Free Games for Epic Game Store January 15 is the official appetizer for new February 2026 games

December is always a busy month Epic Games Store. While the first half of the month usually follows the same formula that Epic Game Store first created seven years ago, where 1-2 free games are given away every Thursday, EGS uses the second half of December to offer daily mystery freebies.

With December now in the rearview mirror, the general consensus is that the Epic Game Store's daily December free games were a little lackluster. Viewfinder, Callisto protocoland Disco Elysium Arguably the only real standout of the 14 games on offer. But it's a brand new year, and the Epic Game Store has plenty of time to get back into users' good graces. For some, the storefront has already achieved that, with its strong start to the year Total War: The Three Kingdoms and Wildgateand Bloons TD 6 Being a current Epic Game Store freebie. The Epic Games Store's January 15th free games are another strong showing, not as the games themselves, but as their collective role for the anticipated February 2026 release.

related to

Epic Game Store: A comprehensive list of every free game to date

Here's a list of all the free games on the Epic Games Store. You have until January 15th to get the current free game.

Epic Game Store Free Games for January 15th Explained

Styx: Master of Shadows

Released in October 2014
Developed by Cyanide Studio
Retails for $19.99 on Steam
68 top critic average on OpenCritic
Stealth game with RPG elements
Developed with Unreal Engine 3
The main story takes 17 hours to finish (According to HowLongToBeat)

Originally released in October 2014 for PC, Xbox One, and PS4, Styx: Master of Shadows is a stealth game that puts stealth and deception at the forefront of its gameplay. As the titular goblin, players must sneak their way through various fantasy locations, sticking closely to the shadows and using a handful of magical abilities to evade and outwit enemies. One such mysterious power is the ability to clone themselves, allowing them to scout areas beforehand and knock guards out of the way.

According to the story, Styx: Master of Shadows Serves as a prequel to developer Cyanide's 2012 action-RPG Of Orcs and Menwhich revolves around a fantasy world where goblins and orcs are oppressed by an empire of men. Appeared as two main protagonists in Styx Of Orcs and MenAnd this prequel tells the story of how he became the world's first goblin.

Critically, Styx: Master of Shadows Couldn't perform incredibly well. The game currently sits at a top critic average of 68 on OpenCritic, although scores range wildly from 4/10 to 9/10 all the way. Reviews with low scores attached are often mentioned Styx: Master of Shadows' subpar enemy AI, its half-baked combat, and general lack of polish, while the 9s and 8s engage praise Sticks Being an unashamedly hardcore stealth game in an era where that wasn't the norm.

Styx: Master of Shadows tag page cover art

issued: October 7, 2014
ESRB: Mature 17+ // Violence, blood and gore, strong language
Engine: Unreal Engine 3

Styx: Shards of Darkness

Released in March 2017
Developed by Cyanide Studio
Retails for $19.99 on Steam
72 top critic average on OpenCritic
Stealth game with RPG elements
There is a 2-player co-op mode
Developed with Unreal Engine 4
The main story takes 12 hours to finish (According to HowLongToBeat)

Released only two years after its predecessor, Styx: Shards of Darkness Takes the stealth-focused formula presented in Master of Shadows And tries to improve it in almost every way. With the upgrade from Unreal Engine 3 to UE4, Styx: Shards of Darkness It certainly looks a bit better than its predecessor, and general gameplay improvements like the inclusion of new craftable weapons and a grappling hook help make it feel like a step-up from the 2014 game.

Critics seemed to agree, viz Styx: Shards of Darkness OpenCritic has a slightly higher top critic average, sitting at a respectable 72. Those who were less warm to the game once again cited poor enemy AI and the sequel's overall lack of polish, while those who gave it higher scores again praised it. SticksThe desire to be a stealth game that doesn't hold the player's hand or punch it. Another element that helped Shards of Darkness To stand out was its two-player co-op mode, where friends can sneak their way through the adjacent environment.

Sticks: Shards of Darkness tag page cover art

issued: March 14, 2017
ESRB: M For Mature 17+ // Blood, intense violence, strong language, drug use
publisher(s): Focus Entertainment, Nacon

Free games for Epic Game Store January 15 must be played before a February 2026 release

Styx: Master of Shadows and Shards of Darkness They're far from the best video games out there, and they're far from the most high-profile titles the Epic Game Store offers for free, but for fans of the stealth genre they're worth more than a playthrough. This is especially true in 2026, as after nearly a decade-long hiatus, Sticks The series is returning for a third entry.

Set to release on February 19, 2026, Styx: Blade of Greed Fantasy Stealth seems like a big step forward for the series, at least in terms of gameplay variety. Instead of small fields, Styx: Blade of Greed Shifting towards large open environments that require the use of grappling hooks and gliders to traverse. The third entry in Sticks The series will also introduce new magical 'quartz' powers, such as a slow-down-time mechanic, Force Push-like explosions, and some form of mind control ability. Being used for stealth and combat, these powers and traversal abilities will also be used to unlock new areas and previous levels, similar to Metroidvania, according to the game's official description on Steam.

According to developer Cyanide Studio, Styx: Blade of Greed This time too he is giving more emphasis to the story. Blade of Greed The events will take place immediately after Shards of Darkness And will reportedly lead almost directly Of Orcs and Men. Like its two predecessors, Styx: Blade of Greed According to its developers, it will take about 20 hours to beat on average, although different playstyles will affect that runtime.