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Peacock Review: Free TV May Hook You, But You’ll Need a Paid Plan to See Everything

Hours of ad-supported free content is available to stream, but a paid account may not be worth it to watch live sports or Yellowstone.

Since its launch in July 2020, Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, has seen a bump in growth. After adding new episodes of NBC shows, Hallmark content and Days of Our Lives to the streaming platform, it’s leveling up its new and original content offerings. Though not as large as some of its rivals, Peacock looks similar to Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus and HBO Max, with simple tiled interface lined with famous network shows.

But unlike those other services, Peacock has a version that’s completely free to watch with ads. In that respect it’s similar to free streaming services such as Pluto TV, Tubi and Roku Channels, but with a better selection. Peacock’s free tier offers about 40,000 hours of ad-supported content. You’ll find shows, movies, news, live sports and skit-style clips, with standouts including The Office, Parks and Recreation, Modern Family and 30 Rock.

7.3

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Like

  • Strong free version
  • Large back catalog of shows and movies
  • Live news and next-day access to some NBC shows
  • Live sports like WWE and the Olympics

Don’t Like

  • Full access to major shows, originals and live sports isn’t free
  • Few original series or newer movies
  • Missing features like mobile downloads for all tiers and 4K HDR

The catch? Many marquee series only include the first two seasons with the free tier — you’ll need to upgrade to Peacock Premium at $5 a month to binge it all. Popular shows like Bel-Air and Yellowstone also only offer one episode on the free tier, with the rest behind the Premium paywall. And some shows, like Parks and Recreation and The Office, are only available as complete series on Premium.

Peacock’s live sports offering is a strength, although most live events require a Premium subscription. It has NFL Sunday Night Football, the US Open, MLB on Sunday mornings, WWE wrestling, Premier League and more.

If you upgrade to the Premium tier ($5 a month or $50 a year, with ads) or the Premium Plus tier ($10 a month or $100 a year), you’ll get access to the full catalog of 80,000 hours of content. Series include the Quantum Leap reboot, Vampire Academy, Real Housewives and Chicago Fire. You’ll also get next-day access to new episodes of all current NBC shows and even early access to Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon the night they air.

The free version of Peacock is worth exploring, but whether you’re willing to pay $5 to $10 a month when you already have the other major streaming services will depend on how much you want to watch favorites like The Office, Days of Our Lives, Yellowstone and live sports.

Read more: Peacock free or Premium? Ads or no ads? Here’s how to pick the right streaming plan

How many ads does Peacock have?

I tested out Peacock’s ad-supported free tier and its ad-supported $5-a-month Premium tier. (You don’t need a credit card to sign up for the free account, just an email address, which is nice.) Peacock promises that you’ll see five minutes or less of ads per hour across both ad-supported tiers.

My experience varied depending on the show and device. While watching The Hitman’s Bodyguard on a Roku TV, there were six ads sprinkled throughout the film, ranging from 20 to 60 seconds each. Peacock even marks midroll ad breaks so you know when to expect them. But when it played on the iPhone app, there was a notice that we would watch 135 seconds of ads at the beginning, and none for the rest. That option would be great to have on the Apple TV too to get the ads out of the way, but unfortunately it’s not (yet).

After scrolling around and watching a bunch of ads, when I went back to start The Hitman’s Bodyguard again, there were no ads at all, because I had already seen 5 minutes’ worth in the previous hour. It does seem like if you pop in and out of a movie or show, the ad count may reset. When I streamed the movie Nope, there was only a 2.5-minute set of ads before the movie, with no commercials during the film. And The Godfather’s three-hour runtime didn’t have any ad interruptions.

On episodes of Saturday Night Live, there were seven to nine ads sprinkled throughout the episode on both mobile and TV. Modern Family had three to four ad breaks within one 23-minute episode. This is about the same ad experience as watching on Hulu’s $8-a-month ad-supported plan, or on regular live TV — except it’s free. 

It’s also worth mentioning that some subscribers to the most-expensive, ad-free, paid version will still see ads on «a small amount of programming, Peacock channels, live events and a few TV shows and movies,» according to Peacock.

Familiar navigation (for the most part)

Peacock’s homepage and Browse section is similar to those of other streaming services. There’s a big carousel of «hero» tiles at the top and rows of thumbnails below, labeled Peacock Picks, Continue Watching, Peacock Originals, Featured Films and so on. For Pride Month, there’s also some carousels highlighting LGBTQ movies and TV shows including Modern Family and Queer as Folk. Peacock now offers some 4K content, which is labeled separately from the rest of the catalog, making it easy to find. You can also seamlessly search for specific titles, but if you type in «originals,» it won’t spit out a list of Peacock Originals.

