How to Get Free PC Games Legally — The Complete Guide

Published: February 17, 2026 · 12 min read · By the LootRadar Team

There has never been a better time to be a budget gamer. Between weekly giveaways, subscription perks, and permanently free titles, you can build an impressive PC game library without spending a single dollar — and we're not talking about piracy or sketchy grey-market key sites. Every method in this guide is completely legitimate.

We've organized this guide by source, from the most reliable and consistent free game providers down to the occasional surprises. Bookmark this page and check back regularly, or use LootRadar to automatically track every free deal across all stores in real time.

1. Epic Games Store — Weekly Free Games

Epic Games Store has been the single greatest source of free PC games since late 2018. Every Thursday at 11:00 AM Eastern Time, Epic releases one or more free games that you can claim and keep forever. There's no catch, no subscription required — just a free Epic Games account.

How It Works

Visit the Epic Games Store (via the launcher or website), navigate to the "Free Games" section, and click "Get." The game is permanently added to your library. You have one week to claim each title before it rotates to the next one.

What They've Given Away

Epic's giveaways aren't shovelware. Over the years, they've given away hundreds of games worth an estimated $10,000+ in total value. Some highlights include:

• Grand Theft Auto V — Rockstar's open-world masterpiece, which still sells for $30+
• Death Stranding — Hideo Kojima's divisive but acclaimed delivery simulator
• Civilization VI — The legendary 4X strategy game
• Control — Remedy's supernatural action-adventure
• Borderlands 3 — Looter-shooter mayhem with friends
• A Plague Tale: Innocence — Critically acclaimed narrative adventure
• Star Wars Battlefront II — The redeemed multiplayer shooter

Pro Tips for Epic Freebies

• Claim even if you won't play immediately. Future-you will appreciate the library you build today.
• Set a weekly reminder for Thursday mornings so you never miss a claim window.
• Check the "coming soon" preview. Epic usually reveals next week's free game alongside the current one.
• During holiday events (usually December), Epic runs daily free games instead of weekly — 15 free games in 15 days.

2. Amazon Prime Gaming

If you already pay for Amazon Prime (for the shipping, Prime Video, or whatever else), you're leaving free games on the table every single month. Prime Gaming (formerly Twitch Prime) includes 5-8 free PC games per month, plus in-game loot for popular titles.

How It Works

Visit gaming.amazon.com, log in with your Amazon account, and claim the monthly offerings. Games are typically provided as keys for the Amazon Games launcher, Epic Games Store, or GOG. Once claimed, they're yours permanently.

What to Expect

Prime Gaming's monthly offerings tend to be a mix of solid indie titles and occasional AAA games from a few years back. Recent months have included games like Fallout: New Vegas, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, and Kerbal Space Program. The quality varies month to month, but the value easily exceeds what you'd pay for a standalone subscription.

Don't Forget the In-Game Loot

Beyond full games, Prime Gaming offers free in-game content for dozens of popular titles: currency for Genshin Impact, skins for Fortnite and League of Legends, packs for FIFA/EA FC, and more. Check the Prime Gaming page monthly to claim everything available.

3. Steam Free Games and Giveaways

Steam doesn't have a scheduled weekly giveaway like Epic, but free games appear on the platform regularly through several channels:

Publisher Giveaways

Publishers frequently run limited-time "free to keep" promotions on Steam, especially around game anniversaries, sequel launches, or seasonal events. Past examples include Payday 2, For Honor, Tomb Raider (2013), and Left 4 Dead 2. These windows are typically 24-72 hours, so timing is everything.

Free Weekends

Steam regularly features "Free Weekend" promotions where you can play a paid game for free over a weekend. If you decide to buy, your progress carries over. This is a great way to try before you buy — and often the game is deeply discounted during the free weekend.

Permanently Free Games

Steam has thousands of free-to-play titles. Most are mediocre, but some are genuinely world-class: Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Apex Legends, Path of Exile, Warframe, and Team Fortress 2. Check our guide to the best free PC games for curated recommendations.

4. GOG.com Giveaways

GOG (Good Old Games) runs periodic giveaways of DRM-free games. Their specialty is classic and retro titles, but they've expanded significantly to include modern releases. GOG giveaways typically coincide with seasonal sales or special promotions.

Why GOG Is Special

Every game on GOG is DRM-free. When you claim a free game from GOG, you can download the installer and keep it forever — no launcher required, no online check-in, no risk of losing access. This makes GOG freebies uniquely valuable for long-term game preservation.

