Everyone loves free games. Steam has a hefty collection of them, but some places offer titles for only a limited amount of time. Epic Games gives away multiple games a week. Amazon’s Prime Gaming subscription service has new titles each month. But if you’re not paying attention, you’ll lose out on a PC game you could have kept forever.
In an effort to help gamers know what’s out there to claim, we’re tracking the best free games available in a given month. While some titles are free outright, others are included as part of a subscription service. Here’s everything you can grab this month.
Free Epic Games Store Games
Epic Games gives away free titles every week; no need for a subscription. Head over to the Epic Games Store website(Which opens in a new window) or open the launcher, scroll down to the Free Games section, and hit the Free Now banner on the title you want. Then, go through the process as if you were purchasing the game. You won’t be charged, and the game will appear in your games library on the Epic Games launcher.
Lawn Mowing Simulator (Until Aug. 4)
Yet another niche simulation game, Lawn Mowing Simulator(Which opens in a new window) lets you ride real-world lawn mowing equipment around the British countryside. You will mow your landscaping business to success across multiple game modes in order to prove your mowing skills.
Unrailed! (Aug. 4 – 11)
Unrailed!(Opens in a new window) is a co-op multiplayer game where you must construct a train track across a procedurally generated world alongside (or against) your friends. You will gather resources, craft tracks, upgrade your locomotive, and deal with random encounters, all to prevent your train from derailing.
Free GOG Games
GOG doesn’t have regular giveaways as some other websites do, but when there is a free game to claim, you can grab it right from the front page. Look for a banner with a free game and countdown, and click the green button to claim the game.
In between giveaways, GOG always has a small collection of free games(Which opens in a new window), which mainly includes classic computer games that have been made available at no cost.
The Witcher: Enhanced Edition
GOG allows you to score a free copy of the first Witcher game if you download the GOG Galaxy desktop client(Which opens in a new window). Go to the Recent view and click the giveaway button at the top of the screen. As long as you agree to let GOG send you news and offers, the game is free to claim.
Free Games Collection
You can grab any of GOG’s free games by adding them to your cart and proceeding as if it were a normal purchase. The games will then be added to your account for $0. Standouts include Beneath a Steel Sky, Shadow Warrior, Postal, and several Ultima games.
Free PlayStation Plus Games
PlayStation Plus(Opens in a new window) is Sony’s online multiplayer and games subscription service. Last month, it rolled out new plans(Opens in a new window); prices vary depending on which tier you choose, but access starts at $9.99 per month. As part of the service, you can claim new games to keep every month, and they’re accessible as long as you have an active PlayStation Plus subscription. Subscribers who own a PS5 can also keep games from a curated selection of titles.
Claim games from your console by choosing the PlayStation Plus button on the PlayStation home screen or going through the PlayStation Network Store. Games can also be added from the PlayStation Store(Opens in a new window) website as long as Automatic Downloads(Opens in a new window) are enabled. Once this is set up, you can add games from the web store and they’ll be remotely downloaded to your console.
Yakuza: Like A Dragon (Starting Aug. 2)
Follow a new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga in Yakuza: Like a Dragon(Opens in a new window), a turn-based RPG continuing the long-running Yakuza series. A free man after 18 years, Ichiban is betrayed by his former boss but will take a bizarre journey to become a hero. The game received a 4.5/5 rating with Editors’ Choice recognition from PCMag.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 Deluxe Bundle (Starting Aug. 2)
Go back to the good old days with this remaster of the first two games in the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2(Opens in a new window) includes new and returning skaters and music. The game received a 4.5/5 rating with Editors’ Choice recognition from PCMag.
Little Nightmares (Starting Aug. 2)
Little Nightmares(Opens in a new window) is a puzzle adventure game where you play as a little girl who must escape a ship inhabited by twisted monsters. You have no combat ability, so you must rely on stealth and the environment to hide from enemies.
PlayStation Plus Collection – PS5 Only
Those who own a PlayStation 5 and subscribe to PlayStation Plus now have access to a curated collection of PS4 games. These games can be claimed at any time and remain playable as long as there is an active subscription. The current lineup, from Sony and partner studios, includes:
- Bloodborne
- Days Gone
- Detroit: Become Human
- God of War
- Infamous Second Son
- Ratchet and Clank
- The Last Guardian
- The Last of Us Remastered
- Until Dawn
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
- Batman: Arkham Knight
- Battlefield 1
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicles Edition
- Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
- Fallout 4
- Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition
- Monster Hunter: World
- Mortal Kombat X
- Resident Evil 7 biohazard
Free Prime Gaming (Twitch Prime) Games
Prime Gaming (formerly known as Twitch Prime) is a subscription service that provides in-game loot, free games, and many other perks each month. The service costs $12.99 a month with a free 30-day trial or comes included with your $139 Amazon Prime subscription. Navigate to the Prime Gaming page(Opens in a new window), scroll down to the “Games free with Prime” section, and select the Claim button next to the titles you want.
