The Best Free PC and Console Games to Claim in September 2022

Everyone loves free games. Steam has a hefty collection of them, but some places offer titles for only a limited amount of time. Epic Games gives away multiple games a week. Amazon’s Prime Gaming subscription service has new titles each month. But if you’re not paying attention, you’ll lose out on a PC game you could have kept forever.

In an effort to help gamers know what’s out there to claim, we’re tracking the best free games available in a given month. While some titles are free outright, others are included as part of a subscription service. Here’s everything you can grab this month.

Free Epic Games Store Games

Epic Games gives away free titles every week; no need for a subscription. Head over to the Epic Games Store website(Opens in a new window) or open the launcher, scroll down to the Free Games section, and hit the Free Now banner on the title you want. Then, go through the process as if you were purchasing the game. You won’t be charged, and the game will appear in your games library on the Epic Games launcher.

Ring of Pain (Until Sept. 1)

Ring of Pain(Opens in a new window) is a roguelike card game and dungeon crawler, where a deck of cards placed in a circle simulates a dungeon. You must make decisions based on the cards in front of you—collect loot or attack a monster—then react to the changes the game makes.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Sept. 1 – 8)

Shadow of the Tomb Raider(Opens in a new window) is a poignant action-adventure game that dives deep into the final chapter of Lara Croft’s origin story. You must venture into the jungles of the Americas to stop a Mayan apocalypse and defeat the paramilitary organization Trinity.

Submerged: Hidden Depths (Sept. 1 – 8)

Set in the sunken ruins of the world, Submerged(Opens in a new window) is a third-person exploration game with no combat. Instead of fighting, you will explore the remains of a once-magnificent city by boat and on foot as you search for salvation.

Free GOG Games

GOG doesn’t have regular giveaways as some other websites do, but when there is a free game to claim, you can grab it right from the front page. Look for a banner with a free game and countdown, and click the green button to claim the game.

In between giveaways, GOG always has a small collection of free games(Opens in a new window), which mainly includes classic computer games that have been made available at no cost.

The Witcher: Enhanced Edition

GOG allows you to score a free copy of the first Witcher game if you download the GOG Galaxy desktop client(Opens in a new window). Go to the Recent view and click the giveaway button at the top of the screen. As long as you agree to let GOG send you news and offers, the game is free to claim.

Free Games Collection

You can grab any of GOG’s free games by adding them to your cart and proceeding as if it were a normal purchase. The games will then be added to your account for $0. Standouts include Beneath a Steel Sky, Shadow Warrior, Postal, and several Ultima games.

Free PlayStation Plus Games

PlayStation Plus(Opens in a new window) is Sony’s online multiplayer and games subscription service. Earlier this year, it rolled out new plans(Opens in a new window); prices vary depending on which tier you choose, but access starts at $9.99 per month. As part of the service, you can claim new games to keep every month, and they’re accessible as long as you have an active PlayStation Plus subscription. Subscribers who own a PS5 can also keep games from a curated selection of titles.

Claim games from your console by choosing the PlayStation Plus button on the PlayStation home screen or going through the PlayStation Network Store. Games can also be added from the PlayStation Store(Opens in a new window) website as long as Automatic Downloads(Opens in a new window) are enabled. Once this is set up, you can add games from the web store and they’ll be remotely downloaded to your console.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon (Until Sept. 5)

Follow new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga in Yakuza: Like a Dragon(Opens in a new window), a turn-based RPG continuing the long-running Yakuza series. A free man after 18 years, Ichiban is betrayed by his former boss but will take a bizarre journey to become a hero. The game received a 4.5/5 rating with Editors’ Choice recognition from PCMag.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 Deluxe Bundle (Until Sept. 5)

Go back to the good old days with this remaster of the first two games in the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2(Opens in a new window) includes new and returning skaters and music. The game received a 4.5/5 rating with Editors’ Choice recognition from PCMag.

Little Nightmares (Until Sept. 5)

Little Nightmares(Opens in a new window) is a puzzle adventure game where you play as a little girl who must escape a ship inhabited by twisted monsters. You have no combat ability, so you must rely on stealth and the environment to hide from enemies.

