Just scored another gaming W this week and had to share! 🎮 The Epic Games Store is about to drop another free game, but this time it's not your average freebie. After six straight years of predictable weekly announcements, Epic is switching things up with a mystery game that has me completely shook!
Unlike the usual routine where they reveal next week's free game right away, Epic is keeping us on our toes. If you check the store right now, you'll see The Darkside Detective and The Jackbox Party Pack 4 up for grabs, but next week's offering is simply labeled as a "Mystery Game." The placeholder image is telling us to tune into The Game Awards on December 11 at 8pm ET. This is major tea, y'all!
Let's be real - The Game Awards has become the Super Bowl of gaming. It's not just about trophies anymore; it's where the biggest announcements drop, developers show their latest projects, and we get those OMG moments that break the internet. The hype grows stronger every year, and honestly, I'm living for it.
By connecting this mystery game to The Game Awards 2025, Epic is basically saying "this isn't your average Thursday giveaway." The bar is SKY HIGH, and gamers everywhere (myself included) are playing detective trying to figure out what it could be.
The Nominees Theory 🏆
Some of us think it might be one of this year's Game Awards nominees. If that's the case, we've got some serious contenders:
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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (12 nominations - talk about GOATED!)
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Hades 2 (6 nominations - Supergiant never misses)
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Hollow Knight: Silksong (5 nominations - finally released after that eternal wait!)
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Split Fiction (4 nominations - such a vibe)
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Silent Hill f (3 nominations - nightmare fuel in the best way)
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Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (3 nominations - medieval RPG excellence)
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Battlefield 6 (3 nominations - the comeback we needed)
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (2 nominations - didn't expect to love this so much)
The Shadow Drop Theory 👀
But wait - what if it's something completely new? Some galaxy brain gamers think Epic might be giving away a game that gets shadow-dropped during the ceremony itself. The tea is HOT that Death Stranding 2: On The Beach might get a surprise PC announcement, especially after that ESRB rating leak. Imagine Kojima dropping the game AND it being free on Epic in the same night? I would literally die!
Epic's December Legacy 🎄
Here's the other thing - Epic has a tradition of giving away daily mystery games in December. While that usually starts around December 19-20, this mystery game is still happening in December, which sets certain expectations.
Looking at past December giveaways, Epic hasn't been playing around:
| Year | Notable December Freebies |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Wolfenstein: The New Order, Metro: Last Light Redux, Death Stranding |
| 2023 | The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition, Ghostrunner |
| 2024 | Control, Ghostrunner 2, Sifu |
So whatever this mystery game is, it needs to be on the same level as these absolute bangers. No pressure, Epic! 😅
My Predictions 🔮
If I had to bet my gaming setup on it, I'm thinking it might be Hollow Knight: Silksong. Team Cherry's masterpiece finally dropped this year after that endless wait, and what better way to celebrate its Game Awards nominations than by letting everyone experience it?
Or maybe - and this is my wildest theory - it could be something that hasn't even been announced yet. How iconic would it be if Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree 2 was announced and then immediately made free on Epic? OK that's probably not happening but a gamer can dream, right?
Either way, December 11 can't come soon enough. I've already set multiple alarms and cleared my schedule to watch The Game Awards live. This is the kind of gaming moment that has me absolutely HYPED.
What do you think the mystery game will be? Drop your theories below! And remember, whatever it is, we're all winning because FREE GAMES, HELLO! This is why I'm ride or die for the Epic Games Store, no cap.
Update: I'll be live streaming my reaction to The Game Awards and the mystery game reveal on my channels, so make sure you're following for all the real-time reactions!