October 26th free games roundup

Halloween week has brought a great batch of freebies across the Epic Games Store and itch.io, building on Epic's ongoing weekly giveaways and grassroots indie promotions. Today's roundup covers 6 free games you can grab right now, ranging from four-player horror shooters and political sims to an impressive custom ROM overhaul of 8-bit Contra.

Epic Games Store

1. Sker Ritual

Developed by Wales Interactive as a spinoff to its 2020 gothic horror adventure Maid of Sker, Sker Ritual trades stealth for round-based cooperative zombie survival. Up to four players fight off waves of supernatural Quiet Ones across Sker Island using steampunk weapon upgrades and Celtic miracle powers, and I'm curious to see how its wave progression holds up for anyone craving classic Call of Duty Zombies. You can claim it for free on PC via the Epic Games Store until October 29, 2026 at 10:00 AM EDT.

2. Home: A Unique Horror Adventure

Solo developer Benjamin Rivers originally released Home: A Unique Horror Adventure in 2012, and its minimalist pixel-art murder mystery still works well as a short, tense one-sitting play. You wake up in a strange room with no memory of how you arrived, and every object you examine subtly shifts the outcome of the narrative rather than locking you into a rigid script. It's free to claim and keep on both PC and the Epic Games Store mobile app for Android and iOS until October 29, 2026 at 10:00 AM EDT.

itch.io

3. Ballot or Barracks

Ballot or Barracks is an offline political strategy simulation from solo developer TKNGAMES where you guide a political party across eight real-world nations, including the United States, Germany, Türkiye, and Greece. You manage televised debates, fragile parliamentary coalitions, and economic crises, with the option to resort to a military coup when the ballot box doesn't go your way. The Early Access build (v0.61.0) for Windows and macOS is 100% off to claim and keep on itch.io until November 4, 2026.

4. Contra - 2026 Edition

Rather than altering the level design of Konami's 1988 NES run-and-gun classic, Contra - 2026 Edition injects a custom options menu directly onto the original title screen. You can adjust starting lives up to 30, toggle weapon-specific autofire, switch between five weapons on the fly, or tweak how the two-player camera scrolls so your partner doesn't drag you into a pit. It's free on itch.io right now with no set expiration date.

5. Witch Sabbath

Built by indie creator Eidern for the Halloween season, Witch Sabbath is a vertical shoot-'em-up with a clever mechanical hook: instead of mashing a fire button, you draw your spells in real time using the analog stick. Trying to dodge incoming projectiles while sketching runes on a controller sounds chaotic in the best way. This playable concept build is free on itch.io as an ongoing release with no expiry date.

6. Fish or Die: Fishing Survival

Created by solo developer boil egg using the Godot engine, Fish or Die: Fishing Survival blends cozy dockside fishing with survival hazards like freezing weather, lightning storms, and starvation. You catch and grill fish to stay alive, earn reputation with island locals, feed the resident cat, and gamble your gold at a hidden casino. The game is available to download for free on itch.io with no stated end date.

Several of these promotions are time-limited, particularly the Epic Games Store giveaways ending on October 29 and the Ballot or Barracks discount wrapping up on November 4. Make sure to claim them and lock them into your accounts before the windows close.

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