Technologies

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

This week’s free games are an emergency service simulator and a beat-em-up style racing game that lets you live out your motorcycle fantasies.

Looking to expand your gaming collection with brand new games but without breaking the bank? Then you’re in luck, because we’ve got just the thing for you. With game prices climbing higher and tariffs on the rise, it’s understandable to want something for cheap or, if you’re lucky, for free.The good news is, there’s a great place where you can find free games and pick from many budget-friendly options. Enter: the Epic Games Store.

After Epic Games’ success with the free-to-play game Fortnite, the company decided to go one step further. In 2019, Epic launched its own store to rival Steam. Unlike Steam, the Epic Games Store offers free games every week, including charming indie titles and big AAA releases.

If you’re looking to find out how to access these free games, we’re here to guide you. First, create a free Epic Games account. After signing up, go to the free games section on the Epic Games Store every Thursday at 8 a.m. PT (11 a.m. ET, 4 p.m. BST) to see the week’s selections.

The number of free games you receive each week can change, but you’ll always get at least one. Keep in mind, there might be some breaks during holidays or days when games aren’t announced beforehand. Occasionally, like around Christmastime, Epic surprises us with new free games every day. And the best part? These games are yours to enjoy forever.

While the Epic Games Store is a fantastic resource for gamers, it is only available on PC — so console gamers will, unfortunately, miss out. If you’re a Mac user, you’ll find games available, but it’s a good idea to check that the game is compatible with your device before you download.

What’s the new free game in the Epic Games Store this week? (Aug 14. to Aug. 21)

Hidden Folks

If you’re someone who enjoys figuring out puzzles and don’t get frustrated, no matter how long it takes, then Hidden Folks may be the game for you.

Developed by Adriaan de Jongh and Sylvain Tegroeg, Hidden Folks is a hand-drawn 2D indie game, and as the title suggests, it asks you to find hidden folks. Deceptively simple, this monochrome, casual game is beautiful in its simplicity, asking players to explore miniature landscapes in their hunt for a specific person.

These landscapes aren’t just static. They are completely interactive, meaning that you can open a tent, cut through bushes or climb through windows to find who you’re looking for.

With over 32 hand-drawn areas, 500+ unique interactions and three color modes (sepia, night mode and normal) there’s plenty for you to uncover in Hidden Folks.

Usually $13, Hidden Folks is available for free via the Epic Games Store. At the time of writing, a review score is not available. However, on rival storefront Steam, its overall rating is «Very Positive,» with its most recent score also being «Very Positive.»

Totally Reliable Delivery Service

If you’re a fan of rag-doll physics and shenanigans that’ll have you and your friends laughing for years to come, you should consider grabbing Totally Reliable Delivery Service from developer We’re Five Games.

Who doesn’t love chaos? With Totally Reliable Delivery Service, you and your friends (both online and multiplayer) take on the task of delivering anything and everything to your customers. Unfortunately, your limbs are about as useful as floppy noodles, and you’ll have to overcome that in order to ensure you deliver the best service possible, even if that means sprinting and tripping every five seconds.

However, this isn’t as simple as it may sound. If you collide with something particularly hard, there’s a good chance you’ll be knocked out cold and you’ll fail in your delivery.

Along with needing to deliver your parcels, there’s plenty of different toys, vehicles and other environmental objects that can be used to help you along the way.

Usually $15, Totally Reliable Delivery Service is available via the Epic Games Store. At the time of writing, Totally Reliable Delivery Service has a review score of 4.5 out of 5. On rival storefront Steam, its overall rating is «Very Positive,» with its most recent score being «Mixed.»

What will be free in the Epic Games Store next week? (Aug. 21 to Aug. 28)

Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge

Let me ask you a question: Would you turn down the chance to work at a frog refuge? And if so, here’s my follow up question: What’s wrong with you?

Armor Games Studio dared to ask the question of what it would be like to have a frog sanctuary, and for you, as someone who works there, to look after all the frogs. The answer is Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge, a cozy, creature-collecting game that describes itself as «relaxing» and for «casual» gamers.

Players are able to collect over 500 frogs and add them to their safe haven. As well as breeding and ensuring each frog has a comfortable home, you’ll also be photographing these little critters and decorating their home with native plants and other accessories. Whatever your amphibian friends need to thrive, you’ll be there to help make it happen.

But it isn’t just caring for the frogs, you’ll also be getting your boots muddy to help preserve the frog’s wetland habitat. From digging ponds to let water roam to planting crops to harvest, you’ll have plenty to do in this charming little game.

Usually $20, Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge is available for free next week via the Epic Games Store. At the time of writing, Kamaeru does not have a review score on the Epic Games Store. On rival storefront Steam, its overall rating is «Very Positive,» with its most recent score being «Very Positive.»

