Cardpocalypse Becomes the Epic Games Store’s August 20 Free Game

The Epic Games Store’s weekly giveaway program continues to spotlight games outside the biggest blockbuster franchises. Its next promotion brings Cardpocalypse, a story-driven collectible card game with clear Pokémon Trading Card Game influences, to PC players at no cost for one week beginning August 20, 2026.

A 1990s Card Game Comes to Life

Cardpocalypse was developed by Irish studio Gambrinous and first launched on consoles and iOS through Apple Arcade in December 2019. The PC release followed in October 2020. Its setting reimagines the 1990s through a playful, exaggerated lens, placing players in the role of Jess, a 10-year-old wheelchair user.

Jess attends a school that bans a popular trading card game called Mega Mutant Power Pets. Students continue playing it in secret, but the situation becomes far more serious when the game’s mutants begin appearing in the real world. Jess and her friends must then find a way to stop the resulting invasion.

What the Epic Giveaway Includes

Cardpocalypse will be free to claim on the Epic Games Store from August 20 at 8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET / 5 p.m. CET until August 27 at the same time. The promotion covers the Standard Edition, meaning the base game is included rather than its separately sold add-ons.

The giveaway is notable because Cardpocalypse has not previously been offered for free on Epic or elsewhere. Its regular price is $24.99, while its lowest recorded price has been $4.99. The digital soundtrack and Out of Time story DLC remain separate purchases at $7.99 each.

Although its inspirations are easy to recognize, Cardpocalypse does not simply reproduce the Pokémon card-game formula. Battles use 20-card decks and Champion cards with a comeback mechanic that makes them more powerful after taking damage.

Epic’s August Schedule and What Comes Next

Cardpocalypse follows Beacon Pines and We Were Here Together in the Epic Games Store’s August 2026 rotation. Before the new promotion starts, users can claim Caravan SandWitch, a cozy exploration game from France-based Studio Plane Toast. That offer is part of the lead-up to the August 20 changeover.

At present, Cardpocalypse is scheduled to be the only PC game included from August 20 through August 27. Epic’s 2026 giveaway pattern leaves room for that plan to change in a future announcement: eight of the first 33 weekly promotions featured a single freebie, while the other 25 included at least two offers, though not every additional offer was a game.

Key points

• Cardpocalypse is Epic’s sixth free game for August 2026.
• The giveaway runs from August 20 to August 27 at 8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET / 5 p.m. CET.
• The promotion includes the Standard Edition and excludes the soundtrack and Out of Time DLC.
• The game follows Jess as Mega Mutant Power Pets spill from schoolyard play into the real world.

Cardpocalypse giveaway details

Expert View

Cardpocalypse gives Epic’s August lineup a distinct identity by offering a compact, narrative-focused card game rather than another conventional action title. Its recognizable trading-card inspiration may attract Pokémon fans, while the original setting and school-based story give it a separate hook. The limited-time offer also provides a low-risk way for players to try a niche collectible card game that has never previously been free.