Epic Game Store’s 2024 holiday mystery games get less mysterious, and gamers are unhappy

Epic Games Store's 2024 holiday mystery game promotion has sparked controversy among users due to significant changes to its traditional format and what some consider disappointing game selections. The store has eliminated its practice of including hint-laden wrapping paper art, while also offering DLC instead of full games in some cases.

The latest controversy peaked on December 23 when the platform offered Dark and Darker – Legendary Status DLC as its fifth mystery gift, requiring users to already own the base game. This marked a departure from previous years' offerings of complete games, leading to widespread disappointment among the community.

A key point of contention is the removal of the promotional wrapping paper artwork that traditionally contained clues about upcoming games. While some users praise this change for maintaining genuine surprise, others lament the loss of the community guessing game that had become a holiday tradition.

The promotion, running from December 19 to January 2, continues to offer daily free items instead of the store's usual weekly schedule. However, users have noted that this year's selections have been less notable compared to previous holiday giveaways.

Adding to the changes, the usual pattern of advance leaks has been disrupted, with fewer accurate predictions circulating online. When leaks do occur, they now typically emerge just hours before releases, rather than days or weeks in advance as in previous years.

The platform's holiday promotion will continue through early January, though the community remains divided over whether these changes represent an improvement or deterioration of the annual event.