Lead: On December 21, 2025, the Epic Games Store revealed Sorry We’re Closed as its free daily title, making it available to claim for 24 hours. The retro-inspired survival horror game, developed by British studio à la mode games and published by Akupara Games, had recently been awarded Debut Game at the 2025 Indie Game Awards after Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was disqualified. Players on Epic have until Monday, December 22 at 8am PT / 11am ET / 5pm CET to add the game to their libraries. The giveaway is the fifth release in Epic’s holiday promotion, which began on December 11 with Hogwarts Legacy.
Key Takeaways
- Sorry We’re Closed is free on Epic Games Store from Dec 21–Dec 22, 2025; the claim window ends at 8am PT / 11am ET / 5pm CET on Dec 22.
- The title won Debut Game at the 2025 Indie Game Awards after Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was disqualified for use of generative AI.
- Sorry We’re Closed launched on PC in late 2024 (Nov 14, 2024) and reached consoles in March 2025; its store price is $24.99.
- Critical reception is positive: OpenCritic average ~82 with an 86% reviewer recommendation rate; Steam user rating listed as “Overwhelmingly Positive”; PlayStation and Xbox stores show 4.51 and 4.4 stars respectively.
- Epic’s holiday slate began Dec 11 with Hogwarts Legacy and shifted to daily mystery titles Dec 18–Dec 31; five daily titles have been revealed so far.
- So far, Epic has given away more than $150 worth of games in this holiday promotion; ten more daily freebies are planned through the end of December 2025.
Background
Epic Games has run holiday free-game promotions for several years, using the program both to reward users and to spotlight titles that might otherwise struggle for attention. This 2025 season began unusually on December 11 with Hogwarts Legacy offered for a week, then reverted to the platform’s typical format of a rotating mystery game every 24 hours starting December 18. That format creates urgency—each reveal is available for a single day—and has become a predictable driver of spikes in player acquisition and store traffic.
Sorry We’re Closed arrived amid growing debate around how small studios navigate awards, IP, and new production tools. The game’s developer, à la mode games, bills itself as a British studio despite the French-tinged name; publisher Akupara Games handled broader platform releases. The title’s design intentionally references classic survival-horror mechanics—fixed camera angles, puzzle-centric exploration and occasional first-person sequences—while layering a supernatural “Third Eye” mechanic that shifts the player’s perspective between worlds.
Main Event
Epic disclosed Sorry We’re Closed as its December 21 free game, the fifth reveal in the holiday rotation. Users had a 24-hour window to add the title to their accounts; the giveaway’s posted end time is Monday, Dec 22 at 8am PT / 11am ET / 5pm CET. The promotion list preceding this day included Hogwarts Legacy (Dec 11–18), then daily reveals Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel (Dec 18–19), Eternights (Dec 19–20), and Blood West (Dec 20–21).
Sorry We’re Closed first released on PC in November 2024 and arrived on consoles in March 2025. The game drew attention from critics and players alike for its neon-soaked aesthetic, perspective shifts, and the Third Eye mechanic used across combat and puzzles. Aggregated metrics place it in a strong reception bracket and user feedback on digital storefronts has been notably positive.
The title’s recent win at the 2025 Indie Game Awards, however, came with controversy: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was removed from consideration after organizers determined generative AI had been used during development. Reports indicate the contested assets had been placeholder visuals that were replaced before release, but the awards body—Six One Indie—maintained a zero-tolerance policy and elevated Sorry We’re Closed from runner-up to winner.
Analysis & Implications
Epic’s decision to include Sorry We’re Closed in its giveaway amplifies the game’s visibility at a moment when broader conversations about AI in games and awards governance are front and center. For an indie studio, appearing in Epic’s free rotation can mean a far-reaching boost in downloads and subsequent ecosystem engagement—streamers, reviews, and community discussion—often translating into long-term sales and brand recognition despite the initial free distribution.
The disqualification of Clair Obscur raises questions about where the industry draws lines around generative AI. Awards bodies that enforce strict non-AI rules prioritize original human authorship, but that stance clashes with studios that use AI tools as part of iterative workflows. The outcome in this case may prompt clearer disclosure practices and tighter adjudication rules for future competitions, affecting both entrants and judges.
From Epic’s perspective, the holiday campaign continues to be a strategic investment: giving away titles collectively worth more than $150 so far deepens user engagement and positions the store as a discovery channel. For publishers, inclusion can be a trade-off between short-term revenue and long-term audience growth; the net effect often depends on inventory, DLC plans, and post-giveaway pricing strategies.
Comparison & Data
| Game | Value | Free From | Free Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hogwarts Legacy | $59.99 | Dec 11 | Dec 18 |
| Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel | $14.99 | Dec 18 | Dec 19 |
| Eternights | $29.99 | Dec 19 | Dec 20 |
| Blood West | $24.99 | Dec 20 | Dec 21 |
| Sorry We’re Closed | $24.99 | Dec 21 | Dec 22 |
The table shows the first five entries of Epic’s holiday rollout and their storefront values; combined, these five listings exceed $150 in retail value. Epic’s model of rotating freebies compresses discoverability into short windows, which can inflate near-term engagement metrics but may also create challenges for sustained player retention unless followed by sequels, updates, or monetized add-ons.
Reactions & Quotes
“Nominees had confirmed their compliance before the ceremony,”
Six One Indie (awards organizer, official statement)
Six One Indie emphasized that its rules prohibit generative AI use and said nominations were vetted prior to the event. Organizers applied the policy consistently according to their statement, resulting in Clair Obscur’s removal and Sorry We’re Closed being named the winner in the Debut Game category.
“[T]he promotion moves to a new mystery game every 24 hours,”
Epic Games Store (official promotion page)
Epic’s public-facing description of the holiday program explains the daily mystery format and fixed claim windows, a mechanism designed to create urgency and maintain daily engagement throughout the season.
Unconfirmed
- The full extent of AI use in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s development has not been independently audited; public reports say some assets were placeholders but details remain limited.
- It is unclear whether the disqualification will trigger formal changes in submission rules across other indie awards beyond Six One Indie.
- The precise long-term sales uplift for Sorry We’re Closed as a result of Epic’s giveaway is unknown; retrospective sales data will clarify the promotional impact.
Bottom Line
Epic’s December 21 giveaway of Sorry We’re Closed simultaneously highlights the store’s power as a discovery engine and the shifting governance challenges within the indie scene around AI. For à la mode games and Akupara, the immediate payoff is visibility to millions of Epic users; for award organizers, the incident underscores the need for transparent AI policies and clear adjudication processes.
Readers should watch two fronts in the coming months: whether indie awards publish clearer AI guidance or auditing procedures, and how give-away exposure translates into longer-term player engagement and revenue for participating developers. The interaction between platform promotions and quality-control debates over production methods will shape indie funding, recognition, and creative choices going forward.