Peacock does have a Kids page with a couple of shows like Barney and Curious George on its free tier, but its most popular shows, including Dreamworks’ Dragons: Riders of Berk and The Croods: Family Tree, are only available with a paid subscription. Parents do have the option of setting a PIN-enabled parental lock to limit the age range of content displayed, but there’s unfortunately no option to filter out Premium content, which may leave kids frustrated at how many shows are unavailable to them.

Premium shows are mixed in with free offerings, denoted by a little purple feather in the top left corner. It reminds me a bit of Amazon Prime Video, which has shows included in your subscription mixed in with those you have to pay extra for. The app isn’t forceful in trying to get you to upgrade, though: You’ll only be asked if you want to change to premium if you click on a premium-only show, or if you go to your Account page. You can stream on up to three devices simultaneously from one account.

Browsing deep into NBC’s back catalog

One of Peacock’s biggest advantages is its access to NBC’s strong catalog of content, as well as its sister networks and entertainment properties, including Bravo, USA Network, Syfy, Oxygen, E!, CNBC, MSNBC and Universal Pictures. There’s also some content licensed from rivals, including A&E, ABC, Fox, Hallmark, History, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks Animation, Focus Features and Lionsgate.

Some of the best shows available on the free tier now are Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, and Downton Abbey, and you get all seasons of each (with the exception of 30 Rock, which is missing one season). Upgrade to premium to get the complete run of older shows including Cheers, Frasier, House and Two and a Half Men. For some shows, however, you get only a recent handful of seasons or episodes, even on premium. For example, you’ll only find the first season of Chucky.

The catalog is far from complete, however. Some shows you might associate with NBC, like Friends, Seinfeld and Scrubs aren’t on Peacock, and don’t seem to be coming any time soon. So far, the most successful Peacock originals have been the Fresh Prince prequel drama, Bel-Air, The Best Man: The Final Chapters and Bravo reality shows including The Real Housewives of Miami and The Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip. None have garnered quite the same buzz as other streaming platforms’ originals, such as Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney Plus or HBO Max exclusive Peacemaker.

In the Movies category, you’ll find hundreds of titles, organized by genre, franchise, or what’s new in theaters. There are helpful carousels dedicated to ’80s and ’90s nostalgia, with titles including Legend, Billy Madison, Stepmom, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Schindler’s List. And there are Peacock Originals such as Psych 3: This Is Gus.

However, Peacock’s big-name movies don’t always stick around for long. Jurassic World Dominion and Minions: The Rise of Gru are set to leave Peacock in January 2023, for example. Others that have come and gone include the Harry Potter movies, Do the Right Thing and Phantom Thread. But, you can check Peacock to see when a given title is leaving a platform.

Peacock helpfully displays Rotten Tomatoes ratings, both showing the critics’ score and the audience score. Movie thumbnails may include a red-tomato, «fresh» rating but don’t display a score if the movie is rated «rotten.» You can see the score for any movie with a Rotten Tomatoes rating, alongside the audience score, after selecting it. The platform has boasted some immediate streaming rights for theatrical releases, including Jennifer Lopez’s Marry Me, Halloween Kills and 2022’s Firestarter. In October 2022, Halloween Ends had a same-day premiere on Peacock.

‘Channels’ mixes live TV and on-demand

From Browse, you can navigate to the Channels section of the app, which is another hodgepodge of free content. Channels looks kind of like a cable box grid guide, but instead of various networks and cable channels, you get themed channels around Peacock’s programming. These include NBC News Now, Best of WWE, Dateline 24/7, True Crime, and Today: All Day. In addition to more recent programming, some channels focus on older content, from Fallon Tonight, which shows old episodes of The Tonight Show, to SNL Vault, Classic TV, and the Bob Ross Channel. There is also Spanish-language content from Telemundo.

The biggest appeal to Channels for many will likely be its live sports and news programs, which offer a decent selection of live NBC programming without the need for a subscription. These include NBC News Now, Sky News, NBC channels for major cities like New York and Los Angeles, and NBC Sports. You’ll also find NBC’s new 24-hour version of the Today Show, called Today All Day, though that includes repackaged Today segments and more lifestyle programming than straight news. However, unlike live TV streaming platforms such as YouTube TV or Hulu With Live TV, there’s no option to record programming to a DVR.

Still MIA: Mobile downloads for all

While there’s not too much to complain about in the free tier, the premium offerings still lack consistent features that competitors like Netflix and Hulu already have. Mobile downloads are still limited to Premium Plus subscribers, the service’s most expensive tier.

Should you get Peacock? 

It’s free, so why not try it out? If the ads bug you or you want to watch one of the original shows, you can try out its premium tiers free for seven days as well, or find other deals depending on your platform and cable provider; some cable customers can get it for free.

