Football Manager 2024, which was released just 10 months ago, is available for free on the Epic Games Store this week. This is the latest offer from Epic Games, which continues to delight gamers with high-quality free games.

Unlike EA Sports FC, which focuses on fast-paced on-field action, the long-running Football Manager series emphasizes strategy and tactics behind the scenes. The latest edition offers various enhancements designed specifically for new players, who may have been hesitant about a franchise that's now over three decades old.

Player animations are now smoother and more varied, set-pieces are simpler (though you can still meticulously plan your game), and the improved transfer system allows you to use intermediaries to sell reserve players that drain your budget.

For veteran managers, there’s good news as well: you can import save files from FM23 and continue your game from where you left off.

While some may view this game as a stopgap until the next edition, which will feature complete Premier League teams, the addition of women's football, and massive graphical upgrades, it's hard to complain when the game is available for free.

Other free games next week include Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts, a shooter with a single-player mode that lets you experience life as a sniper. Both titles will be available for free download for one week starting Thursday, September 5.

What is the Epic Games Store? For those unfamiliar, the Epic Games Store is a website and application offering a variety of PC games. You can think of it as a major competitor to Steam, the most popular PC gaming platform today. One of Epic’s strategies to compete is by regularly offering free games.