Strange Horticulture

If you’ve ever thought, ‘I’d like to try my hand at being a mysterious little proprietor at a local plant store,’ then you’ll be happy to know that such a game exists. Enter Strange Horticulture from developer Bad Viking.

With a name like Strange Horticulture, you shouldn’t be surprised to know that your journey begins in the quaint, but quirky town of Undermere. As the new horticulturist, your job is to find and identify new plants. This seems simple enough, but before you know it, you’re thrust into an occult mystery that goes back decades.

A puzzle game at heart, how players interact with their surroundings directly influences how the story unravels. You’ll also affect the colorful cast of characters you meet, so make sure you’re satisfied with your choices before you do something you might regret.

Will you discover Undermere’s dark mysteries, or will they — and the malignant forces of the town — unravel you first?

Usually $15, Strange Horticulture is available for free next week via the Epic Games Store. At the time of writing, Strange Horticulture has a review score of 4.6 out of 5. On rival storefront Steam, its overall rating is «Very Positive,» with its most recent score being «Very Positive.»

Previous free games in the Epic Games Store

Curious whether your favorite game has been selected as one of Epic’s free games in the past, or wondering what you’ve missed? We have you covered.

Epic Games Store free games in 2025

Strange Horticulture (Aug. 21 to Aug. 28)
Kaemaru: A Frog Refuge (Aug. 21 to Aug. 28)
Hidden Folks (Aug. 14 to Aug. 21)
Totally Reliable Delivery Service (Aug. 14 to Aug. 21)
112 Operator (Aug. 7 to Aug. 14)
Road Redemption (Aug 7. to Aug. 14)
Keylocker (July 31 to Aug. 7)
Pilgrims (July 31 to Aug. 7)
Legion TD 2 (July 24 to July 31)
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI (July 17 to July 24)
Figment 2: Creed Valley (July 10 to July 17)
Sky Racket (July 10 to July 17)
Backpack Hero (July 3 to July 10)
Figment (July 3 to July 10)
Sable (June 26 to July 3)
The Operator (June 19 to 26)
Two Point Hospital (June 12 to June 19)
Ogu and the Secret Forest (June 5 to June 12)
Deathloop (June 5 to June 12)
Tiny Tina’s Wonderland (May 29 to June 5)
Limbo (May 29 to June 5)
Deliver At All Costs (May 22 to May 29)
Gigapocalypse (May 22 to May 29)
Sifu (May 22 to May 29)
Dead Island 2 (May 15 to May 22)
Happy Game (May 15 to May 22)
Touch Type Tale (May 8 to May 15)
Deadtime Defenders (May 8 to May 15)
Super Space Club (May 1 to May 8)
Chuchel (April 24 to May 1)
Albion Online (April 24 to May 1)
Botanicula (April 17 to April 24)
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 March 27)
Mortal Shell (March 13 to March 20)
World of Warships: Anniversary Party Favor DLC (March 13 to March 20)
Them’s Fighting Herds (March 6 to March 13)
Mages of Mystralia (Feb. 27 to March 6)
World War Z Aftermath (Feb. 20 to Feb. 27)
Garden Story (Feb. 20 to Feb. 27)
F1 Manager 2024 (Feb. 13 to Feb. 20)
Humankind (Feb. 6 to Feb. 13)
Beyond Blue (Feb. 6 to Feb. 13)
Undying (Jan. 30 to Feb. 6)
Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery (Jan. 23 to Jan. 30)
Escape Academy (Jan. 16 to Jan. 23)
Turmoil (Jan. 9 to Jan. 16)
Hell Let Loose (Jan. 2 to Jan. 9)
Kingdom Come Deliverance (Jan. 1)

