In honor of the late Ozzy Osbourne, Double Fine made the cult-classic gameBrutal Legendfree on Itch.io for 666 minutes. Originally released in 2009,Brutal Legendincluded NPC cameos from heavy metal musicians like Osbourne, and is considered one of Double Fine’s quirkiest releases for its use of gameplay mechanics from various game genres.
One day after Osbourne’s death, Double Fine paid tribute to the late heavy metal icon by giving fans a limited-time offer on one of its games. Double Fine confirmed on social media thatBrutal Legendis free for 666 minutes, until 6:06 AM Eastern on July 24, on itch.io for Windows, macOS, and Linux users to claim. After logging in to or creating a free itch.io account, users can then download a 7.6 GB ZIP file containingBrutal Legend, without any digital rights management (DRM) attached. After four years as a console-exclusive game,Brutal Legend’s PC port was released in 2013 with some adjustments like anti-aliasing and increased render distances. According to Double Fine director Tim Schaefer,Brutal Legendwas inspired by his past musical experiences, and takes place in a fantastical world based on heavy metal album cover artwork released across several decades.
Brutal Legend Is Free On Itch.io For 666 Minutes
Brutal Legendfeatures an NPC called The Guardian of Metal, with Osbourne providing the voice and likeness of the NPC, complete with tinted sunglasses, black clothes, and various jewelry. The Guardian of Metal helpsBrutal Legend’s main protagonist, Eddie Riggs, by offering upgrades to his Seperator axe and his Flying V guitar named Clementine.Brutal Legendis considered one ofDouble Fine’s strangest titles due to its blending of open-world adventure and real-time strategygameplay, along with musical elements inspired by franchises likeGuitar Hero.
As of this writing,Brutal Legendfans have just under nine hours remaining to add the 2009 Double Fine title to their itch.io collections. WithDouble Fine working on projects likeKeeper, only time will tell what the studio’s plans are beyond 2025.