Will Peacock make it onto your daily streaming routine, alongside Netflix and Hulu? Probably not, at least in the short-term. But is it a great free option for finding some older movies and shows you might have missed (or want to watch for the millionth time)? Definitely. If you don’t mind watching a few ads, it’s a fun place to explore older movies and a big mix of TV shows, and keep up with current NBC shows, reality TV, news and some live sports in one spot — especially if you’re already a cord-cutter and looking to expand your options for free. 

Technologies

Social Security Disruptions: What to Know About Access Issues

Ongoing Social Security Administration website issues continue. Here’s what we know about what’s going on.

The Social Security Administration is reeling from dramatic changes over the past few months that have affected beneficiaries across the country, stirring widespread anxiety. 

In February, the agency laid off  7,000 employees. Meanwhile, it’s become harder to contact the SSA via phone, and the website has been struggling to stay online. 

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According to a report from The Washington Post this week, the Social Security Administration website issues have left beneficiaries unable to log in. There have been spates of intermittent uptime and crashes caused by an influx of traffic due to an expanded fraud checking system that wasn’t tested at scale. 

Below, we’ll break down what’s been going on at the SSA and call out a few things you can try to do if you run into issues yourself. The agency provides benefits to 73 million recipients, so even a modest percentage of that could be a substantial number of people.

For more, don’t miss Social Security Disability Insurance recipients may want to file taxes this year.

Newly expanded fraud checking system

An expansion of an existing contract with a credit-reporting agency seems to be the main source of the SSA website issues, according to the report in The Washington Post. The agency tracks an assortment of personal information for verification purposes, and claims now require these checks to happen earlier in the process, boosting traffic volume significantly. It also appears that the implementation wasn’t tested at the full scale of the website, and bugs resulted in the login portal failing, leaving Social Security recipients unable to access their accounts, the report said. 

Login issues, missing information and a broken appointment system

Many people are having trouble logging in to their My Social Security accounts, and those who can get in don’t seem to get much further. Some people who can successfully log in discover that information is missing, with many Supplements Security Income recipients receiving incorrect messages saying they «currently are not receiving payments.» 

The Post’s report also says people aren’t able to schedule appointments at all via the website, which has led them to wait on hold for extended periods. Long waits on the phone have been common in the past but seem to be getting markedly worse. The New York Times also has a recent report with similar findings. 

Employees have limited access to internal tool systems

It’s not just beneficiaries: Outages mean employees at the SSA are also being locked out of their internal tools at times, preventing them from completing tasks at offices. This has resulted in some employees having to write down on paper information from recipients and manually input the information once their system goes back online, according to the Post’s report. 

Payments haven’t been affected

Despite the problems, payments haven’t been affected, at least not yet. If you’re in good standing with your My Social Security account, you can more than likely get away with not logging in while the issues get resolved. 

More-strict identification rules go into effect on April 14

In late March, the SSA announced new rules pertaining to identity proofing that will go into effect on April 14. The new rules said that in-person identity proofing for people unable to use their My Social Security account will be required for certain services. It later announced on X (Formerly Twitter) that it had walked back some of the restrictions. 

Prior to the rollback of restrictions, those applying for retirement or survivor benefits and spouse or child auxiliary benefits who can’t use their online account would potentially be required to do in-person identity proofing. Now, as long as you pass the anti-fraud check, any claim can be completed over the phone. If you’re flagged during the check, you will have to complete your claim in-person and can expect additional identity proofing measures. 

The only thing that hasn’t been touched by the rollback is if an individual needs to update their direct deposit information for any benefit and cannot perform or complete the action online. This will require an in-person visit at a local office. 

What can you do now?

If you’re unable to log in to your My Social Security account and need to make an adjustment to your account, like updating your earnings or changing your emergency contact information, you have a couple of options. 

First, you can try to use the phone system by calling 1-800-772-1213. Once you get through the menus, you should be given an estimated wait time. You can visit the SSA’s contact page to see the average wait times per hour on any particular weekday.   

If you’re limited on time or can’t get through via phone, you can also head to a local field office. And despite the rumors of field offices potentially closing all over the country, the SSA published a blog post that said rumors were false and that it hasn’t closed one field office in 2025, only General Services Administration office spaces that were underutilized, and most of which had no assigned employees. 

Because of the website problems and the problems making an appointment, wait times at local offices could be longer than usual. But at least for now, these offices aren’t going anywhere. 

For more, check out the Supplemental Security Income payment schedule and the Social Security and SSDI cheat sheet. 

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Technologies

Extending the 2017 Trump Tax Cuts? Here’s Who Might and Might Not Benefit

Republicans in both chambers of Congress have passed plans to extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts, which continue to face fierce criticism for favoring the wealthy.