Epic Games Store free games in 2024

Sifu (Dec. 31)
[Redacted] (Dec. 30 to Dec. 31)
Orcs Must Die 3 (Dec. 29 to Dec. 30)
Kill Knight (Dec. 28 to Dec. 29)
Hot Wheels Unleashed (Dec. 27 to Dec. 28)
Ghostrunner 2 (Dec. 26 to Dec. 27)
Control (Dec. 25 to Dec. 26)
Dredge (Dec. 24 to Dec. 25)
Darker and Darker: Legendary Status (Dec. 23 to Dec. 24)
Wizard of Legend (Dec. 22 to Dec. 23)
TerraTech (Dec. 21 to Dec. 22)
Astrea: Six Sided Oracles (Dec. 20 to Dec. 21)
Vampire Survivors (Dec. 19 to Dec. 20)
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria (Dec. 12 to Dec. 19)
Bus Simulator 21 Next Stop, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (Dec. 5 to Dec. 12)
Brotato (Nov. 28 to Dec. 5)
Beholder (Nov. 21 to Nov. 28)
Castlevania Anniversary Collection; Snakebird Complete (Nov. 14 to Nov. 21)
Apex Legends Ash Unlock Bundle; Deceive Inc (Nov. 7 to Nov. 14)
Witch It; Ghostwire: Tokyo (Oct. 31 to Nov. 7)
Moving Out (Oct. 24 to Oct. 31)
Kardboard Kings; Invincible Presents: Atom Eve (Oct. 17 to Oct. 24)
Empyrion: Galactic Survival; Outliver: Tribulations (Oct. 10 to Oct. 17)
Bear and Breakfast (Oct. 3 to Oct. 10)
The Spirit and The Mouse (Sept. 26 to Oct. 3)
TOEM; The Last Stand: Aftermath (Sept. 19 to Sept. 26)
Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland; Super Crazy Rhythm Castle (Sept. 12 to Sept. 19)
Football Manager 2024; Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts (Sept. 5 to Sept. 12)
Wild Card Football; Fallout: Classic Collection (Aug. 29 to Sept. 5)
Gigantic: Rampage Edition; The Callisto Protocol (Aug. 22 to Aug. 29)
Death’s Gambit: Afterlife (Aug. 15 to Aug. 22)
Cygni: All Guns Blazing; DNF Duel (Aug. 8 to Aug. 15)
Lumbearjack (Aug. 1 to Aug. 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 July 25)
Floppy Knights (July 11 to July 18)
The Falconeer (July 4 to July 11)
Sunless Skies: Sovereign Edition (June 27 to July 4)
Rumble Club Free Game of the Week Bonus; Freshly Frosted (June 20 to June 27)
Redout 2; Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms (June 13 to June 20)
Marvel’s Midnight Suns (June 6 to June 13)
Chivalry 2 (May 30 to June 6)
Farming Simulator 22 (May 23 to May 30)
Dragon Age: Inquisition – Game of the Year Edition (May 16 to May 23)
Firestone Free Offer; Circus Electrique (May 9 to May 16)
Orcs Must Die! 3, Cat Quest II (May 2 to May 9)
Lisa: Definitive Edition, Industria (April 25 to May. 2)
Town of Salem 2; The Big Con (April 18 to April 25)
Ghostrunner (April 11 to April 18)
Thief; The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition (April 4 to April 11)
Islets (March 28 to April 4)
Invincible Presents: Atom Eve; Call of the Wild: The Angler (March 21 to March 28)
The Bridge; Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (March 14 to March 21)
Astro Duel 2 (March 7 to March 14)
Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield (Feb. 29 to March 7)
Super Meat Boy Forever (Feb. 22 to Feb. 29)
Dakar Desert Rally (Feb. 15 to Feb. 22)
Lost Castle; Doki Doki Literature Club Plus (Feb. 8 to Feb. 15)
Doors: Paradox (Feb. 1 to Feb. 8)
Infinifactory (Jan. 25 to Feb. 1)
Love (Jan. 18 to Jan. 25)
Sail Forth (Jan. 11 to Jan. 18)
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Jan. 4 to Jan. 11)
A Plague Tale: Innocence (Jan. 3 to Jan. 4)
20 Minutes Till Dawn (Jan. 2 to Jan. 3)
Escape Academy (Jan. 1 to Jan. 2)

Epic Games Store free games of 2023

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

Technologies

Google races to put Gemini at the center of Android before Apple’s AI reboot

Google is using its latest Android rollout to position Gemini as the AI layer across phones, Chrome, laptops and cars.

