Epic Games Store’s Christmas free game revealed: Critically acclaimed AAA title available for only 24 hours

Epic Games Store has given us a plethora of well-rated titles since the Holiday Sale giveaway started on December 12. From Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria to Dredge, plenty of gamers have stocked their libraries with titles from different genres, comprising mostly indie games. Now, the Epic Games Store has officially revealed Control as its free game for December 25 as part of the ongoing sale. The critically acclaimed action-adventure title, developed by Remedy Entertainment, will be available to claim for free - but only for the next 24 hours.

Yesterday’s cryptic leak, which hinted at a AAA title with ties to past giveaways, had gamers guessing wildly. The inclusion of religiously themed emojis had fans speculating about Sid Meier’s Civilization VI, with u/MeguminShiro (who accurately predicted past giveaways) aligning with the same. However, the official reveal has instead confirmed Control, a game known for its narrative and unique gameplay elements, as the Christmas freebie. This is the first clue the leaker has gotten wrong since the giveaway started. Interestingly, Epic Games has also given away Control for free back in 2021.

In Control, players step into the shoes of Jesse Faden, the new Director of the Federal Bureau of Control, a secretive government agency investigating paranormal phenomena. As Jesse uncovers the mysteries behind the Bureau and a force known as the Hiss, players are treated to Remedy’s signature blend of storytelling and visually stunning environments. To run Control on PC, players need at least an Intel Core i5-4690 or AMD FX-4350 processor, 8 GB RAM, and an NVIDIA GTX 780 or AMD Radeon R9 280X GPU. Recommended specs include an Intel i5-7600K, 16 GB RAM, and a GTX 1660/1060 or AMD RX 580 for enhanced performance. The game requires 42 gigs of storage.

The game has received critical acclaim, holding a Metacritic score of 82 and an OpenCritic score of 84. Its combat system, which features telekinetic abilities and a shape-shifting weapon, combined with a strong storyline, has made Control a standout title since its release. 

The offer is available until December 26 5PM CET, so players should act quickly to claim it by logging into their Epic Games Store account.

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.