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It’s not just the tariffs. President Donald Trump’s economic plans also call for an extension of his 2017 tax overhaul before it expires. These changes — commonly known as the «Trump tax cuts» — lowered tax rates and increased the value of certain tax incentives but also have been a political lightning rod over the years because of their benefits for corporations and the wealthy. It’s the sort of heated discourse that can leave the basic facts of the bill a bit murky.

That 2017 tax plan, officially known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, was one of the signature legislative accomplishments of Trump’s first term, and passing an extension has been a priority for the president since he entered his second term. While extending the cuts carries a big estimated price tag, Trump administration officials have suggested that newly imposed tariffs could raise enough money to cover the cost of extending the tax cuts, an important consideration in the budget reconciliation process. But the clock is ticking: Many of its provisions are set to expire by the end of 2025 without action from Congress.

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That action is getting underway. As of April 10, the House and Senate have passed separate versions of a plan that would extend Trump’s tax cuts and slash more government spending to pay for them. The situation remains contentious, as shown by the slim margins by which the bills passed: 216-212 in the House, and 51-48 in the Senate. With two bills passed, they will now be merged in a process known as «reconciliation,» which can help Republicans bypass the 60-vote limit usually needed to overcome a filibuster. While the GOP has characterized extending the tax cuts as a bid for stability that will benefit everyone, Democrats have long countered that the benefits of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are overly weighted toward the wealthiest taxpayers.

For all the details about why there might be some truth to both statements, keep reading, and stick around to the end to find out how much it might cost. For more, find out if Trump could actually abolish the Department of Education.

What would extending the Trump tax cuts mean?

While the phrase «Trump tax cuts» has become a common media shorthand for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the current conversation around it might suggest that new cuts could be on the way. Although Trump has floated ideas for additional cuts, it’s important to note that extending the 2017 provisions would for the most part keep tax rates and programs at the levels they’ve been at since then.

So while it may be a better option than having the provisions expire — which would increase certain tax rates and decrease certain credits — extending the tax cuts most likely won’t change how you’ve been taxed the past eight years. However, some estimates have predicted that extending the cuts would boost income in 2026, with the conservative-leaning Tax Foundation in particular predicting a 2.9% rise on average, based on a combination of other economic predictions combined with tax rates staying where they are.

What would change if the Trump tax cuts expire?

Republicans contend that the tax cuts helped a wide swath of Americans, and the Tax Foundation predicted that 60% of tax filers would see higher rates in 2026 without an extension.

A big part of that has to do with tax bracket changes. The 2017 provisions lowered the income tax rates across the seven brackets, aside from the first (10%) and the sixth (35%). If the current law expires, those rates would go up 1% to 3%.

Income limits for each bracket would also revert to pre-2017 levels. Lending credence to the Democrats’ counterarguments, these shifts under the Trump tax cuts appeared to be more beneficial to individuals and couples at higher income levels than to those making closer to the average US income.

If you’re interested in the nitty-gritty numbers, you can check out the Tax Foundation’s full breakdown. Another point in Democrats’ favor? The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act also cut corporate tax rates from 35% to 21%, and unlike many of its other provisions, this one was permanent and won’t expire in 2026.

The cuts also capped the total amount that taxpayers can deduct based on «state and local property, income, and sales tax,» otherwise known as SALT, at $10,000. There was previously no limit, and as Lisa Greene-Lewis, a tax prep expert and analyst for TurboTax, told CNET in an email correspondence, this is a policy that could be detrimental to certain taxpayers if the TCJA is extended.

«Filers living in states with high state and property taxes are capped at a $10,000 deduction for total state and local property, income and sales tax — even when many of them may pay way beyond that amount,» Greene-Lewis explained. «If this part of the provision went back to the way it was prior to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) without caps, filers in states with high state and property taxes would be able to deduct the full amounts paid.»

Greene-Lewis also noted that there is talk about removing the SALT cap from the plan to extend the TCJA.

What would happen to the standard deduction?

This is another area in which a lot of people would be hit hard. The standard deduction lets taxpayers lower their taxable income, as long as they forgo itemizing any deductions.

For the 2025 tax year, the standard deduction is $15,000 for individual filers, and $30,000 for joint filers. If the tax cuts expire, these numbers will drop by nearly half, down to $8,350 for individuals and $16,700 for joint filers.

What would happen to the child tax credit?

The child tax credit is one of the most popular credits out there. Its current levels — $2,000 per qualifying child, which phases out starting at a gross income of $200,000 for single filers and $400,000 for joint filers — were actually set by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

If an extension or new bill isn’t passed, next year the child tax credit would revert to its old levels: $1,000 per child, which starts phasing out at $75,000 for single filers and $110,000 for joint filers.

Do the Trump tax cuts really favor the wealthy?

