as or soon after MudRunner launches on the site.
Many of the titles offered for free on the Epic Games Store are by lesser known or indie developers, but MudRunner has a more recognizable pedigree. Saber Interactive is the American video game studio that has either independently created or collaborated with other developers on a number of distinguished titles like 2007’s TimeShift, Call of Cthulhu, Vampyr, World War Z, and most recently Crysis Remastered.
Currently still free on the Epic Games Store are Elite Dangerous and The World Next Door, which will be available for download at no cost until November 26. Elite Dangerous is a massively multiplayer space epic with an evolving story that sees players grow from a fledgling starship captain with little money or skill into an Elite superpower. Gamers in the mood for a more lighthearted but equally challenging title might enjoy The World Next Door, which provides fast-paced puzzle battles in a visual novel-style wrapper.
Games that are offered for free from the Epic Games Store remain accessible in players’ libraries forever once downloaded. While some have wondered if these giveaways are potentially harmful to developers, on the contrary, Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney has stated that the practice is helpful. Many of the offered games, like next week’s MudRunner, have expansion packs or complete editions that aren’t free. Players who try the free titles may find that they enjoy them enough to purchase DLC or even try other titles from the same developer.
Source: Epic Games Store