Need For Speed Heat (Sept. 6 – Oct. 3)

Need For Speed: Heat(Opens in a new window) is an open-world racing game where the player can participate in sanctioned races during the day or illegal street races at night. Legal races earn you money while night races earn you REP, but you’ll also have to contend with the police.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus (Starting Sept. 6)

Granblue Fantasy: Versus(Opens in a new window) is a 2.5D fighting game that features many characters from the Granblue Fantasy franchise. The game also has a beat ’em up-style story mode and a co-op mode.

Toem (Starting Sept. 6)

Toem(Opens in a new window) is a black-and-white adventure game with hand-drawn art that focuses on on taking pictures, meeting new characters, and solving their problems.

PlayStation Plus Collection – PS5 Only

Those who own a PlayStation 5 and subscribe to PlayStation Plus now have access to a curated collection of PS4 games. These games can be claimed at any time and remain playable as long as there is an active subscription. The current lineup, from Sony and partner studios, includes:

• Bloodborne

• Days Gone

• Detroit: Become Human

• God of War

• Infamous Second Son

• Ratchet and Clank

• The Last Guardian

• The Last of Us Remastered

• Until Dawn

• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

• Batman: Arkham Knight

• Battlefield 1

• Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicles Edition

• Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

• Fallout 4

• Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition

• Monster Hunter: World

• Mortal Kombat X

• Resident Evil 7 biohazard

Free Prime Gaming (Twitch Prime) Games

Prime Gaming (formerly known as Twitch Prime) is a subscription service that provides in-game loot, free games, and many other perks each month. The service costs $12.99 a month with a free 30-day trial or comes included with your $139 Amazon Prime subscription. Navigate to the Prime Gaming page(Opens in a new window), scroll down to the “Games free with Prime” section, and select the Claim button next to the titles you want.

To play games offered by Prime Gaming, you must download the Amazon Games launcher. Click the “Download and Play” link that appears next to the Claim button. In the pop-up window, click the link that says Download the Amazon Games Apps (Windows) to install the launcher. Once installed, Prime Gaming games can be claimed via the launcher.

Beasts of Maravilla Island (Until Sept. 1)

Journey to a magical island and take pictures of the creatures you find there in Beasts of Maravilla Island. In this photography game, you are free to roam the island, snap photos, and solve puzzles as you make your way through the game.

Recompile (Until Sept. 1)

In Recompile, you are a sapient computer program fighting against deletion. Explore, fight, and hack your way through a digital landscape in this Metroidvania adventure for survival.

ScourgeBringer (Until Sept. 1)

ScourgeBringer is a fast-paced roguelite platformer that has you slashing and shooting your way through frantic combat scenarios as you journey through a post-apocalyptic world in search of humanity’s redemption.

StarCraft: Remastered (Until Sept. 1)

Anyone can play the original StarCraft(Opens in a new window) for free, but for the super fans out there, StarCraft: Remastered offers ultra HD graphics, re-recorded sound, and modernized online features.

Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders (Until Sept. 1)

In this point-and-click adventure game, a tabloid reporter must work to stop aliens plotting to reduce the intelligence of the human race.

Assassin’s Creed Origins (Starting Sept. 1)

Set in the open world of Ptolemaic Egypt, this action RPG explores the origins of the feud between the Assassins and the Templars. You play as the Medjay Bayek of Siwa and his wife Aya as they seek revenge for the death of their child.

Castle on the Coast (Starting Sept. 1)

This retro 3D platformer puts you in control of George the Giraffe as you jump, climb, swim, and drive your way through various level in your effort to bring a family of wizards back together.

Defend the Rook (Starting Sept. 1)

Defend the Rook is a roguelike tactics and tower defense game. You must fend off hoards of enemies on a board by building, upgrading your defenses, and casting powerful spells.

The Dig (Starting Sept. 1)

This LucasArts classic point-and-click adventure game focuses on a team of astronauts who discover a world of alien technology hidden within an asteroid. You will need to explore the remnants of the ancient civilization and solve puzzles in order to discover what happened to the aliens.