To play games offered by Prime Gaming, you must download the Amazon Games launcher. Click the “Download and Play” link that appears next to the Claim button. In the pop-up window, click the link that says Download the Amazon Games Apps (Windows) to install the launcher. Once installed, Prime Gaming games can be claimed via the launcher.
Beasts of Maravilla Island (Starting Aug. 1)
Journey to a magical island and take pictures of the creatures you find there in Beasts of Maravilla Island. In this photography game, you are free to roam the island, snap photos, and solve puzzles as you make your way through the game.
Recompile (Starting Aug. 1)
In Recompile, you are a sapient computer program fighting against deletion. Explore, fight, and hack your way through a digital landscape in this Metroidvania adventure for survival.
ScourgeBringer (Starting Aug. 1)
ScourgeBringer is a fast-paced roguelite platformer that has you slashing and shooting your way through frantic combat scenarios as you journey through a post-apocalyptic world in search of humanity’s redemption.
StarCraft: Remastered (Starting Aug. 1)
Anyone can play the original StarCraft(Opens in a new window) for free, but for the super fans out there, StarCraft: Remastered offers ultra HD graphics, re-recorded sound, and modernized online features.
Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders (Starting Aug. 1)
In this point-and-click adventure game, a tabloid reporter must work to stop aliens plotting to reduce the intelligence of the human race.
Free Steam Games
Steam has many free games you can download at any time, but there are occasionally some limited-time free titles. When you find a free game, you can “buy” it on Steam like you normally would, and it will be automatically added to your library without you having to check out.
Recommended by Our Editors
If you have a Steam Key code, you can claim the game by launching the Steam client and clicking Games Menu > Activate a Product on Steam. Follow the instructions to complete the process and get your game. You may also need to connect your Steam account with another online retailer (e.g. Humble Bundle) before you can enter the code.
Nights Into Dreams (While Supplies Last)
It turns out that Sega has a few more Steam codes to give out from its 60th-anniversary celebration. Register your email(Opens in a new window) with Sega, then claim a key for the classic console game Nights Into Dreams(Opens in a new window) in your email.
Endless Space Collection
You can get the 4X strategy game Endless Space and its Disharmony DLC directly from the developer thanks to its Games2gether(Opens in a new window) platform. Sign up for an account and open the reward page (the present icon in the top-right corner) to see your free game. Just link your Steam account to receive the free Steam key and save $10.
Free Xbox Live Gold Games
Xbox Live Gold(Opens in a new window) is the premium subscription tier of the Xbox Live online gaming service that costs $9.99 a month or $24.99 for three months. It is also included in the cost of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Among the many perks you get are free Xbox games every month. While original Xbox and Xbox 360 titles are yours to keep forever, Xbox One games can only be played as long as you have an active Xbox Live Gold subscription.
To claim your free games with an Xbox Live Gold subscription, go to the Gold section on your Xbox One console or visit this page(Opens in a new window) on a computer to queue up the game for download on your console. Games are added on the 1st and 16th of every month.
Relicta (Until Aug. 15)
In the first-person physics-based puzzle game Relicta(Opens in a new window), you must explore the depths of a derelict moon base to find your missing daughter. Along the way, you use the powers of magnetism and gravity in order to solve the mystery.
Saints Row 2 (Until Aug. 15)
Saints Row 2(Opens in a new window) is a third-person action-adventure game where you must help re-establish the 3rd Street Saints street gang and fight against the crime syndicate that stole your territory. Similar to the Grand Theft Auto games, you can explore the game world on foot or by car, use weapons, and complete missions.
Calico (Until Aug. 31)
In Calico(Which opens in a new window), you are given the task of rebuilding the town cat café. The game lets you customize your character, decorate the store, cook pastries, and explore the game world. Most importantly, you can befriend cats, recruit them to your party, or send them to the café to interact with customers.
Monaco: What’s Yours is Mine (Aug. 16 – 31)
Monaco(Opens in a new window) is a stealth action game played from a top-down perspective that has you attempting to pull off the perfect heist. The game includes single-player and co-op modes, each with multiple characters that have unique abilities.
ScourgeBringer (Aug. 16 – Sept. 15)
ScourgeBringer(Opens in a new window) is a fast-paced rogue-lite platformer that has you slashing and shooting your way through frantic combat scenarios as you journey through a post-apocalyptic world in search of humanity’s redemption
