Epic Games Store’s latest weekly giveaway includes Calico, a cozy cat café sim, and LONESTAR, a strategic roguelike deckbuilder. Both games are free to claim until June 4, 2026.
Epic Games Store launched its latest weekly giveaway on May 28, 2026, offering Calico and LONESTAR completely free to all users. Both titles can be claimed until June 4, after which two new mystery games will take their place. With over 317 million registered PC users and 662 million free game downloads recorded in 2025 alone, the Epic Games Store free game programme remains one of the most generous deals in PC gaming.
What Is Calico?
Calico is a cozy life simulation game developed by Peachy Keen Games and published by Whitethorn Games. Originally released on December 15, 2020, it is available on PC, macOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. On Steam, the game holds a “Very Positive” rating from over 3,200 reviews, with 88% of players recommending it.
The premise is simple and charming: you are tasked with rebuilding a small town’s cat café and filling it with adorable animals. Set in a village populated by magical girls and fantastical creatures, Calico lets you decorate the café with furniture and toys, bake pastries, befriend cats and other animals, and even ride giant pets using magic potions. The character creator allows full customisation, and animals you befriend can join your party or hang out in the café to entertain visitors.
With roughly five hours of gameplay, Calico is a bite-sized experience that leans heavily into the cozy genre. It was crowdfunded on Kickstarter in 2019, raising double its funding goal. Critics noted some bugs at launch, but the development team has continued patching the game, and the community response has remained warm overall.
What Is LONESTAR?
LONESTAR is a strategic roguelike spaceship deckbuilder developed by Math Tide and published by Thermite Games. It entered Steam Early Access on January 18, 2024, before reaching its full 1.0 release on April 3, 2025. The game carries a “Very Positive” rating on Steam, with 90% of over 2,100 user reviews being positive. It has sold more than 100,000 copies.
Players take on the role of a bounty hunter chasing criminals across the universe. Combat revolves around “shockwave battles” where both sides accumulate power for their spaceships and face off in strategic card-driven encounters. Between missions, you enjoy paid vacations featuring unique events and resource-gathering opportunities. The game offers two distinct spaceship types (with a third in development), dozens of pilots with exclusive skills and random talents, nearly a hundred unique units per ship, and hundreds of treasures.
LONESTAR draws clear inspiration from games like FTL: Faster Than Light and Slay the Spire, blending roguelike replayability with deep deckbuilding strategy. An Into the Breach crossover event was announced in 2025, adding a boss encounter, new events, and a pilot, which further underlines the game’s ambition within the genre.
How Long Are Calico and LONESTAR Free?
Both games are available to claim from May 28 until June 4, 2026. Once added to your library during this window, they remain yours permanently. After June 4, two new mystery games will become available. Epic Games Store has recently adopted a policy of not revealing the next week’s free games in advance, keeping the upcoming titles hidden until launch day.
How to Claim Free Games on Epic Games Store
Claiming free games on the Epic Games Store takes only a few minutes:
- Log in to your Epic Games account, or create a free account if you do not have one.
- Visit the Epic Games Store free games page.
- Click on Calico or LONESTAR.
- Select “Get” to add the game to your cart at no cost.
- Complete the checkout process. The cart total will be zero.
You do not need to install the games immediately. As long as you claim them before the deadline, they stay in your library forever. You can claim via the website in any browser or through the Epic Games Launcher desktop application.
Calico vs. LONESTAR: Which One Should You Play?
These two games sit at opposite ends of the gaming spectrum, which makes this week’s giveaway appealing to a wide audience.
| Feature | Calico | LONESTAR |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Life sim, cozy, casual | Roguelike deckbuilder, strategy |
| Developer | Peachy Keen Games | Math Tide |
| Publisher | Whitethorn Games | Thermite Games |
| Release Date | December 15, 2020 | April 3, 2025 (1.0) |
| Steam Rating | Very Positive (88%) | Very Positive (90%) |
| Playtime | ~5 hours | High replayability |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| DLC Required | No | No |
| Platforms | PC, Mac, Switch, Xbox, PS | PC, Mac |
Calico is perfect for players who enjoy relaxing, low-pressure gameplay with a cute aesthetic. If you liked games such as Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing, the cat café theme will feel right at home. LONESTAR, on the other hand, rewards strategic thinking and experimentation. Fans of deckbuilders like Slay the Spire or space roguelikes like FTL will find plenty to enjoy.
Since both are free and neither requires a DLC purchase, there is no reason not to claim both and try them at your own pace.
Epic Games Store Free Games in 2026 So Far
The Epic Games Store has maintained its weekly free game tradition throughout 2026, continuing a programme that delivered $2,229 worth of games per user in 2024 across 89 separate giveaways. Notable free games earlier in May 2026 included Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, Sunderfolk: Standard Edition, The Telltale Batman: Shadows Edition, Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure, and Down in Bermuda.
Over the years, the programme has included blockbuster titles like GTA V, Control, Death Stranding, Hogwarts Legacy, and the BioShock Collection. According to community tallies, Epic has given away more than 550 individual games since the programme launched, representing over $12,000 in total value. The programme now extends to mobile as well, with free games available on Android globally and on iOS in the European Union.
Your Epic Games Library Has Real Value
Years of claimed free games can turn an Epic Games account into a substantial digital asset. Accounts with hundreds of titles, rare Fortnite cosmetics, or Save the World Founder status are actively traded in the gaming marketplace.
Things Players Often Want to Know
Do free Epic Games stay in my library forever?
Yes. Once you claim a free game during its availability window, it is permanently added to your account. You can download and play it at any time, even years later.
What are the system requirements for Calico and LONESTAR?
Calico is very lightweight: Windows Vista or later, a 2 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM, and 256 MB of video memory. LONESTAR is similarly undemanding and also supports macOS. Both titles should run comfortably on most modern PCs and laptops.
What free games come next on Epic Games Store?
Two new mystery games will replace Calico and LONESTAR on June 4, 2026. Epic has recently kept upcoming free games secret until launch day, so the titles will only be revealed when they go live.
Can I claim free Epic Games on mobile?
Yes. The Epic Games Store mobile app offers its own set of weekly free games. This week’s mobile freebies may differ from the PC selection. The app is available on Android worldwide and on iOS within the European Union.
Is it worth claiming games I might not play right away?
Absolutely. Claiming a free game takes seconds and costs nothing. Many players have discovered favourites months or years after adding them to their library. Storage is not an issue either, since you only need to download a game when you are ready to play it.
