The Leak That Has Everyone Watching Tonight
Epic Games has been teasing a mystery free game tied directly to The Game Awards 2025, and now we might know exactly what it is. MeguminShiro, a leaker with an impressive track record for predicting Epic freebies, suggests the first game in this year’s holiday giveaway event will be Lords of the Fallen, the 2023 soulslike from Hexworks that normally retails for around $30. The reveal happens tonight during The Game Awards broadcast at 4:30 PM PT, kicking off what’s expected to be 15 or more days of daily free games through the end of December.
This marks the first time Epic has directly connected a free game announcement to The Game Awards. Instead of the usual cryptic teaser images that leak days in advance, Epic posted a placeholder thumbnail featuring only The Game Awards logo. That deliberate obscurity combined with MeguminShiro’s leak has the gaming community buzzing. If the prediction proves accurate, this would be one of the strongest opening games Epic has ever offered for its annual holiday event, immediately setting high expectations for what’s to come.
Who Is MeguminShiro and Why Should We Believe Them
MeguminShiro built a reputation on Reddit throughout 2024 and 2025 by accurately predicting Epic Games Store freebies, often days before official announcements. The leaker would post cryptic clues, emoji riddles, and vague hints that the community would collectively decode. Games like Ghostrunner, Dredge, and numerous other titles were successfully predicted by MeguminShiro before Epic made them official.
The track record isn’t perfect. During last year’s holiday event, MeguminShiro incorrectly predicted Civilization VI Platinum Edition would be the Christmas Day freebie when it turned out to be Control instead. After that miss, the leaker announced they were stepping back, posting a farewell message that read “End Task – Megumin’s Weird Clues.” But despite that stumble, MeguminShiro’s overall accuracy rate remains impressive enough that when they speak up, people listen. The Lords of the Fallen prediction hasn’t been presented as a cryptic puzzle this time, it’s a straightforward claim, suggesting increased confidence in the source.
Why Lords of the Fallen Makes Perfect Sense
Lords of the Fallen isn’t just a random choice. Released in October 2023 by developer Hexworks and publisher CI Games, it’s a dark fantasy action RPG that leans heavily into soulslike mechanics. The game received generally positive reviews, with IGN awarding it an 8 out of 10 and praising its dual-reality premise where players shift between the realm of the living and the dead using an umbral lamp. Combat is brutal and methodical, environments are atmospheric and oppressive, and the challenge level sits comfortably in that sweet spot where deaths feel punishing but fair.
What makes this leak particularly interesting is the timing. Rumors have been circulating that Lords of the Fallen 2 could debut its first gameplay trailer at The Game Awards tonight. If that’s true, giving away the original game for free would be a brilliant marketing strategy. New players get introduced to the franchise at zero cost, building a player base that’s already invested in the world and mechanics before the sequel drops. Epic has done this before with franchises like Borderlands, offering earlier entries for free right before new installments launch. It’s a win for everyone involved: developers get exposure, players get free games, and Epic strengthens its platform.
The teaser image Epic posted also contains visual elements that eagle-eyed fans claim resemble the dark, gothic aesthetic of Lords of the Fallen. Flickering torches, ominous shadows, and medieval architecture all point toward a soulslike reveal. While Epic hasn’t confirmed anything, the circumstantial evidence keeps piling up in favor of MeguminShiro’s prediction being spot on.
How Epic’s Holiday Event Works
For those new to Epic’s annual tradition, here’s how it breaks down. Starting tonight at 8:00 PM ET (1:00 AM UTC on December 12), Epic will offer one free game every single day through the end of December. Based on previous years, expect around 15 to 17 total games. Each game remains free for exactly 24 hours before being replaced by the next mystery title. Once you claim a game, it’s yours permanently, even if your Epic Games Store account remains dormant for years.
The quality of these giveaways varies wildly. Some years have featured absolute bangers like Control, Alien Isolation, and Grand Theft Auto V. Other days might offer smaller indie titles that still provide solid entertainment value but lack the name recognition. Last year’s event included games like Ghostrunner 2, Sifu, Dredge, and Kingdom Come Deliverance. If Lords of the Fallen truly kicks off 2025’s event, it would immediately rank among the best opening games Epic has ever offered.
Beyond the free games, Epic typically offers discount coupons during the event. Last year featured a 25 percent off coupon for entire purchases, which was great for expensive games but less useful for budget titles. Whether that promotion returns this year remains to be seen, but the focus will undoubtedly be on the daily freebies that generate massive social media buzz and drive traffic to Epic’s storefront.
