Epic Games Store has surprised players once again this holiday season, offering the critically-acclaimed cyberpunk action game Ghostrunner for free for 24 hours on New Year’s Eve. This intense first-person slasher was released in 2020 to strong reviews, lauded for its stylish neon-lit setting and satisfying parkour-powered combat. Now PC gamers can grab it at no cost to kick off 2023.
Surprise Epic Games Store Freebie Revealed as Hotly-Anticipated Sequel Nears
On Saturday morning, notable leakers revealed that Ghostrunner would be the next Epic mystery game giveaway. This leak came just a day before the cyberpunk slasher was set to go free at 11AM Eastern on December 31st. Epic soon confirmed with a New Year’s Eve announcement of their own, enticing players to “welcome 2023 with Ghostrunner” for 24 hours only.
This surprise giveaway comes right on the heels of Epic’s recent Winter Sale as well as a busy year of free weekly games throughout 2022. It also coincides with rising anticipation for the upcoming Ghostrunner 2, currently slated to launch in 2023 across PC and consoles. Offering the original for free now is likely to build more interest for the sequel among new players.
| Platform | Original Release Date | Sequel Release Window |
|---|---|---|
| PC | October 27, 2020 | 2023 |
| PlayStation 4 | November 10, 2020 | TBA |
| Xbox One | November 10, 2020 | TBA |
| Nintendo Switch | May 27, 2021 | TBA |
High-Octane, Hardcore Parkour in a Dystopian Cyber City
Ghostrunner throws players into the role of a deadly cyber-warrior armed with a katana and an array of superhuman parkour skills. Set in a dystopian cyberpunk megastructure known as The Tower, you must traverse up dangerous environments using abilities like wall running, grappling hooks, and slow-motion dodges while slicing down enemies. One hit kills both you and your foes, making for tense, high-risk encounters.
“Ghostrunner is a glorious dance of violence set to a thumping bassline,” reads the effusive Forbes review. “While its difficulty can sometimes be grueling, pulling off a perfect run through a room filled with enemies is a thing of beauty.”
Beyond the core campaign, an additional wave-based mode offers plenty of replayability for those seeking even more intense, fast-paced cyberninja action. Combined with collectibles that encourage you to fully explore the Tower’s neon-bathed environments, Ghostrunner gives determined players ample content to master.
Stellar Word-of-Mouth Powers Surprise Hit
Despite relatively little pre-release buzz compared to AAA giants, strong critical acclaim and word-of-mouth praise from players sparked breakout success for Ghostrunner. Though considered a AA game at best by its Polish publisher All In! Games and developer One More Level, the slasher cult favorite ultimately managed to shift over 1.5 million copies across all platforms as of September 2022.
“We are delighted with the commercial success of Ghostrunner,” said Piotr Żygadło, CEO of All In! Games, when announcing the sales milestone last fall. “When we were working on this project, we did not expect it to achieve such success. We believed in its potential, but the Ghostrunner exceeded our wildest expectations.”
Now that so many new Epic Games Store users can sample it first-hand at no cost, that success seems primed to continue surging forwards with the impending sequel. For anyone who enjoys intense action, striking style and satisfying parkour platforming challenges, don’t hesitate to claim your free copy of Ghostrunner before the offer expires at 11AM Eastern on January 1st, 2023. It’s an electrifying way to kick off the new year.
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