Summary
- Unreal Tournament titles are now free to download and play, thanks to fans and Epic Games.
- The OldUnreal project preserves the original Unreal games, officially backed by Epic Games.
- The free titles include Unreal, Unreal Tournament, and Unreal 2.
Some Unreal Tournament titles are now free to download and play thanks to a collaborative effort from fans and Epic Games itself. Unreal Tournament was Epic Games‘ first flagship title that launched with the first iteration of the Unreal Engine back in 1998. The FPS came at a time when what are now referred to as “boomer shooters,” like Quake and the original run of DOOM titles, were dominant.
Unreal Tournament has had some sliver of relevance in the past few years, with Unreal Tournament skins added to Fortnite in an ever-growing list of collaborations that have come to Epic Games’ current smash hit. Although Unreal Tournament is now a dormant franchise owned by Epic, Unreal Engine, the tools that were developed alongside it, remain a staple in modern video game development.
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Thanks to the Unreal Tournament fan community, “OldUnreal,” the original PC versions of the first few Unreal games have been kept alive, along with patches for those who wish to revisit Epic Games’ history. Epic Games has officially backed the OldUnreal project and allowed it to remain free for those wanting to play. Fans can experience FPS history with Unreal, Unreal Tournament, and Unreal 2 on OldUnreal’s website. The original servers for several Unreal titles were shut down in 2022, along with the games being delisted from digital stores.
Thanks to Fan Efforts and Epic Games’ Blessing, The Original Unreal Games Are Available for Free
Those wishing for new Unreal content don’t have to look too far. Amazon’s Secret Level paid tribute to Unreal Tournament in an episode that aired on December 10 on Prime Video. If the cry from fans is strong enough, maybe the Unreal series could see a comeback in the future. The world-building and lore are cemented in the Secret Level episode, along with years of games to pull from for a new game or series.
Unreal Tournament is said to be one of the best FPS games that gamers cannot buy anymore, but thankfully, fans and Epic Games have made efforts to preserve one of gaming’s most important franchises. The game had a thriving multiplayer scene in an era where FPS games were king. People would sit in internet cafes or set up massive LAN parties to play these kinds of games with large groups of friends back in the day. This was a time when games like the original Halo, Counter-Strike, and Quake titles were at their peak, and people everywhere played them. Developers like John Romero and Cliff Bleszinski were being held as gaming superstars at the time, and PC gaming was taking off.
