Odds are you're staying inside this weekend due to the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. And hey, even if you weren't planning to, you probably should if you can possibly help it. Let's be real: this is obviously a serious problem that isn't going away any time soon, so we all need to do whatever we can to help slow the spread and beat this thing.
The good news is that a number of developers and publishers have either made their games free for the weekend, or have otherwise heavily discounted a number of big titles. Since it's important that we all try and stay indoors, I figured I'd round up some of the best deals and freebies you can get your hands on over the next few days. I hope you find something you haven't played yet!
Let's kick off with arguably the biggest one, shall we? Ubisoft's incredible open world epic Assassin's Creed Odyssey is entirely free to play between now and Sunday, March 22nd on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It's a really wonderful game that takes place in a massive truly breathtaking world with loads to see and do. You'll get so invested that you probably won't even want to leave the house.
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If you do decide to pick up the full game after your weekend, all of your progress will carry over. That's pretty sweet. There's also a massive Spring Sale over on the Ubisoft store right now, so go take a look a that if you fancy any other thrills on the cheap.
PC gamers will probably already be aware, but there are of course a couple of new freebies to download and play on the Epic Games Store. The fun-but-flawed Watch Dogs is definitely worth a look, but the real star of this week's show is the fantastic story-driven exploration game The Stanley Parable. Two very different games there, but both great in their own ways. You've until March 26th to get your hands on those particular freebies.
Elsewhere, GOG is giving away an incredible 27 PC games. There's all kinds of stuff in there, including GWENT: The Witcher Card Game, and 1979's classic RPG Akalabeth: World Of Doom. A little something for all ages and interests, so dive in and take a look. Oh, and if you really want to throw it back this weekend, check out our list of classic Flash games. Should be easy enough for you to track those bad boys down and revisit a simpler time.
Those of you looking for a real time-sink will be able to lose themselves in Football Manager 2020. The popular management sim is free for a week to help combat boredom and keep people distracted from the fact that all the real sports have been cancelled.
While that's it for actual free games, I should probably remind you about console subscription services like PlayStation Now and Xbox Game Pass. There are loads of great current-gen titles to choose from across both, including the likes of Bloodborne, GTA V, The Master Chief Collection, and Fallout 4.
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Game Pass has the edge on older classics, it has to be said... but there's loads to play on PS Now too. The only catch is that these games aren't really free, as they're monthly subscriptions. With that said, if you've never used either, you'll probably be able to make use of a free trial to keep yourself busy over the next few days. Just remember to cancel the subscription if you don't want to pay.
On the subject of cheap games, I just wanna draw your attention to a few decent sales that are going on right now. On Nintendo Switch in the UK, there are some decent discounts on a bunch of Final Fantasy games - that'll definitely kill some time. Meanwhile, there's a big March sale on PS4 right now. Take a look for yourself when you get a chance, but highlights include The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Bloodborne, and Assassin's Creed Origins for under £15.
Finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention Capcom's Humble Bundle, which lets you pick up (literally) hundreds of pounds worth of classic Capcom games for a fraction of the price. You can check it out here, but there are huge discounts on everything from Resident Evil 2 and Devil May Cry V to Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen and Mega Man Legacy Collection. Oh, and don't forget the Resident Evil 3 demo that's out now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
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That's everything for this week. If we get any more freebies in the next seven days - which I imagine is very likely - I'll be sure to update you this time next week. Till then, stay safe, keep those hands clean, and stop hording loo roll.
Featured Image Credit: Ubisoft/CD Projekt RED/Capcom/SonyTopics: Xbox, Assassin's Creed, Ubisoft, PlayStation, PC, Capcom, PS4