QuakeCon 2025, the annual event celebrating Bethesda’s gaming franchises, has concluded, but several digital promotional offers and free content opportunities remain accessible to consumers. The event, which took place in Grapevine, Texas, featured a Bring-Your-Own-Computer (BYOC) LAN party and various on-site activities, including community tournaments and the Quake Champions Duel Open Tournament. For those unable to attend in person, the festivities extended to digital platforms, offering free in-game items, extended free-to-play periods for major titles, and significant discounts on a wide range of games. This article outlines the available freebies and promotional offers derived from official event communications and verified retailer listings.
Free In-Game Items on Steam
Following QuakeCon 2025, Steam made a collection of cosmetic items available for free to users who participated in a viewing requirement. To obtain these items, users needed to be logged into their Steam account and watch the QuakeCon stream on the platform for a minimum of 25 minutes. The stream was noted to be looping continuously, making it accessible within the required timeframe. The availability of this offer was time-sensitive, as the stream was scheduled to continue only until the following day after the event's conclusion.
The free items included in this promotion were: - Two Avatar Frames - Six Animated Avatars - One Animated Sticker - One Mini-Profile Background - One marketable Profile Background - A secret 12th item, which was revealed after watching the required duration
These items were accessible through the Steam Points Shop. A similar promotional offering was also noted as part of the concurrent Steam 4X Fest.
Extended Free-to-Play Access for The Elder Scrolls Online
A significant free-to-play opportunity was announced for The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) in conjunction with QuakeCon 2025. An official discussion thread on the ESO forums confirmed a "QuakeCon 2025 Free Play Event," allowing players to "Experience the World of ESO for Free During QuakeCon 2025." The promotion's description stated that participants could "Take your first steps into Tamriel at no cost." This event provided an extended trial period for the game, enabling new players to explore the base game without purchase. The initiative was managed by ZeniMax Online Studios, the developers of ESO, and was promoted through official channels.
QuakeCon 2025 and Associated Sales
While the in-person QuakeCon 2025 event was held at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, the promotional sales associated with the event extended to digital storefronts for consumers globally, including the UK. Multiple major PC game marketplaces hosted QuakeCon-themed sales featuring discounts on Bethesda’s extensive catalogue, which includes franchises such as The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Doom, and Wolfenstein.
Epic Games Store
The Epic Games Store ran a QuakeCon 2024 Sale (the data indicates the sale name was for the 2024 event, but the context is provided for 2025). This sale featured notable discounts on key titles: - Hi-Fi RUSH (40% off) - Dishonored 2 (60% off) - The Elder Scrolls Online (70% off) - Deathloop (80% off) - Fallout 3 GOTY Edition (67% off) - Prey (75% off) - Doom 64 (60% off) - Doom 3 (60% off) - Quake + Quake 2 Enhanced Bundle (60% off)
Additionally, the Epic Games Store offered Cygni: All Guns Blazing for free as part of its Epic Savings event.
GOG.com
GOG.com hosted a QuakeCon Sale 2024, offering substantial discounts on a wide range of classic and modern titles, particularly from Bethesda’s back catalogue: - Fallout 4 GOTY Edition (60% off) - Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus (85% off) - Dishonored Complete Collection (80% off) - Prey (80% off) - The Evil Within 2 (80% off) - The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Anniversary Edition (67% off) - The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion GOTY Edition Deluxe (75% off) - The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind GOTY Edition (60% off) - Heretic + Hexen Collection (70% off) - Quake (60% off)
Steam
Steam’s QuakeCon sale was highlighted for its bundles, including a "Doom Classic bundle" featuring newly released remasters of Doom 1 and Doom 2. The sale also included discounts on titles such as Half-Life: Alyx and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, alongside sales on titles from EA and THQ Nordic.
Other Retailers
Numerous other digital storefronts and key resellers ran concurrent sales or offered specific deals: - Fanatical and Gamebillet featured discounts on a variety of titles, including SteamWorld Heist 2, Dragon's Dogma 2, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and God of War. - GamesPlanet offered deals on titles such as The World: The Game Complete Edition and the Star Wars: X-Wing Series. - Green Man Gaming provided a 15% discount coupon (SUMMER15) for most titles during its summer sale.
Prime Gaming Freebies
For Prime Gaming subscribers, several free game titles were available to claim before specific deadlines in August and September 2025. These offers were separate from the QuakeCon event but were listed in the same context. The free games included: - Weird West Definitive Edition (claim before 9/4) - Card Shark (claim before 9/25) - Soulstice (claim before 9/25)
Important Considerations for UK Consumers
UK-based consumers should note that while these digital offers are generally accessible globally, specific regional restrictions may apply. The sources provided do not specify geographic limitations for the Steam free items, the ESO free play event, or the various game sales. However, game prices displayed in the source data are in US dollars, and UK consumers should expect regional pricing to apply on storefronts like Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.com, which automatically convert to British Pounds Sterling (GBP). Additionally, the ESO free play event is an official promotion from the game's publisher, making it a reliable and safe opportunity for new players to try the game.
Conclusion
QuakeCon 2025 generated a range of digital promotional opportunities for consumers, extending beyond the in-person event in Texas. The most direct freebie was the collection of Steam cosmetic items available to users who watched the event stream. A major free-to-play trial for The Elder Scrolls Online was also offered. Furthermore, the event spurred significant sales across major PC game storefronts, featuring deep discounts on titles from Bethesda’s iconic franchises and other publishers. While the physical event has concluded, many of these digital promotions, including the ESO free play period and various game sales, may still be active or available for a limited time. Consumers are advised to verify the current status of these offers on the respective official platforms.