Epic Games Store leak claims GTA 5 could soon become free on PC

Grand Theft Auto V is nearly seven years old and has amassed over 100 million players in that time across five platforms. If you still somehow haven't played the game yet, you may get a chance to nab GTA V for free on PC very soon, but only through a divisive marketplace.

A new report from Game Pressure suggests that GTA 5 will be the next game given away for free on the Epic Games Store. It will supposedly be free from Thursday, May 14 until Thursday, May 21. Unlike some other free game services, games redeemed while free on the Epic Games Store will stay in your library for as long as the Epic Games Store and launcher exist. So it works more like the free PS Plus monthly games rather than titles available through the Xbox Game Pass.

This version is reportedly the full game too, and not just the campaign or GTA Online. In fact, Game Pressure claims that it is a "Premium Edition" with "additional content," so you might be getting more for free than people who have bought the game on other platforms. GTA Online is still actively supported by Rockstar Games too, so it's a free game that you might get a lot of use out of in the long run until Grand Theft Auto 6 is finally released (which is potentially years from now).

Currently, Death Coming is available for free on the Epic Games Store. The next free title is still labeled as a "mystery game," which is atypical for Epic. Usually the company will advertise each new free game weeks in advance. This adds credibility to the fact that GTA 5 will be the title that becomes free on the service starting tomorrow, though it isn't the first time Rockstar's biggest game was available free-of-charge for players in 2020.

GTA V was free for Xbox One players that had Xbox Game Pass from January to May 2020. While it has since been replaced by Red Dead Redemption 2 on the service, it was the first indication that Rockstar Games has loosened its grip on the company's biggest franchises, allowing them to be made available for free. Could we possibly see GTA V on Games With Gold or PS Plus next??

The Inverse Analysis — Making GTA V free on PC is a smart move for Rockstar as the next generation of consoles approaches, though the Epic Games Store has been something of a controversial storefront. The Epic Games Store has a track record of buying PC storefront exclusivity for upcoming games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2, to the ire of gamers who prefer Steam.

Still, the Epic Games Store provides a better revenue share for developers and gives a ton of free games away to players on a regular basis. Making GTA V free on the Epic Games Store will net Epic Games' store and launcher more active users while also getting Rockstar's game even more players. Therefore, it also means more players that are possibly paying for microtransactions within the game.

A promotion like this is a win-win for every company involved, and a win for the gamer, as long as your fine with using the Epic Game Store.

Grand Theft Auto V is available now for PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.