Intel has a tempting promotion for PC builders scoping out potential hardware upgrades. Through March 31, you’ll get two of 2025’s most anticipated games for free when you buy a new, overclockable CPU from its 14th Gen lineup, or one its latest (Series 2) Intel Core Ultra 5, 7, and 9. Thankfully, you won’t have to choose between Civilization 7 and Assassin’s Creed Shadows. You’ll get Steam game codes for both, so you can dive in with your updated rig on their launch days happening on Feb. 11 and March 20, respectively.
Making sure you buy an eligible CPU is important, as is ensuring you buy it from one of Intel’s approved retailers (they differ depending on your region). In the U.S. the likes of Amazon, B&H Photo, Micro Center, and Newegg are all eligible, as are PC builders iBuyPower, Maingear, NZXT, Thermaltake, CyberPower, and Falcon Northwest.
Before you buy, make sure you agree with the terms and conditions you’ll need to follow in order to get the game codes. And, be aware that the instructions and due dates for submitting proof of purchase depend on the retailer, so be sure to closely follow the instructions laid out on Intel’s offer page. We’ll dig into a couple of the required steps after the list of eligible CPUs, complete with links to where you can buy them, below.
In terms of required steps to get your games, you’ll need to head over to softwareoffer.intel.com. You must create an Intel account and provide a phone number for it. Click “Redeem An Offer” on the offer page, then, depending on the retailer you bought the CPU from, you’ll choose to input either a Master Key you might have received or provide proof of purchase. Make sure that gets done by April 15. You’ll then need to download and run the Intel Hardware Scanning Tool (Intel HST) to validate the CPU digitally. From there, you’ll have until May 15 to redeem your game keys.
