Epic Games Gives Dead Island 2 for Free

Dead Island 2 is officially free on the Epic Games Store until May 22. Alongside it is the smaller but wild Happy Game, a trippy horror experience from indie studio Amanita Design. That’s a pretty stacked drop for a weekly freebie, but let’s be honest—this one’s all about Dead Island 2.

You can claim both games now without spending a cent. Once you hit “claim,” they’re yours forever. No subscription, no hidden fee, no catch. This is easily one of the best free titles Epic has offered in months.

Dead Island 2: Dumb, Bloody, and Exactly What You Need

Released in 2023, Dead Island 2 is the long-awaited sequel to the original 2011 cult hit. Set in a zombified version of Los Angeles—aka “HELL-A”—you play as one of several immune survivors trying to slice, bash, and burn your way through the undead. Think sunshine, palm trees, and arterial spray.

It’s not deep, but it is fun. Combat is fast, juicy, and rewards creativity. Weapons degrade, so you’re always mixing it up—one moment it’s a katana, the next it’s an electrified claw hammer. The flesh system lets you destroy zombies piece by piece in gross detail, and yeah, it never gets old.

“It’s almost impossible to stop smiling while playing.”

That’s what VGC said in their review, and they’re right. The campaign clocks in at around 15 hours, and while it’s not open-world, the handcrafted LA zones feel alive in a B-movie kind of way. Sure, it’s silly—but it’s the kind of silly that works. You’re not here for narrative depth. You’re here to decapitate surfers with a chainsaw.

How Dead Island 2 Stacks Up in Zombie Game History:

Dead Island 2 lands firmly in the “good but not groundbreaking” zone—above Dead Rising 3, but below the genre titans like Resident Evil and TLOU2. Still, for a freebie? It’s killer.

Happy Game? More Like Nightmare Fuel

If you’re into experimental horror, Happy Game is worth checking out. It’s a short, creepy side-scroller with cartoon gore and surreal vibes. You guide a small boy through three disturbing dreamscapes, with gameplay that’s mostly puzzles and interactive dread. The soundtrack is by Czech weirdos DVA, and it sets the tone perfectly.

This one isn’t for everyone, but if you like stuff like Limbo or Inside, give it a shot. At worst, you delete it after 45 minutes. At best, you get a free fever dream.

Flashback to 2020: The Greatest Epic Giveaway of All Time

This is a big week, but it’s still hard to top Epic’s legendary 2020 giveaway of GTA V. That one broke the internet. The Epic Games Store crashed from traffic, and the free game window sparked a massive influx of new users. For days, “GTA V free” was trending worldwide.

It wasn’t just a big moment for Epic—it was a game-changer for PC game distribution. People who had never touched the store suddenly had a reason to log in. GTA V remains the biggest giveaway in Epic’s history, and everything else is still chasing that high.

Dead Island 2 doesn’t quite reach that level, but it’s one of the heaviest hitters since then. These aren't small indies or forgotten AA titles. This is a full $59.99 game, free for anyone who wants it.

Once Dead Island 2 and Happy Game leave on May 22 at 11am ET, they’ll be replaced with three new free titles. Epic hasn’t announced them yet, but with the store’s “Mega Sale” looming, we might get more surprises soon.

Epic continues to push weekly giveaways as a core part of their strategy—and if this is the level we’re getting now, it’s a good time to be a hoarder of digital games.

Claim them. No excuses.