PC Gamers Have Until January 27 to Claim Free Game

Hangman Earth is now free to claim on PC, courtesy of a newly introduced Microsoft Store promotion. PC gamers have until January 27 to take advantage of the recently launched sale.

As its name suggests, Hangman Earth is a digital version of the evergreen word guessing game. It comes from Earth of Games, an indie developer specializing in casual titles for PC, consoles, and mobile devices.

Hangman Earth Now Free on Microsoft Store and Xbox

Hangman Earth is currently free to claim from the Microsoft Store, having been treated to a 100% discount on January 23. The deal equates to $3.99 worth of savings, matching the game’s regular price. Hangman Earth has received several discounts since its June 2025 release, but it was never before given away on any platform. PC gamers have until next Tuesday, January 27 to take advantage of the ongoing deal.

The 100% discount on Hangman Earth also applies to the console version of the game, available on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. While both its console and PC builds are distributed via the same storefront, the game does not have the Xbox Play Anywhere label, meaning it does not support any kind of cross-progression. Achievements aren’t part of the package either, preventing Hangman Earth from adding to anyone’s Gamerscore total.

Hangman Earth Is a Simple Casual Game with an Accessible Hint System

Even compared to other obscure games on the Microsoft Store, Hangham Earth has a tiny online footprint. Still, it offers an easily digestible gameplay loop consisting of short word guessing sections and no downtime in between them. It’s based on the simplest iteration of hangman, where players have half a dozen chances to guess a word before the full hanged stick figure is drawn and they lose the round. Unlike most variants of the game, there is a built-in hint system on offer here: pressing the golden question mark button in the bottom-right corner of the on-screen keyboard will reveal one letter from the target word.

According to Game Rant’s testing, the letter offered by the game’s hint system is entirely random. As a result, it may be wiser not to use the hint immediately when the answer is unclear, instead first trying a few high-probability guesses. Because most words are likely to contain at least one vowel (and vowels are generally easier to guess than consonants since there are fewer of them), it may be wiser not to use the hint immediately when the answer is unclear. Only one hint is allowed per round. There is no penalty for using it, but there is also no reward for not using it. In essence, Hangman Earth functions as a simple way to strengthen one’s English vocabulary in a low-pressure environment.

Game Rant can confirm that Hangman Earth works on both Windows 10 and 11 devices. It is also optimized for touchscreens, on account of its built-in on-screen keyboard. Unfortunately, physical keyboard support does not appear to be part of the package, so the only way to guess words on a desktop is to interact with the virtual keyboard. This can either be done with a mouse or a controller. Hangman Earth is a decidedly compact game by modern standards, requiring less than 26 MB of storage space on Windows.

In related news, PC gamers can currently grab Rustler – Grand Theft Horse from the Epic Games Store. True to its name, the freebie is inspired by Rockstar’s iconic open-world series, specifically its 2D top-down era, though its distinctive feature is that it’s set in a medieval era. Rustler is available to claim until January 29, when it will be replaced with a Definitely Not Fried Chicken giveaway.