System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster free to claim on Epic Games Store until October 8, 2026

• Nightdive Studios released the remaster in June 2025 as a modern version of the 1999 sci-fi horror RPG.
• The remaster includes remastered visuals, PC support up to 4K and 144fps, ultrawide, mod support, and co-op for up to four players.

What happened

Nightdive Studios’ System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is currently free to claim via the Epic Games Store. According to the provided source, the promotion runs until October 8, 2026, and anyone who adds the game to their Epic account within that window keeps it in their library permanently under Epic’s standard policy. That makes the offer a time-limited promotion for the PC version of the remaster, which is available through the Epic Games Store and the Epic Games Launcher.

A free Epic Games account is required to claim it. The source also notes that the game is played through the Epic Games Launcher. The remaster launched in June 2025 and is intended as a modernized version of the classic sci-fi horror RPG without abandoning the original structure of System Shock 2. As a result, it stays close to the 1999 release while adding a range of technical and visual upgrades designed to help it run on modern PCs.

The remaster includes remastered cutscenes, character models, and weapon models. The source also lists PC options such as support for up to 4K at 144fps, an adjustable field of view, ultrawide support, and full mod support. There is also co-op for up to four players, and players can choose an O.S.A., Marine, or Navy background. That background choice affects how the game shapes the player’s playstyle, while the co-op option expands the remaster beyond the original 1999 release.

Background

System Shock 2 takes place aboard the FTL ship Von Braun in the year 2114. In the story, hybrid mutants and hostile robots have taken over the ship, giving the game its well-known blend of sci-fi and horror. The source explicitly cites that setting as part of the background of the original game, which first appeared in 1999.

The original game was developed by Looking Glass Studios and Irrational Games. The source also connects that history to System Shock 2’s later influence on BioShock, since many of the creators later worked on that series and BioShock is often described as a spiritual successor to System Shock 2. In that sense, the remaster is presented not just as a technical update, but as a re-release of a title with a clear place in the history of PC action RPGs and survival horror.

Nightdive Studios released the 25th Anniversary Remaster in June 2025. The provided information highlights improvements such as remastered cutscenes, character models, and weapon models, plus PC support for 4K and 144fps, ultrawide, and an adjustable field of view. Full mod support is also mentioned, along with co-op for up to four players and the choice of O.S.A., Marine, or Navy as a background. That mix of technical and gameplay changes shows the remaster does more than simply raise the resolution.

The Epic Games Store promotion is temporary and runs until October 8, 2026, according to the source. Anyone who claims the game within that window adds it to their library permanently under Epic’s standard policy. The source does not give an exact release day in June 2025, but it does confirm the month and year of the remaster’s launch. It also does not further break down the exact co-op conditions or the hardware requirements behind 4K and 144fps.

Sources

• IGN: System Shock 2 remaster is free to claim on the Epic Games Store