Evil Genius is free for a limited time because developer Rebellion is evil

Those dastardly fiends at Rebellion have finally unleashed their latest plot: giving away Evil Genius for free.

This might seem like a good, kind act, but Rebellion has assured us that it definitely isn’t. For starters, the plan is that this will consume your free time and prevent you from doing anything useful during lockdown. Soon, the world’s productivity will spiral, leaving everything ripe for Rebellion’s takeover.

Secondly, Rebellion is refusing to state when the giveaway will actually end. Which… actually is kind of a dick move, if pretty funny. So if you want to snag Evil Genius for free, sooner is almost certainly better than later.

How to get Evil Genius for free

Thankfully, it’s pretty simple to get the game. Not quite as simple as “click a link on Steam”, but simple nonetheless. First, head over to this giveaway page. You’ll need to sign in with your Rebellion ID – and if you don’t have one, you’ll have to sign up for one. Then, link that Rebellion ID to your Steam account. Finally, answer a few quick questions about whether you’re okay to receive emails about Evil Genius 2 and other bits-and-bobs, though there appears to be no obligation to say yes. After that, you should wind up with a copy of Evil Genius automatically added to your Steam account.

So, okay, part of the evil plan might also be to get you to make a Rebellion account. That’s a small price to pay to get Evil Genius for free, though. Or is it?

Now, I can’t guarantee this works because I’ve had Evil Genius in my Steam library for about seven years, and I’ve got a physical copy somewhere around here too. But by all accounts, it should.

Dastardly plans

Evil Genius itself is a ’60s spy spoof strategy game in the vein of Dungeon Keeper. As an aspiring supervillain, you build your lair, hire henchmen, send them out on raids, and fend off Bond-like super-spies trying to infiltrate your lair and put an end to your machinations. It’s a little flawed, but it’s definitely worth a try if you liked Dungeon Keeper or simply have an interest in the setting.

This giveaway is also likely in aid of promoting Evil Genius 2, the long-awaited sequel due out sometime this year. You can have a gander at the Steam page for that (and wishlist it, if you so desire). That might also be part of Rebellion’s master plan for global domination, though.