Epic Games Store Free Games for July 2–9, 2026: Full List, Value, and How to Claim

The Epic Games Store refresh happens every Thursday, and the first giveaway of July 2026 is a strong two-game lineup. From July 2 through July 9, you can claim River City Girls 2 and I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream at no cost—and once claimed, they're yours to keep. Here's what you need to know, including the value of each title, what comes next, and how this stacks up against competing subscription services.

Free games available July 2–9

River City Girls 2 — A colorful side-scrolling beat-'em-up and the sequel to the 2019 hit. Normally priced at $39.99 on Steam, it has a "Very Positive" rating from users.

I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream — A point-and-click psychological horror adventure based on Harlan Ellison's 1967 Hugo Award-winning short story. It normally costs $9.99 on Steam.

Combined retail value: approximately $50.

To claim either title, visit the Epic Games Store before 5:00 PM Spanish time (4:00 PM BST / 11:00 AM ET) on Thursday, July 9, 2026. Create a free Epic account if you don't already have one—no subscription required.

What's coming next week (starting July 10)

The following free games are scheduled to replace this week's offering:

• Nova Lands — A simulation game with strategy elements.
• Tattoo Tyco — A tattoo-parlor management simulation.

These will be available from July 10 through July 16, 2026.

How does this compare to Xbox Game Pass and Amazon Luna in July 2026?

While Epic's giveaway is limited to two games per week, July 2026 is a packed month for subscription services. Here's how they compare side-by-side.

Xbox Game Pass (July 2026)

Xbox Game Pass is adding more than a dozen titles this month across console, PC, and cloud, including several day-one releases. Confirmed additions through late July include:

Game	Date	Platform
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4	July 2	XGP Premium
Winds of Arcana: Ruination	July 6	Console, PC, Cloud
Palworld 1.0	July 10	Series X|S, PC, Cloud
Ascend To Zero	July 13	Series X|S, PC, Cloud (TBD)
Denshattack!	July 15	Series X|S, PC, Cloud
Fogpiercer	July 17	PC
Planet Crafter	July 21	Series X|S, PC, Cloud
Halo: Campaign Evolved	July 28	Series X|S, PC, Cloud
Mistfall Hunter	July 29	Series X|S, PC, Cloud

Verdict: Game Pass offers far more volume, but you need an active subscription (Essential, Standard, Ultimate, or PC) to access any of them. The library rotates—titles can leave the service—so nothing is permanently kept. Epic's giveaway gives you two permanently owned games for zero cost, but only two per week.

Amazon Prime Gaming / Luna (July 2026)

Amazon announced its July 2026 lineup for Prime members, which combines cloud gaming via Luna plus free PC game downloads.

Luna Standard additions (available now):

• DISPATCH
• Sonic Mania Plus
• Courtroom Chaos: Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Centipede Swarm
• LEGO: Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
• YouTuber's Life
• Arcade Paradise
• Jackbox Party Pack 8 (July 22)
• Angry Birds Mystery Island (July 23)

Amazon also references a Luna library of more than 50 total titles. Free PC games for Prime members in July include titles such as Tomb Raider IV–VI Remastered (available until July 17) and others distributed through GOG and the Amazon Games App.

Verdict: Prime Gaming offers a larger library, but access requires an Amazon Prime membership. Epic's store-free promotion has no membership requirement.

PlayStation Plus (July 2026)

No confirmed lineup for July 2026 was found in the provided sources. Check Sony's official blog for the latest announcement.

Quick comparison table

Platform	Cost to Access	Games Available (July 2026)	Ownership Model
Epic Games Store	Free (no sub required)	2 free titles per week (current: River City Girls 2, I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream)	Claimed games are kept permanently
Xbox Game Pass	Subscription (Essential, Standard, Ultimate, PC)	12+ titles confirmed for July, including Palworld 1.0, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, Halo: Campaign Evolved	Library access while subscribed; games can leave the service
Amazon Prime Gaming / Luna	Amazon Prime membership	9+ Luna additions in July + rotating free PC games	Mixed: some titles kept permanently (PC claims), others depend on Luna cloud subscription
PlayStation Plus	Subscription required	July 2026 lineup not confirmed in available sources	Monthly titles kept while subscribed; Essential tier offers 3 games per month