Epic Games Store to Give Away ‘Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak’ for Free This Month

Later this month, Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, the highly acclaimed prequel to the renowned real-time strategy game Homeworld, will be offered for free on the Epic Games Store. This release comes in anticipation of Homeworld 3, which has faced several delays and is set to launch early next year. Normally priced at $50, Deserts of Kharak will be up for grabs on Epic’s storefront from August 24th to 31st.

The 2016 game takes place over a hundred years before the events of Homeworld in the Kharak Desert. The dry planet is the former home of the Kushan people, the protagonists of the 1999 originals and central characters of the series. It’s the only Homeworld installment that moves the action from space to earth as you navigate the terrain to gain an advantage over Kiith Gaalsien. This cult-like group believes that anyone who dreams of flying to the stars deserves severe punishment – which they are only too happy to give. Its gameplay honors the series’ strategic roots while adapting to the reduced axes of movement of the land game by making altitude (navigating desert plains and valleys) a central focus.

Getting the game for free could give fans of the franchise something to tide them over ahead of Homeworld 3 in February 2024 – and publisher Gearbox Software would certainly like to attract younger players to the nearly quarter-century-old series.

The Homeworld series has been on an IP rollercoaster since the late 90s/early 2000s heyday of the RTS genre. After the critically acclaimed reception of the first game, the original developer Relic Entertainment made two more (also well-received) games: an expansion and a proper sequel. However, after 2003’s Homeworld 2, THQ bought Relic and was unable to produce a single Homeworld game under its ownership.

The series was only given new life after THQ folded and Gearbox Software won a 2013 auction to secure the rights. The Borderlands maker brought the saga to life with remastered versions of classic titles. Deserts of Kharak followed soon after, and Homeworld 3 was finally released in 2019, using a crowdfunding campaign to raise money and gauge consumer interest. After several delays, the long-awaited third installment will arrive (hopefully) next winter.

Redemption of PC game 24.-31. August requires an Epic Games account. During this time, you can go to the Deserts of Kharak store page in your browser or claim it using the Epic Games Launcher.