Steam may have revolutionized how PC games are sold, but it’s no longer the only big player in town. The latest challenger to Steam’s dominance is the Epic Game Store, where you can pick up titles like Fortnite and Ashen, as well as exclusives like Supermassive’s early access title Hades. To help spark interest in the new digital storefront, Epic is giving away a different game for free every two weeks. The first freebie is the open-ocean game Subnautica, which is available until December 27.
Normally selling for $25, Subnautica kicks off as you crash-land on a submerged alien world. Your first job is to make sure you can survive by finding food, fresh water, and crafting materials you can use to make everything from diving gear to underwater living quarters. As you progress, you’ll assemble tools that let you venture further into the depths of the open world, acquiring better materials and finding clues to what made you crash in the first place.
In our Subnautica review, critic Brett Todd gave the game 9/10, writing, “Subnautica’s story, scares, and beautifully rendered underwater setting make it one of the most fascinating survival games around. You will always have to grind away to a certain extent to gather necessary resources, but the overall experience is both accessible and refined. Subnautica may not make you eager to get back to the beach this summer, but right now there is no better virtual way to experience the beauty, and the terror, of the deep blue sea.”
After Subnautica goes back to regular price, the Epic Game Store will make Super Meat Boy free to own between December 28 and January 10.
Discord also recently threw its hat in the PC game distribution ring, and it’s not letting the Epic Game Store off without a fight. The company announced that in 2019, it will undercut every other competitor in terms of revenue sharing with developers. If competition is good for customers, let the games begin.