Free Games This Week (Sep 24 – Oct 1, 2026): Epic, Steam, Prime Gaming & Mobile

26.09.2026

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Updated September 26, 2026. Another week, another stack of games you can add to your library without spending a cent. Epic Games Store is handing out a brilliant dice roguelike and a hugely popular mech auto-battler, Steam has a two-game Free Weekend running until Sunday, Xbox has opened up two big games to everyone, and Prime members have three new claims waiting, including High on Life. Below you will find every free game available right now, exactly how long each offer lasts, and our honest take on which ones deserve a spot on your drive.

Free Games This Week at a Glance

Epic Games Store: Free to Keep Until October 1

Epic's weekly giveaway runs from Thursday to Thursday. Claim a game once while it is free and it stays in your library permanently, even after the promotion ends and even if you never install it. This week's two titles are both claimable until October 1 at 11:00 AM ET, when the next pair unlocks.

Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles

Astrea replaces the deck of cards with a pool of custom dice. (Image: Akupara Games)

If you have sunk hours into deckbuilding roguelikes, this is the pick of the week. Astrea swaps cards for dice: you build a pool of custom dice, roll them each turn, and decide how to spend every face. The twist is its dual damage system of Purification and Corruption. Some of your most powerful dice carry a Corruption cost, so every turn becomes a small risk-versus-reward calculation. Balancing that power against the danger is what makes each run feel different from other deckbuilders.

Dice also introduce a pleasant layer of luck management. You are never just playing the best card in hand; you are building a pool that still works when the rolls go against you, then upgrading individual faces to push the odds in your favor. With multiple Sentinels to master, each with their own playstyle, a hand-painted art style and runs that fit neatly into a lunch break, it is easily worth claiming even if you are only mildly curious about the genre.

Mechabellum

Mechabellum is all planning: once the round starts, the armies fight on their own. (Image: Game River / Dreamhaven)

Mechabellum is a turn-based auto-battler with real-time strategy spectacle. Each round you draft units, place them on your half of the battlefield, upgrade them with specialists and tech, and then watch the armies collide. You never micro-manage a single unit during combat, so the entire game lives in your planning: reading what your opponent built last round and countering it before the next clash.

It is primarily a competitive multiplayer game with ranked play, so expect a learning curve during your first few matches. The upside is a very active player base and a skill ceiling that keeps rewarding practice. Treat the early losses as scouting: every defeat shows you a counter you had not considered yet.

How to Claim Free Games on the Epic Games Store

1. Sign in to your Epic Games account on the website or in the Epic Games Launcher.
2. Open the Free Games section on the store's Discover page.
3. Click the game marked Free Now, then click Get.
4. Confirm with Place Order. The total shows $0.00 and no payment method is needed.
5. The game now lives in your Library. You can download it today or years from now.

Epic Games Mobile: Cardpocalypse

Epic also gives away a weekly game through its mobile store. This week it is Cardpocalypse, a card-battling RPG from the team behind Guild of Dungeoneering. Set in the 1990s, you play as a 10-year-old trying to save the school's favorite card game after it gets banned, collecting and even customizing cards as you go. The PC version was well received by critics, and after the main campaign a roguelite Gauntlet Mode keeps it going.

To claim it, install the Epic Games Store app on Android (or on iOS in supported regions) and grab it before October 1. If you enjoy Astrea on PC, this makes a great companion for your phone.

Steam: Free Weekend and a Free-to-Keep Bonus

Steam Free Weekends are different from Epic giveaways: you can install and play the full game for free, but only until the event ends. Your progress usually carries over if you buy the game afterward, and both titles are discounted during the event. The free access ends on September 28 at 10:00 AM PT (1:00 PM ET). New to Valve's store? Our 9 tips for new Steam users will help you get more out of it.

Squad

Squad's 50 vs 50 battles mix infantry, armor and logistics. (Image: Offworld Industries)

Squad is one of the most respected tactical military shooters on PC. Matches are 50 vs 50 on huge maps, with vehicles, logistics and forward bases, and the whole thing runs on communication. Proximity voice chat and a squad-leader structure mean a coordinated team will beat a group of better individual shooters almost every time.

Our advice for the weekend: join a squad with a leader who is actively giving orders, stick close to your team, and listen more than you talk. That is the fastest way to discover whether the slow, deliberate pace clicks for you. If it does, $19.99 is a very fair price for a game people play for years.