Google is using its latest Android rollout to make Gemini less of a chatbot and more of an operating layer across the phone, browser, car and laptop, just weeks before Apple is expected to show its own Gemini-powered Apple Intelligence reboot at WWDC.
Ahead of its Google I/O developer conference next week, the company previewed a number of Android updates, including AI-powered app automation, a smarter version of Chrome on Android, new tools for creators, a redesigned Android Auto experience, and a sweeping set of new security features.
Alphabet is counting on Gemini to help Google compete directly with OpenAI and Anthropic in the market for artificial intelligence models and services, while also serving as the AI backbone across its expansive portfolio of products, including Android. Meanwhile, Gemini is powering part of Apple’s new AI strategy, giving Google a role in the iPhone maker’s reset even as it races to prove its own version of personal AI on the phone is further along.
Sameer Samat, who oversees Google’s Android ecosystem, told CNBC that Google is rebuilding parts of Android around Gemini Intelligence to help users complete everyday tasks more easily.
“We’re transitioning from an operating system to an intelligence system,” he said.
As part of Tuesday’s announcements. Google said Gemini Intelligence will be able to move across apps, understand what’s on the screen and complete tasks that would normally require a user to jump between multiple services. That means Android is moving beyond the traditional assistant model, where users ask a question and get an answer, and acting more like an agent.
For instance, Google says Gemini can pull relevant information from Gmail, build shopping carts and book reservations. Samat gave the example of asking Gemini to look at the guest list for a barbecue, build a menu, add ingredients to an Instacart list and return for approval before checkout.
A big concern surrounding agentic AI involves software taking action on a user’s behalf without permissions. Samat said Gemini will come back to the user before completing a transaction, adding, “the human is always in the loop.”
Four months after announcing its Gemini deal with Google, Apple is under pressure to show a more capable version of Apple Intelligence, which has been a relative laggard on the market. Apple has long framed privacy, hardware integration and control of the user experience as its advantages.
Google’s Android push is designed to show it can bring AI deeper into the device experience while still giving users control over what Gemini can see, where it can act and when it needs confirmation.
The app automation features will roll out in waves, starting with the latest Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones this summer, before expanding across more Android devices, including watches, cars, glasses and laptops later this year.
The company is also redesigning Android Auto around Gemini, turning the car into another major surface for its assistant. Android Auto is in more than 250 million cars, and Google says the new release includes its biggest maps update in a decade and Gemini-powered help with tasks like ordering dinner while driving.
Alphabet’s AI strategy has been embraced by Wall Street, which has pushed the company’s stock price up more than 140% in the past year, compared to Apple’s roughly 40% gain. Investors now want to see how Gemini can become more central to the products people use every day.
WATCH: Alphabet briefly tops Nvidia after report of $200 billion Anthropic cloud deal

Technologies

Waymo recalls 3,800 robotaxis after glitch allowed some vehicles to ‘drive into standing water’

Waymo issued a voluntary recall of about 3,800 of its robotaxis to fix software issues that could allow them to drive into flooded roadways.

Waymo is recalling about 3,800 robotaxis in the U.S. to fix software issues that could allow them to “drive onto a flooded roadway,” according to a letter on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.
The voluntary recall is for Waymo vehicles that use the company’s fifth and sixth generation automated driving systems (or ADS), the U.S. auto safety regulator said in the letter posted Tuesday.
Waymo autonomous vehicles in Austin, Texas, were seen on camera driving onto a flooded street and stalling, requiring other drivers to navigate around them. It’s the latest example of a safety-related issue for the Alphabet-owned AV unit that’s rapidly bolstering its fleet of vehicles and entering new U.S. markets.
Waymo has drawn criticism for its vehicles failing to yield to school buses in Austin, and for the performance of its vehicles during widespread power outages in San Francisco in December, when robotaxis halted in traffic, causing gridlock.
The company said in a statement on Tuesday that it’s “identified an area of improvement regarding untraversable flooded lanes specific to higher-speed roadways,” and opted to file a “voluntary software recall” with the NHTSA.
“Waymo provides over half a million trips every week in some of the most challenging driving environments across the U.S., and safety is our primary priority,” the company said.
Waymo added that it’s working on “additional software safeguards” and has put “mitigations” in place, limiting where its robotaxis operate during extreme weather, so that they avoid “areas where flash flooding might occur” in periods of intense rain.
WATCH: Waymo launches new autonomous system in Chinese-made vehicle

Technologies

Qualcomm tumbles 13% as semiconductor stocks retreat from historic AI-fueled surge

Semiconductor equities reversed sharply after a broad AI-driven advance, with Qualcomm suffering its worst day since 2020 amid inflation concerns and rising oil prices.

Semiconductor stocks fell sharply on Tuesday, reversing course after an extensive rally that had expanded the artificial intelligence investment theme well past Nvidia and driven the industry to unprecedented levels.

Qualcomm plunged 13% and was on track for its steepest single-day decline since 2020. Intel shed 8%, while On Semiconductor and Skyworks Solutions each lost more than 6%. The iShares Semiconductor ETF, which benchmarks the overall sector, fell 5%.

The sell-off came after a key gauge of consumer prices came in above forecasts, and as conflict in Iran pushed crude oil higher—prompting investors to shift away from riskier assets.

The preceding advance had widened the AI opportunity set beyond longtime industry leader Nvidia, which for much of the past several years had largely carried the market to new peaks on its own.

Explosive appetite for central processing units, along with the graphics processing units that power large language models, has sent chipmakers to all-time highs.

Market participants are wagering that the shift from AI model training to autonomous agents will lift demand for additional AI hardware. Among the beneficiaries are memory chip producers, which are raising prices as supply remains tight.

Micron Technology slid 6%, and Sandisk cratered 8%. Sandisk’s stock has surged more than six times over since January.