As mentioned above, higher-income individuals and couples made out notably better with the changes the Trump tax cuts made to tax brackets. Overall, numerous estimates have predicted that the wealthiest Americans would experience a greater proportion of the benefits, with the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center specifically estimating that households making more than $450,000 a year would reap around 45% of the tax cut benefits.

How much would extending the tax cuts cost?

Tax cuts more favorable to the wealthy are a big part of why some analysts say extension of the Trump tax cuts would add trillions of dollars to the national debt. An early estimate from the Tax Policy Center in 2018 found that extending the provisions through 2038 would add $3.8 trillion to the US deficit. A 2024 estimate from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget predicted that it would add $3.9 trillion to $4.7 trillion to the deficit through 2035, depending on which provisions were included.

The blueprint passed by the House last week included about $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, to be supported by $1.5 trillion in further government spending cuts. The rest would either go to the deficit or have to be made up for with additional cuts, adding fuel to the concerns that Republicans intend to substantially cut funding for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security to pay for their tax plans.

For more, find out if IRS layoffs will hurt your tax return.

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Technologies

What’s Free on the Epic Games Store This Week?

This week we’ve got River City Girls, Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms and more. Check out how you can get these games and all their rewards at the Epic Games Store.

Are you eager to play a game but struggling to decide on one? Or perhaps you’re reluctant to spend money on a game that might not meet your expectations. Making the right decision is crucial, particularly with rising gaming costs and 2025 looking unpredictable for the gaming industry. Look no further than the Epic Games Store if you’re after something that makes decision-making easier. Each week, you can download a free game (often two or three, if you’re lucky) and keep it forever—without spending a penny. This is the best way to discover exciting new titles without financial risk.

Fortnite is a major influence in pop culture, and it’s also a video game that helped propel Epic Games into the limelight. Following the game’s success, Epic Games launched its own storefront in 2019, offering various games — from action titles to indie favorites — to attract gamers. It quickly became a direct competitor for Valve’s own gaming store, Steam, especially with its offering of free games to play each week.

Sorry console gamers, but the Epic Games Store is exclusively available on PC. This means you cannot access its free games on systems like the PS5 or Xbox. However, if you have a PC or laptop, now’s the time to dive into the Epic Games Store and take full advantage of its free discounts and deals. Creating an Epic Games account is completely free, and you’ll gain numerous rewards. Don’t miss out.

What is the new free game on the Epic Games Store this week? (April 10 to April 17)

Arcadegeddon

It’s time to head into the future with IIIFonic’s Arcadegeddon, a cooperative rogue-lite shooter multiplayer. It is a third-person POV, and players will go up against a virus injected into the arcade they are part of. To level up and progress, they’ll have to explore multiple biomes, take part in mini-games, search for hidden chests and defeat enemies and bosses.

The game came out in 2023, so its player base isn’t as active as one might expect — so be sure you’ll be able to enjoy the game with friends before you download it. Even so, Arcadegeddon has been praised for its «tight level design» as well as its satisfying gunplay. If you like a challenge, you’ll probably want to take advantage of this shooter.

Players can redeem 5,000 ARC coins, which can be used to purchase items and weapons in-game. So don’t miss out on this limited-time offer.

Arcadegeddon’s offer of 5,000 ARC coins is available for free via the Epic Games Store. Released in 2023, most gamers who enjoyed it liked its diverse characters and found gameplay relaxing. It has a 4.5 out of 5 rating.

Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms: Astarion’s Champions of Renown Pack

Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms is a strategy management game that dares to ask: What if your favorite Dungeons and Dragons characters united and embarked on a grand adventure together? Wouldn’t that be the coolest thing ever? If you think so, then this is the game for you.

If you’ve been a fan of Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms, you’ll already know that Baldur’s Gate 3’s most popular character Astarion is a huge reason to jump into the game. With Astarion’s Champions of Renown Pack, players will receive over $100 worth of rewards for free. You’ll need to hurry, though, because this offer ends on April 17.

The rewards of the renown pack are the following:

  • Unlocks for the following Champions: Artemis (Seat 3), Karlach (Seat 4), Kalix (Seat 5), Astarion (Seat 10) and the Dark Urge (Seat 11)
  • Exclusive Skin: Tuxedo Kalix
  • Exclusive Familiar: Rumble the Angry Flumph
  • Artemis Chests: 32 Platinum Artemis Chests with 2 shiny equipment cards guaranteed.
  • Karlach Chests: 32 Platinum Karlach chests with 2 shiny equipment cards guaranteed.
  • Kalix Chests: 32 Platinum Kalix chests with 2 shiny equipment cards guaranteed.
  • Astarion Chests: 32 Platinum Astarion chests with 2 shiny equipment cards guaranteed.
  • The Dark Urge Chests: 32 Platinum The Dark Urge chests with 2 shiny equipment cards guaranteed.
  • Two Week-Long Buff Potions: 1 potion of the Gold Hunter and 1 potion of the Gem Hunter.

Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms: Astarion’s Champions of Renown Pack is free via the Epic Games Store. Idle Champions is a free-to-play game, with many gamers praising the game for its selection of iconic characters from the Forgotten Realms and how easy it is to jump into a game without worrying too much about controls.

River City Girls

You wake up one morning only to discover your and your best friend’s boyfriends have been kidnapped. What is a girlie to do? Find out who did it and beat them within an inch of their life, duh.

River City Girls can be best described as a chaotic, action-adventure beat-em up with glorious pixel-art aesthetic and graphics that will leave you wanting more. As the tough-as-nails heroines Misako and Kyoko, players who enjoy using an arsenal of weapons, items and wise-cracking dialogue to put the smackdown on their enemies will love the game’s zany energy.

Better yet, you won’t have to embark on this challenge alone (though you can, if you want to). With 2-player co-op, you and your friend can put the hurt on the bad guys who took your boyfriends while also enjoying the motion-comic story panels and anime cutscenes. If you love anime, you may even recognize some cameo characters featured in-game. And if not characters, recognizable voice actors such as Cristina ‘Vee’ Valenzuela, known for multiple roles in both anime and video games, are sure to entice you.

It isn’t just fights, however. River City Girls also features six large city regions to explore and participate in side quests. Some may even change the ending you get… depending on the choices you make.

Usually $30, River City Girls is now available for free via the Epic Games Store. River City Girls is well-liked, with 79% of critics recommending it, and it boasts a score of Strong on OpenCritic. Most gamers who enjoyed the game liked its appealing aesthetic and diverse characters.

What will be free on the Epic Games Store next week? (April 17 to April 24)

Firestone Online Idle RPG Epic Games Store Offer

If you’re someone who enjoys the aesthetics of fantasy RPGs but doesn’t have time to play them, then you’ll be intrigued by Firestone Online Idle RPG. Alternatively, if you’re someone who prefers the social aspect of multiplayer RPGs, you should also consider jumping in on this game before its offer next week.

While you might be sitting idle, your heroes never are. Even if you don’t have your eyes on the game, your characters will hack, slash and dice their way through waves of enemies. Of course, if you’d like to speed things up, you can treat the game as a clicker, giving you control of the ferocity of battle alongside other players.

With Firestone Online Idle RPG’s Epic Games Store offer, players will get the chance to claim special rewards and an exclusive skin — altogether valued at $100 altogether.

The offer contains the following rewards:

  • Exclusive skin for the hero, Boris
  • 2 Avatars for your Character Profile
  • 10 Common Chests, each containing at least 1 piece of gear for Heroes
  • 5 Uncommon Chests containing at least 1 Uncommon gear
  • 10 Wooden Chests with at least 1 Heroes Jewels
  • 5 Iron Chests with at least 1 Uncommon Jewel
  • 360 Strange Dust to help train your Guardians or conduct experiments
  • 50 Scrolls to enhance your stats in battle
  • 35 Game Tokens to test your mettle at the Tavern
  • 5 Prestige Tokens
  • 200 Gems

To get this offer, log onto the game through the Epic Games store — it doesn’t matter if you’re a new or existing player. However, new players must reach stage 15 before obtaining the rewards.

Firestone Online Idle RPG Epic Games Store Offer will be available via the Epic Games Store. Firestone Online Idle RPG is a free-to-play game, with a review score of 3.8 out of 5. Many players enjoy the game’s playful visuals and easy controls.

Previous free games on the Epic Games Store

Unsure whether your favorite game has been selected as part of Epic’s free game of the week or curious about what deals you’ve missed? We’ve listed a selection of games from previous weeks.

Epic Games Store free games in 2025

  • Firestone Online Idle RPG (April 17 to April 24)
  • River City Girls (April 10 to April 17)
  • Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms (April 10 to April 17)
  • Arcadgeddon (April 10 to April 17)
  • Cat Quest II (April 3 to April 10)
  • Cat Quest (March 27 to April 3)
  • Neko Ghost, Jump (March 27 to April 3)
  • Jurassic World Evolution 2 (March 20 to 27)
  • Mortal Shell (March 13 to 20)
  • World of Warships: Anniversary Party Favor DLC (March 13 to 20)
  • Them’s Fighting Herds (March 6 to 13)
  • Mages of Mystralia (Feb. 27 to March 6)
  • World War Z Aftermath (Feb. 20 to 27)
  • Garden Story (Feb. 20 to 27)
  • F1 Manager 2024 (Feb. 13 to 20)
  • Humankind (Feb. 6 to 13)
  • Beyond Blue (Feb. 6 to 13)
  • Undying (Jan. 30 to Feb. 6)
  • Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery (Jan. 23 to 30)
  • Escape Academy (Jan. 16 to 23)
  • Turmoil (Jan. 9 to 16)
  • Hell Let Loose (Jan. 2 to 9)
  • Kingdom Come Deliverance (Jan. 1)

