It’s now possible to get Grand Theft Auto V for completely free on PC, until May 21, on the Epic Games Store. Although demand was so high at launch that the store actually crashed from all the traffic,
On Wednesday, May 13, reports first started to surface that GTA 5 was headed to the Epic Games store, after news started to leak that it would be the next game offered free for a week.
Some believe that the move could be to build hype for GTA 6, of which rumors have swirled for years ever since GTA 5 released back in September 2013, but more likely it’s just to get more players into GTA Online.
How to get GTA 5 for free on PC
From 11AM EST on May 14, until May 21, Grand Theft Auto V will be available to download for free from the Epic Games Store, and you’ll keep it forever.
- Go to Epic Games Store
- Log in or sign up for an account
- Head to the Free Games section here
- Go to the Grand Theft Auto V listing, and select “get”
The game went live at 11AM EST (4PM BST) on May 14, but the overwhelming numbers of people trying to get access crashed the store. Once it’s back, it will be there till May 21, so you only have one week to log in and pick it up, otherwise, you’ll have to pay the retail price if you want to get your GTA V fix before its sequel eventually arrives.
Epic Games acknowledged that there was high traffic on the site, causing the issues.
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We are currently experiencing high traffic on the Epic Games Store.
We are aware that users may be encountering slow loading times, 500 errors, or launcher crashing at this time and we are actively working to scale. We'll provide an update as soon as we can.
— Epic Games Store (@EpicGames) May 14, 2020
Throughout 2019 and 2020, rumors of GTA VI have been growing at a tremendous rate, with some believing that it could even be mostly done and simply waiting for the final touches to be made.
If that’s true, now would be the perfect time for Rockstar to capitalize on Epic Games’ huge playerbase and the opportunity to be discovered by a new demographic, bringing the game to the Epic Games store completely free – and here’s how you can get it.
While you’re traversing Los Santos, make sure to also check out GTA Online, in which Rockstar are offering users hundreds of thousands of GTA$ – the in-game currency – to players, as well as bringing new vehicles and rewards to the title.
It’s worth noting that due to it being on the Epic Games store, this offer will only be valid for players on PC – PS4 and Xbox One users, unfortunately, do not get the same privilege.