What Makes This Year Different
Unlike previous holiday events where Epic dropped subtle hints and teaser images days in advance, this year has been deliberately cryptic. The only clue is The Game Awards logo plastered on the mystery game placeholder. That connection to TGA 2025 suggests Epic wants to maximize the surprise factor during a broadcast that millions of gamers watch simultaneously. It’s smart marketing, turning a simple free game announcement into appointment viewing.
There’s also speculation that multiple games could be announced tonight, not just Lords of the Fallen. Some leakers have suggested Journey to the Savage Planet and No Man’s Sky could appear during the event, though those rumors lack the credibility of MeguminShiro’s Lords of the Fallen claim. Epic has occasionally offered two games simultaneously during holiday events, so don’t rule out bonus surprises.
The lack of advance clues this year also means MeguminShiro’s leak carries extra weight. Without official hints to decipher, the community is relying entirely on insider information. That makes tonight’s reveal particularly exciting, because even if the leak is accurate, we have no idea what the remaining 14-plus games will be. Every day could bring genuine surprises instead of spoiled announcements that circulate Reddit days before going live.
How to Claim Your Free Game Tonight
If you want to grab Lords of the Fallen or whatever mystery game Epic reveals, the process is straightforward. First, make sure you have an Epic Games Store account. If you don’t, create one at epicgames.com. It’s completely free with no credit card required. Second, tune into The Game Awards starting at 4:30 PM PT, 7:30 PM ET, or 12:30 AM GMT. The free game announcement could happen anytime during the broadcast, though Epic typically times these reveals for maximum visibility.
Once the game is officially announced, head to the Epic Games Store either through the desktop launcher or the website. The mystery game will have a banner on the homepage and a prominent placement in the free games section. Click the game, hit “Get,” and it’s added to your library permanently. You have 24 hours from the moment it goes live to claim it before the next mystery game replaces it. Set a phone reminder if you’re worried about forgetting, because missing a quality freebie like Lords of the Fallen would be painful.
If you’re on mobile and can’t access a computer during The Game Awards, you can claim games through the Epic Games Store mobile app or even through a web browser on your phone. Epic makes the process deliberately frictionless to encourage as many claims as possible. The entire goal is getting people into their ecosystem, so they’ve removed every possible barrier to entry.
FAQs
When exactly will the mystery game be revealed?
The Game Awards 2025 starts at 4:30 PM Pacific Time, 7:30 PM Eastern Time, or 12:30 AM GMT on December 12. The Epic Games Store mystery game announcement could happen at any point during the broadcast, though major reveals typically occur in the first half of the show.
Is Lords of the Fallen confirmed or just a leak?
It’s currently an unconfirmed leak from MeguminShiro, a leaker with a strong track record but not a perfect one. Epic Games has not officially confirmed what the mystery game will be, making tonight’s reveal genuinely suspenseful even with the leak circulating.
How many free games will Epic give away this December?
Based on previous years, expect 15 to 17 free games throughout the holiday event. Epic hasn’t officially confirmed the exact number, but the pattern has been consistent with daily games from mid-December through the end of the month or early January.
Do I need to download the game immediately after claiming it?
No. Once you claim a free game on Epic, it’s permanently added to your library. You can download it whenever you want, even years later. The 24-hour window only applies to claiming the game, not downloading or playing it.
What is Lords of the Fallen about?
Lords of the Fallen is a dark fantasy soulslike action RPG set in a world split between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead. You use an umbral lamp to shift between realities, solving puzzles and battling nightmarish creatures with brutal, challenging combat.
Will there be discount coupons during the holiday event?
Epic typically offers discount coupons during their holiday sales, though specifics for 2025 haven’t been announced. Last year featured a 25 percent off coupon for entire purchases. Watch for announcements during or after The Game Awards tonight.
Can I claim these games on console or just PC?
Epic Games Store is primarily a PC platform, so free games are claimed and played through Windows or Mac computers. Some games support cloud gaming services, but the initial claim must happen through the Epic Games Store on PC.
What if I miss claiming a daily game?
Once the 24-hour window closes, that game is gone and replaced by the next mystery title. There’s no way to claim previous days’ games after they’ve rotated out. That’s why setting daily reminders is smart if you want to maximize your free game collection.
Conclusion
Tonight could mark one of the strongest starts to an Epic Games holiday event in years. If MeguminShiro’s leak proves accurate and Lords of the Fallen is indeed the mystery game, PC gamers are getting a $30 soulslike absolutely free just for tuning into The Game Awards. Whether you’re a die-hard souls fan or someone curious about the genre, this represents incredible value and a perfect excuse to finally try a game that flew under many people’s radars when it launched in 2023. Set those reminders for 4:30 PM PT, keep the Epic Games Store loaded in a browser tab, and prepare to claim what could be the first of many excellent freebies this December. The holiday event has officially begun, and if this leak is any indication, Epic is coming out swinging with serious heat right from day one.