Epic Games Store free games in 2024

  • Sifu (Dec. 31)
  • [Redacted] (Dec. 30 to 31)
  • Orcs Must Die 3 (Dec. 29 to 30)
  • Kill Knight (Dec. 28 to 29)
  • Hot Wheels Unleashed (Dec. 27 to 28)
  • Ghostrunner 2 (Dec. 26 to 27)
  • Control (Dec. 25 to 26)
  • Dredge (Dec. 24 to 25)
  • Darker and Darker: Legendary Status (Dec. 23 to 24)
  • Wizard of Legend (Dec. 22 to 23)
  • TerraTech (Dec. 21 to 22)
  • Astrea: Six Sided Oracles (Dec. 20 to 21)
  • Vampire Survivors (Dec. 19 to 20)
  • The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria (Dec. 12 to 19)
  • Bus Simulator 21 Next Stop, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (Dec. 5 to 12)
  • Brotato (Nov. 28 to Dec. 5)
  • Beholder (Nov. 21 to 28)
  • Castlevania Anniversary Collection; Snakebird Complete (Nov. 14 to 21)
  • Apex Legends Ash Unlock Bundle; Deceive Inc (Nov. 7 to 14)
  • Witch It; Ghostwire: Tokyo (Oct. 31 to Nov. 7)
  • Moving Out (Oct. 24 to 31)
  • Kardboard Kings; Invincible Presents: Atom Eve (Oct. 17 to 24)
  • Empyrion: Galactic Survival; Outliver: Tribulations (Oct. 10 to 17)
  • Bear and Breakfast (Oct. 3 to 10)
  • The Spirit and The Mouse (Sept. 26 to Oct. 3)
  • TOEM; The Last Stand: Aftermath (Sept. 19 to 26)
  • Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland; Super Crazy Rhythm Castle (Sept. 12 to 19)
  • Football Manager 2024; Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts (Sept. 5 to 12)
  • Wild Card Football; Fallout: Classic Collection (Aug. 29 to Sept. 5)
  • Gigantic: Rampage Edition; The Callisto Protocol (Aug. 22 to 29)
  • Death’s Gambit: Afterlife (Aug. 15 to 22)
  • Cygni: All Guns Blazing; DNF Duel (Aug. 8 to 15)
  • Lumbearjack (Aug. 1 to 8)
  • F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch; Olympics Go! Paris 2024 Exclusive Outfits Pack (July 25 to Aug. 1)
  • Maid of Sker; Arcade Paradise (July 18 to 25)
  • Floppy Knights (July 11 to 18)
  • The Falconeer (July 4 to 11)
  • Sunless Skies: Sovereign Edition (June 27 to July 4)
  • Rumble Club Free Game of the Week Bonus; Freshly Frosted (June 20 to 27)
  • Redout 2; Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms (June 13 to 20)
  • Marvel’s Midnight Suns (June 6 to 13)
  • Chivalry 2 (May 30 to June 6)
  • Farming Simulator 22 (May 23 to 30)
  • Dragon Age: Inquisition – Game of the Year Edition (May 16 to 23)
  • Firestone Free Offer; Circus Electrique (May 9 to 16)
  • Orcs Must Die! 3, Cat Quest II (May 2 to 9)
  • Lisa: Definitive Edition, Industria (April 25 to May. 2)
  • Town of Salem 2; The Big Con (April 18 to 25)
  • Ghostrunner (April 11 to 18)
  • Thief; The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition (April 4 to 11)
  • Islets (March 28 to April 4)
  • Invincible Presents: Atom Eve; Call of the Wild: The Angler (March 21 to 28)
  • The Bridge; Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (March 14 to 21)
  • Astro Duel 2 (March 7 to 14)
  • Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield (Feb. 29 to March 7)
  • Super Meat Boy Forever (Feb. 22 to 29)
  • Dakar Desert Rally (Feb. 15 to 22)
  • Lost Castle; Doki Doki Literature Club Plus (Feb. 8 to 15)
  • Doors: Paradox (Feb. 1 to 8)
  • Infinifactory (Jan. 25 to Feb. 1)
  • Love (Jan. 18 to 25)
  • Sail Forth (Jan. 11 to 18)
  • Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Jan. 4 to 11)
  • A Plague Tale: Innocence (Jan. 3 to 4)
  • 20 Minutes Till Dawn (Jan. 2 to 3)
  • Escape Academy (Jan. 1 to 2)

