Many are excited about the free mystery game from Epic Games Store on May 19, and there’s reason to believe it won’t be the only one.
The Epic Games Store shocked many users when last Thursday rolled around. Epic Games Store users can now claim Prey, Jotun: Valhalla Edition, and Redout: Enhanced Edition, making for a pretty solid week, but it also announced next week would be a Mystery game. This is an immediate eye-catcher.
This is for two reasons: first, most of Epic Games Store’s mystery games are centered around the holidays. December sees a slew of free mystery games added day after day, so they are always for special occasions. Why May is a special occasion for the Epic Games Store isn’t 100% obvious, but it has handed out mystery games every May since 2020.
This pattern is good for a couple of reasons: quality and quantity. Each of the past giveaways help players manage expectations for the upcoming Epic Games Store mystery game, even if those expectations are high. The Epic Games Store mystery game of May 2020 was Grand Theft Auto 5, meaning fans are likely expecting a big AAA game. It should be noted that GTA 5’s popularity swamped the Epic Games Store, so it may not be as big as that, but fans would rightfully expect something close.
Meanwhile, the Epic Games Store’s free mystery games of May 2021 suggest that May 2022’s game won’t be alone. Last year, Epic Games Store gave away NBA 2K21 as a mystery game and then revealed yet another mystery game for the following week. The second mystery game was Among Us, which while a relatively cheap game, was riding a high in popularity at the time.
While it’s hard to say for certain, this could very well suggest that the Epic Games Store free mystery game for May 2022 won’t be alone. It would not be surprising for Epic Games Store to reveal this week’s game on Thursday, followed by the confirmation of another free mystery game on May 26. Epic Games Store would likely return to its typical approach the following Thursday, but two free mystery games to end May would no doubt be a power play by Epic Games Store.
After all, there’s no doubt that next month will be a big one for many gaming services. Xbox Game Pass will be getting major reveals at the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, and Sony will be pushing out the new PS Plus Tiers (Essential, Extra, Premium). If nothing else, these mystery games will keep Epic Games Store in the conversation for a couple of weeks, even if June otherwise returns to normal.
Epic Games Store users get a handful of free games every month.
When Joshua Duckworth received Pokemon Yellow for Christmas at 5-years-old, his fate as a gamer was set. Since then, he’s been involved with every step of the gaming industries’ growth from the golden PS1 era and the dying days of the arcade to any current gaming trend. When he’s not writing, playing his own games, or thinking about writing or playing his games, he’s probably the second player to his son’s Pokemon Let’s Go, Pikachu! file. Joshua has an MA degree in English from Jacksonville State University.