Recent GOG Giveaways

GOG has given away titles like Fallout, Beneath a Steel Sky, Shadow Warrior, Ultima 4, and dozens of other classics. During their seasonal sales, GOG typically gives away 2-3 games as door-busters to drive traffic.

5. Humble Bundle Free Games

Humble Bundle occasionally offers free games alongside their paid bundle promotions. These are usually smaller indie titles, but the quality can be surprisingly good. Keep an eye on their homepage and social media channels for announcements.

Additionally, Humble Choice subscribers (currently $11.99/month) get a curated selection of games each month. While not technically free, the value per game is often under $1, making it one of the most cost-effective ways to build a library.

6. itch.io — The Indie Goldmine

itch.io is an open marketplace for independent game developers, and it's packed with completely free games. Unlike the mainstream stores, itch.io's free offerings aren't time-limited giveaways — developers intentionally release their games for free (or on a "pay what you want" basis).

What You'll Find

• Experimental and artistic games you won't find anywhere else
• Game jam entries — short, creative games made in 48-72 hours
• Demos and early versions of games that later launch on Steam
• Horror games — itch.io has become the premier home for indie horror
• Retro-style games, visual novels, and interactive fiction

itch.io has also hosted massive charity bundles containing hundreds of games for a single donation. The "Bundle for Ukraine" included over 900 games and raised millions for relief efforts.

7. Xbox Game Pass for PC

While not technically "free games," Xbox Game Pass for PC ($9.99/month or $14.99 for Game Pass Ultimate) deserves mention because of the sheer value it provides. You get access to hundreds of PC games including day-one releases from Xbox Game Studios — Starfield, Forza, Halo, and more.

Microsoft frequently offers the first month for $1, making it essentially free to try. If you play even two or three games per month, the math works out dramatically in your favor compared to buying each game individually.

8. Developer and Publisher Promotions

Keep an eye out for these recurring promotional patterns:

• Sequel launches: When a sequel releases, publishers often make the previous entry free. This happened with Tomb Raider, Hitman, and many others.
• Game anniversaries: Studios sometimes celebrate milestones by giving away games for free.
• Platform exclusivity deals: When a game launches on a new platform, the publisher may give it away on the original platform to maintain interest.
• Beta access: Open betas let you play upcoming games for free during testing periods.

9. Free-to-Play Games Worth Your Time

The free-to-play model has produced some of the most-played games on the planet. Here are the ones actually worth installing in 2026:

Competitive Shooters

• Valorant — Riot's tactical 5v5 shooter. Zero pay-to-win, cosmetics-only monetization.
• Counter-Strike 2 — The definitive competitive FPS. Free since 2023.
• Apex Legends — Best-in-class movement and gunplay among battle royales.
• The Finals — Destructible environments and game-show chaos.

RPGs and Adventures

• Genshin Impact — Open-world action RPG with AAA production values.
• Path of Exile — The ARPG that rivals Diablo in depth.
• Warframe — Space ninja action with years of free content updates.
• Final Fantasy XIV Free Trial — Two full expansions (hundreds of hours) for free.

Strategy and Card Games

• Dota 2 — One of the deepest competitive games ever made.
• League of Legends — The MOBA that defined a genre.
• Marvel Snap — Fast, clever card game with 3-minute matches.

10. How to Never Miss a Free Game

The biggest problem with free games isn't finding them — it's finding them in time. Epic's Thursday drops are predictable, but Steam giveaways, GOG freebies, and publisher promotions appear randomly and disappear fast.

Here's how to stay on top of every freebie:

1. Use LootRadar. We automatically surface every 100% discount and free giveaway across 15+ stores. One page, real-time updates, no accounts needed.
2. Set calendar reminders for Epic's Thursday rotation and Prime Gaming's monthly refresh.
3. Follow gaming deal communities on Reddit (r/GameDeals, r/FreeGameFindings) for user-reported finds.
4. Claim everything. Even if you won't play a game today, claim it. Your future self will thank you when you're bored on a Saturday night and discover you own 200 games.

Building a Free Game Library — A Realistic Timeline

To show you how quickly a free library grows, here's what you could accumulate in just one year of claiming freebies:

• Epic Games Store: ~52 games (one per week, sometimes two)
• Amazon Prime Gaming: ~60-96 games (5-8 per month)
• GOG giveaways: ~6-10 games
• Steam promotions: ~5-10 games
• Other sources: ~10-20 games

That's 130-190 free games in a single year, many of which are critically acclaimed titles that originally cost $20-60. The total retail value easily exceeds $2,000.

For more ways to save on PC games, check out our Ultimate Steam Sale Guide, our list of amazing indie games under $5, or our guide to comparing prices across every PC store.