🎮 Games Deals Radar — 17 August 2026
Epic Games Store: Caravan SandWitch and Beholder: Conductor
Through August 20, the Epic Games Store is giving away Caravan SandWitch — a simulation and strategy game set in a desert world where you manage a merchant caravan traveling dangerous routes, negotiating with factions, and surviving sandstorms. Normally priced at US$ 24.99, the title was developed by an independent team that drew inspiration from works like Mountains of Mourning and intergalactic trade narratives. The game is also available on Epic's mobile platform, playable on Android and iOS devices. The promotion runs through August 20 at 11 AM ET.
The second free title is Beholder: Conductor, the mobile version of the dystopian property management simulator. As the superintendent of an apartment building in a totalitarian state, you need to inspect units, collect intelligence from tenants, and survive the regime — all while making moral decisions that affect who lives and who dies. Available on Android and iOS through the Epic Games Store, the promotion lasts until August 20.
Xbox Free Play Days: Gears of War: E-Day, Sunderfolk, and Asdivine Cross
This week's Free Play Days lineup is particularly significant. The headline is Gears of War: E-Day, the open multiplayer beta launching October 6, 2026. The beta is available to any Xbox Game Pass Essential subscriber (or higher) from August 13 to 17 — the longest test period the franchise has ever offered. The beta includes exclusive "Horde Siege" modes and allows players to provide feedback before the official release. The game has had Early Access since August 6 for pre-order buyers, and the open beta expands access to all Game Pass subscribers.
Beyond the headline title, Sunderfolk — the 4-player co-op tactical RPG from Secret Door — is available in Free Play Days through August 16. With 93% positive reviews on Steam and direct inspiration from tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons, the game lets players use their phones as shared controllers around a table. The team spent over three years developing the game following their previous project's success. Asdivine Cross, Square Enix's (KEMCO) classic turn-based RPG, also participates through August 16 — an accessible option for those wanting to experience traditional RPGs.
PlayStation Plus — August Catalog: Helldivers 2 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Sony expanded the PlayStation Plus catalog on August 12 with two heavyweight titles. Helldivers 2, the co-op shooter that dominated gaming conversations in 2024, is now available to Extra and Premium members — arriving alongside the "Devoid of Liberty" update featuring the Warhammer 40K crossover and new game modes. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, the medieval open-world RPG many consider the spiritual successor to The Witcher, has also entered the catalog. The game had been anticipated for the PS Plus lineup for years and finally arrives after coming to PS5.
Beyond these highlights, the August catalog also includes Vampire Survivors, Hell is Us, and seven other titles. The monthly games for August — Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Reloaded Edition, Big Walk (the co-op game from the Untitled Goose Game team), and Signalis — are available from August 4 to 31 for all members.
> With so many free options available simultaneously — from caravan simulators to the next generation of Gears of War — August 2026 is solidifying itself as one of the best months for building a game library without spending a dime. The only question is: which of these games will dominate your free time this month?
Sources: Epic Games Store, Xbox Wire, Gears of War Official, PlayStation Blog
✓ Independent sources cross-checked and verified before publishing