Gas Station Simulator

From a dusty ruin to a busy roadside business. (Image: Drago Entertainment)

At the opposite end of the stress scale, Gas Station Simulator hands you a run-down desert gas station and asks you to turn it into a thriving roadside business. You clean, repair, restock, hire staff and gradually expand into new services. It is a cozy, satisfying loop, and the campaign is short enough that you can see a good chunk of it before Sunday.

Bonus: Neon Knight Is Free to Keep (For Now)

Neon Knight: Vengeance From The Grave is a fast, story-driven 2D side-scroller made by solo developer Marko Vuković. It is currently free on Steam, and the developer plans to switch it to a small one-off price in the future. Anyone who adds it to their account before that happens keeps it. The date and price of the change have not been announced, so grab it now if 2D action is your thing, then check out our list of games like Hollow Knight for more.

Xbox Free Play Days: The Division 2 and PGA Tour 2K25

Console players get a treat too. Until Sunday, September 27 at 11:59 PM PT, Xbox Free Play Days let you try four games, and two of them do not require Game Pass at all:

• The Division 2 (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One): Ubisoft's co-op looter shooter set in a collapsed Washington, D.C. Perfect for a weekend session with friends.
• PGA Tour 2K25 (Xbox Series X|S, PC): the latest entry in 2K's golf series. If it hooks you, see our roundup of the best golf games on Xbox.

Game Pass members can also try The Escapists 2 and Young Suns. As with Steam, Free Play Days games are discounted during the event if you want to buy them.

Prime Gaming (Amazon Luna): Three New Claims

High on Life is the headline of Prime's final September drop. (Image: Squanch Games)

If you have Amazon Prime, the final September drop is live. These games are free to keep once claimed:

• High on Life (Epic Games Store code): the comedy sci-fi shooter from Squanch Games, released in 2022, where your guns talk back. If you like irreverent humor and colorful alien worlds, this is the headline game of the drop.
• Hue (Epic Games Store code): an elegant puzzle platformer built around changing the color of the world to make obstacles appear and disappear.
• The Da Vinci Cryptex (Legacy Games code): a puzzle adventure set in Leonardo da Vinci's workshop.

Claim them through Amazon's games page while signed in with your Prime account, then redeem each code on the listed store. If you missed earlier September drops, DOOM Eternal (Microsoft code) and DOOM + DOOM II (GOG code) may still be claimable, so check the claim page before they expire.

Coming Next Week on Epic: System Shock 2 and Buried Stars

System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster arrives free on October 1. (Image: Nightdive Studios)

Epic has already confirmed the next free games, available from October 1 to October 8:

• System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster by Nightdive Studios ($29.99, Metacritic 84). The 1999 immersive-sim classic from Looking Glass and Irrational Games, rebuilt for modern PCs with higher resolutions and quality-of-life improvements. Surviving the Von Braun while the rogue AI SHODAN hunts you is still one of gaming's great horror experiences. If you love sci-fi RPGs, it pairs nicely with our list of games like Mass Effect.
• Buried Stars from LINE Games ($39.99). A mystery visual novel in which the contestants of a live survival audition show are trapped in a collapsed studio and must talk to each other and the outside world through social media while they wait for rescue, as trust falls apart.

That is a strong start to October, especially for anyone who has never played System Shock 2. Set a reminder for Thursday.

Our Pick of the Week

Make the Most of Your Free Games

Free games are a great excuse to check that your setup is ready. Squad and System Shock 2 both benefit from a solid PC, so if you are planning an upgrade, start with our gaming PC build guide under $1000. Prefer to play High on Life or Gas Station Simulator from the couch? Our guide to the best gaming controllers for PC will help you pick the right pad.

FAQ

Do I keep Epic free games after the promotion ends?

Yes. Any game you claim on the Epic Games Store while it is free stays in your library permanently. You do not have to download it right away.

Do I keep Steam Free Weekend games?

No. Free Weekend games can only be played until the event ends. To keep playing you need to buy the game, which is usually discounted during the event. Free-to-keep promotions like Neon Knight are different: once the game is in your account, it stays there.

Do I need Game Pass for Xbox Free Play Days?

Not for every game. This weekend, The Division 2 and PGA Tour 2K25 are open to all Xbox players, while The Escapists 2 and Young Suns require Game Pass.

Do I need Prime to claim the Amazon games?

Yes, an active Amazon Prime membership is required. Once a game is claimed and redeemed on its store, it is yours to keep.

When does Epic release new free games?

Every Thursday at 11:00 AM ET. The next games, System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster and Buried Stars, unlock on October 1.

Prices are listed in USD and may vary by region. Offer dates were checked on September 26, 2026. We update this roundup every week, so bookmark xGamerss and you will never miss a free game.