PSA: Grand Theft Auto V Is Free Right Now

Grand Theft Auto V is officially currently free via the Epic Games Store. If you somehow missed it, this had been rumored for a bit and then accidentally revealed last night. Interested folks can head over to the Epic Games Store to claim a free PC version of GTA 5 for themselves right now! The only caveat here being that the giveaway is set to end next Thursday, May 21st.

Epic Games has been giving away free games via the Epic Games Store digital storefront for some time now with the offerings regularly rotating in and out. While there have been huge giveaways in the past, “Grand Theft Auto V for free” arguably marks a new high point for the platform. Users seem to agree as the Epic Games Store has actually been experiencing some problems in what appears to be the mad rush to claim the game. For now, it would seem that the store is back up, but who knows for how long.

Notably, Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft’s games subscription service, recently lost access to Grand Theft Auto V only to add Red Dead Redemption 2. While the details of these deals obviously aren’t public, it seems like a serious coincidence that the popular video game should appear on the Epic Games Store for free just weeks later. Given their popularity, one imagines that these platforms view Rockstar Games titles as a gateway to further purchases and time spent, so it makes sense to court the developer.

Grand Theft Auto V will follow the same pattern for previously weekly freebies and will be available to claim to own forever until next Thursday, May 21st, at around this same time. At this point, the next free game is also a mystery. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the Epic Games Store right here.