The Epic free games next week are Flotsam, a floating city builder that normally costs $24.99, and Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms, the Dungeons & Dragons idle game. Both go free on the Epic Games Store on Thursday, November 5 at 16:00 UTC (11 AM ET, 8 AM PT) and stay free until November 12 at 16:00 UTC, according to Epic’s own store promotion data (checked November 1, 19:00 UTC). Until then, Sorry We’re Closed is still free to claim.
- Free next week: Flotsam (PC, normally $24.99) and Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms (PC, free-to-play).
- Claim window: Nov 5, 16:00 UTC to Nov 12, 16:00 UTC.
- Free right now: Sorry We’re Closed ($24.99), until Nov 5, 16:00 UTC.
- Worth your time if: you like relaxed survival city builders (Flotsam) or a D&D game that keeps playing while you’re away (Idle Champions).
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Epic free games next week: what time Flotsam and Idle Champions unlock
US clocks went back on November 1, so Epic’s Thursday swap now lands at 16:00 UTC instead of 15:00 UTC. It’s still 11 AM Eastern. Our guide to the new game reset times after daylight saving covers the other games that moved.
| Moment | UTC | US Eastern | US Pacific | UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sorry We’re Closed leaves | Thu, Nov 5, 16:00 | 11:00 AM EST | 8:00 AM PST | 4:00 PM GMT |
| Flotsam + Idle Champions free | Thu, Nov 5, 16:00 | 11:00 AM EST | 8:00 AM PST | 4:00 PM GMT |
| Giveaway ends | Thu, Nov 12, 16:00 | 11:00 AM EST | 8:00 AM PST | 4:00 PM GMT |
Claim Flotsam once in that window and it stays in your Epic library for good. Epic’s data lists November 5 as Flotsam’s Epic release date, so it debuts there as a free game.
What is Flotsam?
Flotsam is a survival city builder set on a flooded Earth. You steer a town built on a boat, called the Townheart, and your “drifters” scoop floating plastic and driftwood out of the sea to recycle into homes, workshops and gardens. You also desalinate water, gut fish and sail out to flooded ruins to rescue survivors and salvage old technology. It’s made by Pajama Llama Games.
Late-game Flotsam is about production chains, like this fabricator turning scrap into air filters. Image: Pajama Llama Games
According to the Steam page, the late game is about production chains: research moves you from firewood to “eel-ectricity”, and you cure pollution-borne diseases to keep drifters working. Flotsam spent six years in Early Access (from September 2019) before its full release on December 4, 2025. An October 29 developer post says a new weather system is nearly finished.
Is Flotsam good?
Steam players rate it Very Positive (80% of 4,396 reviews in all languages, checked November 1). It’s Windows only, and the minimum specs are an Intel Core i5, 8 GB of RAM, a GeForce GTX 650 and just 600 MB of storage. The $4.99 Support Pack DLC isn’t part of the giveaway, as Epic’s data lists only the base game.
Specialists such as Bramble E. Beard bring their own storylines and unlocks. Image: Pajama Llama Games
Who Flotsam is for
It’s worth your time if you like the idea of a town that has to survive but want a bright, low-stress take, or enjoy optimising production lines. Specialist drifters such as the Birdkeeper, Chemist and Electrician unlock new buildings, quests and discoveries, and finishing their personal storylines unlocks new mechanics, which gives it more story than most builders. Skip it if you want combat or a fast pace. For more games in this style, see our list of farm and city builders like Township.
Idle Champions is already free: what does Epic add?
Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms is free-to-play everywhere, so the base game itself costs nothing. You build a formation of D&D heroes, from Drizzt and Minsc & Boo to Baldur’s Gate 3’s Astarion and Karlach, and they fight on their own, even while the game is closed. The Steam page lists over 140 Champions and 200+ adventures since its 2017 launch. Steam players rate it Mostly Positive (76% of 15,091 reviews).
Idle Champions heroes fight on their own; here the formation takes on Tiamat. Image: Codename Entertainment
The real prize in past Epic promotions has been extra in-game content. In April 2025, PC Gamer reported a Lobita familiar pack plus 9,760 Platinum, worth over $100. In March 2026, Worthplaying reported that Raistlin’s Champions of Renown Bundle Pack, also worth over $100, was free to anyone who logged in through Epic. Epic’s data for November 5 shows only the base game, and neither Epic nor Codename Entertainment has announced a bonus pack yet (checked November 1).
The timing is good for new players. Codename’s October 28 update post says the Feast of the Moon event starts on November 4 at noon Pacific (19:00 UTC, 2 PM ET), the day before the Epic promotion, and the studio’s annual Extra Life charity stream is the same week. If you want more games that play themselves, our best idle games for iPhone and Android has 12 more.
How to claim the Epic free games
- From November 5 at 16:00 UTC, open the Epic free games page in a browser or the Epic Games Launcher and sign in.
- Select Flotsam, click Get, then Place Order. The total shows $0.00.
- Open Idle Champions and do the same, then check its page for any bonus pack Epic adds for the week.
- Install whenever you like. Flotsam stays yours after November 12.
Epic’s status page still lists an open Epic Games Store iOS issue affecting downloads and installation (since October 30), so if mobile installs fail, claim on PC. Still need this week’s game? See our Sorry We’re Closed giveaway post. For every store’s freebies, see free games this week and our free games for November 2026 list.
FAQ
What are the Epic free games next week?
Flotsam and Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms, from Thursday, November 5 at 16:00 UTC (11 AM ET) until November 12 at 16:00 UTC.
Is Flotsam free on Steam?
No. It’s $24.99 on Steam (checked November 1). Only the Epic Games Store copy is free, from November 5 to 12.
What will Epic give away after November 12?
Epic hasn’t said yet. It usually reveals them at the Thursday swap, so check back on November 5.
Sources: Epic Games Store promotion data, Flotsam and Idle Champions store pages; Steam store pages for Flotsam and Idle Champions (prices, reviews, features, specs) and their Steam news posts; Epic Games status; PC Gamer; Worthplaying.
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Featured image: Pajama Llama Games
