If you've been on the Epic Games Store, you know the routine: every Thursday, a new game shows up for free. Sometimes it's a hidden indie gem like Turnip Boy Robs a Bank. Other times it's a full award-winner like Deathloop. After hundreds of giveaways, the question isn't whether Epic will keep giving games away. It's how they decide which ones to give.
Let's be real: this isn't random generosity. It's a calculated strategy, and Epic's director of strategy and business operations Kyle Billings is remarkably open about it. According to Epic, the Free Games program aims to highlight games which the public may have overlooked and help studios raise their profile. The formula, Billings explained, balances two competing goals.
"We showcase big flagship titles for our tentpole moments like the Mega Sale, that have broad appeal and get our entire audience excited," Billings said. "We also showcase games that weren't visible to a wide audience, or help studios find a new audience ahead of an upcoming release."
For bigger releases, the timing matters. Wrapping a major AAA title around sales events makes sense; it gets people logging in when discounts are everywhere else. But the indie side? That's where the real discovery happens. Epic reports that the Free Games program continues to bring around 8-9 million new users every year. The company selects around 75 titles per year from a combination of research, social media, word of mouth, and direct pitches from developers.
Here's what matters for developers. Participating titles in the Free Games program saw a 40% lift in Steam concurrent users while free on the Epic Games Store, and 77% of them set all-time peak concurrent user records on PC during that window. That's not just marketing noise. If your game is sitting on Steam with 200 players, getting picked for Epic's free slot could spike your concurrent user count to 340, and more importantly, teach you how much appetite there is for your work.
The catch is that this strategy doesn't immediately fill Epic's wallet. About 16% of players who claim free games go on to make a purchase on the store. That's a conversation Epic seems almost defensive about, which is telling. "It's not all about player spend," Billings said. "The Free Games program is designed to connect players with great games. Some of those players choose not to make purchases for whatever reason."
But here's the thing: Epic's numbers for 2025 actually work in its favour. The store reached a record 78 million monthly active users in December 2025, and players spent $1.16 billion on the platform. Third-party game sales jumped 57% to over $400 million. Players claimed 662 million free game copies in 2025, valued at an average of $2,316 per player.
The real play here is long-term. Epic knows it's not Steam. It probably never will be. But by turning the storefront into a destination for free games, the company creates a reason for casual players to show up, accounts to sit active, and friendlists to grow. Developers also see value in the exposure; the program benefits both players and the industry overall.
Even when free games boost Steam sales more than Epic sales, that matters. When Blood West went free on Epic over the holidays, the game sold 200% more copies on Steam that same day. New Blood's CEO saw that as a win. Discovery is the engine. The storefront becomes almost secondary.
What's changing in 2026 is the developer control. Starting June 2025, developers keep 100% of the first $1 million in annual revenue per product before the standard 88/12 split kicks in. Within 48 hours of new discount options going live, indie developers started making their own paid games temporarily free. That's novel on a platform that has historically reserved 100% discounts for official promotions.
The free games strategy works because it solves a real problem for everyone. Players get access to games they wouldn't have tried. Developers get visibility when they need it most. Epic gets users, engagement, and a reason to exist beyond being "the Fortnite launcher." Sixteen per cent conversion might sound weak, but when you're running the numbers on 78 million monthly users, the math gets interesting.