Football Manager 2022 (Starting Sept. 1)

Continuing the long-running series of soccer simulation games, Football Manager 2022 delivers visual and mechanical improvements in multiple areas, making it the best series entry yet. There is a new statistical analysis feature and staff meeting system that allows you to do more to lead your franchise.

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor Game of the Year Edition (Starting Sept. 1)

Set within J.R.R. Tolkien’s world of Middle-Earth, Shadow of Mordor is an action adventure game that follows a ranger of Gondor who has been killed and revived in order to exact revenge against Sauron.

We. The Revolution (Starting Sept. 1)

In this political simulation game set during the French Revolution, you must determine who is an enemy of the people while also avoiding being labeled one yourself. As a judge of the Revolutionary Tribunal, you will investigate and condemn people, navigate various revolutionary factions, and then go home to your family.

Free Steam Games

Steam has many free games you can download at any time, but there are occasionally some limited-time free titles. When you find a free game, you can “buy” it on Steam like you normally would, and it will be automatically added to your library without you having to check out.

If you have a Steam Key code, you can claim the game by launching the Steam client and clicking Games Menu > Activate a Product on Steam. Follow the instructions to complete the process and get your game. You may also need to connect your Steam account with another online retailer (e.g. Humble Bundle) before you can enter the code.

Mafia (Sept. 1 -5)

Set in the 1930s, Mafia(Opens in a new window) in an action-adventure game that follows a taxi driver who is forced to join the Salieri crime family. As you navigate a life of organized crime, you will take on missions by car and foot, while trying to avoid detection from law enforcement. The game will be free to claim(Opens in a new window) in honor of its 20th anniversary.

Nights Into Dreams (While Supplies Last)

It turns out that Sega has a few more Steam codes to give out from its 60th-anniversary celebration. Register your email(Opens in a new window) with Sega, then claim a key for the classic console game Nights Into Dreams(Opens in a new window) in your email.

Endless Space Collection

You can get the 4X strategy game Endless Space and its Disharmony DLC directly from the developer thanks to its Games2gether(Opens in a new window) platform. Sign up for an account and open the reward page (the present icon in the top-right corner) to see your free game. Just link your Steam account to receive the free Steam key and save $10.

Free Xbox Live Gold Games

Xbox Live Gold(Opens in a new window) is the premium subscription tier of the Xbox Live online gaming service that costs $9.99 a month or $24.99 for three months. It is also included in the cost of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Among the many perks you get are free Xbox games every month. Claimed games can only be played as long as you have an active Xbox Live Gold subscription.

To claim your free games with an Xbox Live Gold subscription, go to the Gold section on your Xbox console or visit this page(Opens in a new window) on a computer to queue up the game for download on your console. Games are added on the 1st and 16th of every month.

ScourgeBringer (Until Sept. 15)

ScourgeBringer(Opens in a new window) is a fast-paced roguelite platformer that has you slashing and shooting your way through frantic combat scenarios as you journey through a post-apocalyptic world in search of humanity’s redemption.

Thrillville (Sept. 1 – 15)

Thrillville: OTR(Opens in a new window) is a theme park simulator that allows you to place rides, games, facilities, and attractions, but it also includes several mini-games and the ability to ride your own rollercoasters.

Gods Will Fall (Sept. 1 – 30)

In the hack and slash roguelike Gods Will Fall(Opens in a new window), you rebel against the cruel gods of the ancient world and fight through swarms of enemy monsters to free humanity from their grasp.

Portal 2 (Sept. 16 – 30)

Like the first game in the series, Portal 2(Opens in a new window) is a puzzle-platformer that asks you to solve physics-based puzzles by creating portals between two fixed points. The sequel adds new features to further complicate the game’s puzzles.

Double Kick Heroes (Sept. 16 – Oct. 15)

Double Kick Heroes(Opens in a new window) is a rhythm zombie shooter where you must shoot hordes of the undead to the beat of 30 metal tracks. The game even allows you to upload your open music to add even more variety.