Epic Games Store free games of 2023

  • Ghostrunner (Dec. 31, 2023 to Jan. 1, 2024)
  • Saints Row (Dec. 30 to 31)
  • Snakebird Complete (Dec. 29 to 30)
  • Cat Quest (Dec. 28 to 29)
  • Cursed to Golf (Dec. 27 to 28)
  • Human Resource Machine (Dec. 26 to 27)
  • The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition (Dec. 25 to 26)
  • Ghostwire: Tokyo (Dec. 24 to 25)
  • Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition (Dec. 23 to 24)
  • Art of Rally (Dec. 22 to 23)
  • Melvor Idle (Dec. 21 to 22)
  • DNF Duel (Dec. 20 to 21)
  • Destiny 2: Legacy Collection (Dec. 13 to 20)
  • Predecessor, Gigabash (Dec. 7 to 13)
  • Mighty Fight Federation; Jitsu Squad (Nov. 30 to Dec. 7)
  • Deliver Us Mars (Nov. 23 to 30)
  • Surviving the Aftermath, Earthlock (Nov. 16 to 23)
  • Golden Light (Nov. 9 to 16)
  • Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (Nov. 2 to 9)
  • The Evil Within 2; Tandem: A Tale of Shadows (Oct. 26 to Nov. 2)
  • The Evil Within; Eternal Threads (Oct. 19 to 26)
  • Q.U.B.E. Ultimate Bundle; Blazing Sails (Oct. 12 to 19)
  • Godlike Burger (Oct. 5 to 12)
  • Soulstice; Model Builder (Sept. 28 to Oct. 5)
  • The Forest Quartet; Out of Line (Sept. 21 to 28)
  • 911 Operator (Sept. 14 to 21)
  • Spelldrifter (Sept. 7 to 14)
  • Cave Story Plus (Aug. 31 to Sept. 7)
  • Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak (Aug. 24 to 31)
  • Dodo Peak; Black Book (Aug. 17 to 24)
  • Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You; Europa Universalis IV (Aug. 10 to 17)
  • Loop Hero, Bloons TD 6 (Aug. 3 to 10)
  • Severed Steel; Homeworld Remastered Collection (July 27 to Aug. 3)
  • The Elder Scrolls Online; Murder by Numbers (July 20 to 27)
  • Train Valley 2 (July 13 to 20)
  • Grime (July 6 to 13)
  • The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos (June 29 to July 6)
  • The Hunter: Call of the Wild; Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms (June 22 to 29)
  • Guacamelee 2; Guacamelee Super Turbo Championship Edition (June 15 to 22)
  • Payday 2 (June 8 to 15)
  • Midnight Ghost Hunt (June 1 to 8)
  • Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition (May 25 to June. 1)
  • Death Stranding (May 18 to 25)
  • The Sims 4 The Daring Lifestyle Bundle (May 11 to 18)
  • Kao the Kangaroo; Horizon Chase Turbo, Against All Odds (May 4 to 11)
  • Poker Club; Breathedge (April 27 to May 4)
  • Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna); Beyond Blue (April 20-27)
  • Second Extinction; Mordhau (April 13 to 20)
  • Shapez; Dying Light: The Following — Enhanced Edition (April 6 to 13)
  • Tunche; The Silent Age (March 30 to April 6)
  • World of Warships Starter Pack: Ishizuchi; Chess Ultra (March 23 to 30)
  • Warhammer 40,000: Gladius — Relics of War (March 16 to 23)
  • Call of the Sea (March 9 to 16)
  • Rise of Industry (March 2 to 9)
  • Duskers (Feb. 23 to March 2)
  • Warpips (Feb. 16 to 23)
  • Recipe for Disaster (Feb. 9 to 16)
  • Dishonored: Death of the Outsider; City of Gangsters (Feb. 2 to 9)
  • Hell Is Others, Adios (Jan. 26 to Feb. 2)
  • Epistory: Typing Chronicles (Jan. 19 to 26)
  • Gamedec: Definitive Edition; First Class Trouble; Divine Knockout (Jan. 12 to 19)
  • Shadow Tactics: Aiko’s Choice; Kerbal Space Program (Jan. 5 to 12)

Epic Games Store free games of 2022

  • Eximus: Seize the Frontline; Dishonored: Definitive Edition (Dec. 29, 2022 to Jan. 5, 2023)

Epic Store free games FAQ

What do I need to do to get free Epic Store games?

To get free games from the Epic Store each week, you must sign up and make an account.

To register as a user for the Epic Store, first head to the Epic Games website. At the top right-hand corner, click the Sign In button and then Create Account at the bottom of the page.

Can I play the free Epic Store games on Steam?

The Epic Store is different to Steam, so the games that you own on the Epic Store will not be available to play on Steam. If you want to play the free games you’ve downloaded from the Epic Store, you must play them via Epic’s launcher.

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