Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Epic has not confirmed a 2026 Holiday Sale mystery-game giveaway. A return is plausible: Epic has run holiday free-game promotions before, including during its 2025 Holiday Sale, but there is no official 2026 schedule, start date, number of giveaways, or game list to report as fact. Treat claims that it is “confirmed” as unverified unless Epic or a participating publisher says so.
Status checked August 18, 2026.
What happened during the 2025 Holiday Sale?
Epic’s 2025 Holiday Sale combined discounts with Epic Rewards, gifting, free games, and other promotions. Epic announced Hogwarts Legacy as a free offer around The Game Awards, with the game available to claim through December 18, 2025, at 11 a.m. ET. That was a notable 2025 giveaway, not evidence that the same kind of title—or a reveal at The Game Awards—will happen in 2026.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Fortnite eGift Card | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Fortnite eGift Card | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Fortnite eGift Card | $25.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Fortnite Physical Gift Card | $30.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Fortnite Physical Gift Card | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
The sale began on December 11, 2025, according to a regional announcement, and the campaign continued into January 2026 in some regional listings. Store pages can show different local dates and times, so historical end dates should always be tied to a specific region. Epic’s 2025 Holiday Sale guide and its announcement about the Harry Potter promotion are the primary sources for those details. Third-party coverage documented additional holiday giveaways, but those reports do not establish a 2026 lineup.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Confirmed, plausible, and unverified
| Status | What can be said |
|---|---|
| Confirmed | Epic ran a 2025 Holiday Sale with free-game offers, including Hogwarts Legacy. Epic also continues its regular free-game program. |
| Plausible, not guaranteed | Epic may run another holiday giveaway campaign near the end of 2026. Its prior promotions make that a reasonable expectation, not a promise. |
| Unverified | Any specific 2026 start date, game count, daily schedule, reveal event, or rumored title unless confirmed by Epic or the relevant publisher. |
Epic’s regular weekly giveaway is distinct from a special holiday mystery promotion. The company describes the Holiday Sale as an end-of-year campaign and distinguishes it from the Winter Sale in its Winter Sale FAQ. Epic has also included giveaways in other large promotions, such as the MEGA Sale, but that history does not guarantee what it will do in December.
#1 Best Overall
- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
When might a 2026 promotion begin?
If Epic repeats the holiday campaign, late 2026 is the logical window, potentially running into early 2027. The 2025 sale began in December, but Epic has not published a 2026 start date or claim schedule. Do not reuse the 2025 dates as a prediction.
Epic’s offers rotate at a set time, while the displayed calendar date can vary by location. When a 2026 offer is announced, check its own store listing for the deadline and local time rather than relying on a screenshot or a date copied from another region.
Rank #2
- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
How Epic’s regular free games work
Epic’s standard free-game offer generally changes every Thursday at 8 a.m. Pacific Time and remains available for seven days. Epic requires two-factor authentication to claim weekly free games. A holiday mystery giveaway may rotate on a different cadence, including more frequent rotations, so check each offer’s individual deadline rather than assuming the weekly schedule applies.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →- Sign in to your Epic Games account, or create one.
- Enable two-factor authentication if it is not already enabled.
- Open the Epic Games Store Free Games page or browse free offers in the Epic Games Launcher.
- Select the offer and choose Get. Complete checkout when the displayed total is $0.
- Check your library to verify the game was added. You can download it then or later.
According to Epic’s weekly free-game support guidance, a successfully claimed game remains in your account. “Free” is time-limited for claiming: if you miss the deadline, the offer may no longer be free. The offer may also be downloadable content, a bundle, a trial, an in-game item, or a free-to-play game rather than a complete premium game. Check the listing’s contents and platform before claiming.
Rank #3
- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
How to judge a rumored game list
Holiday giveaways attract speculative calendars and screenshots. A post that predicts one title correctly does not prove that the rest of its list is genuine. Treat a lineup as unconfirmed if it comes only from a social-media account, an unattributed screenshot, a database placeholder, or a video that says “official” but links to no Epic announcement.
- Look for the offer on an Epic Games Store page or an announcement on Epic’s News page.
- For a specific game, check whether its publisher has confirmed the giveaway. A publisher confirmation verifies that title, not an entire leaked schedule.
- Distinguish a free-to-play listing or temporary discount from a limited-time giveaway with a $0 claim.
- Check the offer’s platform, region, and claim deadline directly; a PC promotion does not automatically apply to mobile.
Until there is an official announcement, the accurate description for any rumored 2026 calendar is “unconfirmed,” not “the official lineup.”
Rank #4
- An Epic Games account is required to redeem an Epic Games Store Card code
- If playing on a console platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch or Mobile) you need to link your Epic Games account to that gaming platform (one time) to redeem your gift card code
- The 16 digit code on the back of the card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly through your gaming platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, etc.)
- Note: Nintendo devices do not support Fortnite Shared Wallet, so V-Bucks purchased using your account balance will not show up on your Nintendo device. However, if you purchase items in the web Item Shop — or another platform where you play Fortnite — those items will be available in your Locker across all platforms.
- Redemption: Online
PC, mobile, and regional availability
Epic’s regular free-game program is primarily associated with its PC store. Epic’s Free Games page also promotes mobile availability: its mobile app is available globally on Android and in supported regions on iPhone and iPad. Mobile offers, supported territories, and catalogs can differ from PC offers. Do not assume that a holiday mystery game will be claimable on every platform or in every country; use the offer page for the relevant region.
Recommended Free Tools
Where to check for an official 2026 announcement
For confirmation, check Epic Games Store News, the Free Games page, and Sales and Specials. Those pages are more reliable than a leaked calendar, and the offer listing supplies the details that matter when claiming: what is included, where it is available, and when it expires.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- An Epic Games account is required to redeem an Epic Games Store Card code
- If playing on a console platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch or Mobile) you need to link your Epic Games account to that gaming platform (one time) to redeem your gift card code
- The 16 digit code on the back of the card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly through your gaming platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, etc.)
- Note: Nintendo devices do not support Fortnite Shared Wallet, so V-Bucks purchased using your account balance will not show up on your Nintendo device. However, if you purchase items in the web Item Shop — or another platform where you play Fortnite — those items will be available in your Locker across all platforms.
- Redemption: Online
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
