Summary
SomeUnreal Tournamenttitles are now free to download and play thanks to a collaborative effort from fans and Epic Games itself.Unreal TournamentwasEpic 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,” likeQuakeand the original run ofDOOMtitles, were dominant.
Unreal Tournamenthas had some sliver of relevance in the past few years, withUnreal Tournamentskins added toFortnitein an ever-growing list of collaborations that have come to Epic Games’ current smash hit.AlthoughUnreal Tournamentis now a dormant franchise owned by Epic, Unreal Engine, the tools that were developed alongside it, remain a staple in modern video game development.
Thanks to theUnreal Tournamentfan community, “OldUnreal,” the original PC versions of the first fewUnrealgames have been kept alive, along with patches for those who wish to revisit Epic Games’ history.Epic Games has officially backed the OldUnreal projectand allowed it to remain free for those wanting to play. Fans can experience FPS history withUnreal,Unreal Tournament, andUnreal 2on OldUnreal’s website. The originalservers for severalUnrealtitles 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 newUnrealcontent don’t have to look too far. Amazon’sSecret Levelpaid tribute toUnreal Tournamentin an episode that aired on December 10 on Prime Video. If the cry from fans is strong enough, maybe theUnrealseries could see a comeback in the future. The world-building and lore are cemented in theSecret Levelepisode, along with years of games to pull from for a new game or series.
Unreal Tournamentis said to be one of thebest 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 originalHalo, Counter-Strike,andQuaketitles 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.
