Steam can really surprise you sometimes. While it can take hours of scrounging through the extremely packed storefront, the satisfaction of finding something you’re going to be playing for a while is immense. It’s an even better feeling when you find something free, even if it’s temporary.
As everyone is aware, Steam offers tons of free games, but there are many different levers that developers and publishers can use. Some are free to play in the traditional sense. Others provide demos that are incorporated into the core game. Some titles are free with no strings attached, and others are free for a limited time.
Right now, there are a handful of games that are completely free on Steam, but you only have 24 hours to get on this promotion. Given that all four games are completely different in their own way, you’re sure to find something to play without having to spend any money on games this weekend.
WWE 2K26
Like the other games on this list, WWE 2K26 is free to play until August 3 at 1PM ET. As another 2K annual installment in their WWE 2K series, this one includes more than 400 wrestlers, a “2K Showcase” story mode that relives CM Punk’s career, and “What If” matches where he never left.
There’s also a sandbox mode where you can craft your own WWE universe, as well as a new MyRise mode where you can use your own character. Here’s what you’re getting for the price: “The show never stops in WWE 2K26! Step into CM Punk’s 2K Showcase, dominate with 400+ Superstars and Legends, and unleash chaos with all-new match types.”
It’s 50% off until August 3, so if you want to grab it despite the mixed reviews, you can. Just note that multiple editions are available, including the King of Kings Edition for $99.99, the Attitude Era Edition for $129.99, and the Monday Night War Edition, which is currently 23% off.
That’s on top of microtransactions, which some fans are not happy about: “I really wanted to love this game, but the aggressive monetization is ruining the experience. MyRISE locks far too many character cosmetics behind arbitrary walls, and the store offers are entirely inconsistent between players. On top of that, MyFACTION is oversaturated with Persona Cards that require either a massive financial investment or endless grinding.”
Reaper Actual
If you want to experience FPS combat and something new to sink your teeth into, you can try Reaper Actual for free now for another 24 hours. Air and land vehicles are available, with sea transportation planned for later in development. There are five biomes to explore, and a crafting system to use all those resources on.
It’s extremely ambitious, based on its premise: “Reaper Actual is an Open-World Persistent Shooter where hundreds of players engage in FPS combat against each other and 5 NPC Factions on the massive war-torn island of Marova. Level your Reapers, maintain a home Base, and complete missions to earn gear and reshape the world.”
So far, reviews are mostly positive, but some fans note that the game has some technical issues that need to be iron out in Early Access. Even the positive reviews draw attention to it: “This game is still rough around the edges, but it’s already much better than I expected. The gunplay feels good, double-click looting removes a lot of the usual extraction-shooter tedium, and vehicles have made exploring the map far more enjoyable.”
If you want to pick it up, it’s 20% off until August 4. After that, it’ll revert back to its full price of $19.99. If you’re a superfan, there are two other premium editions to buy, both of which are also 20% off.
Necesse
If you’re remotely into building and exploration-based games, you may want to check out Necesse. It’s an RPG where you can team up with your friends to build a settlement, wander around an open world, recruit villagers, and explore dungeons.
Like Reaper Actual, this game is similarly ambitious: “Build, quest, and conquer across an infinite procedurally generated world. Play alone or with friends as you establish a settlement and explore deep dungeons, fight monsters and bosses, mine rare ores, craft magical equipment, recruit specialists for your colony, and more.”
Out of all the games on offer, this is the one with the most positive reviews. Some cite it as an “amazing co-op game,” while others compare it favorably to Terraria: “I usually play Terraria (vanilla & modded), however, I have been playing this game a lot lately. Very good game. The settlers and how they operate are great, makes me wish all games had a similar mechanic. Definitely worth the download. Takes a bit to get going but then it progresses at a nice rate. Also glad to see that the developer is releasing updates with new content.”
It’s clear on multiple levels why this is the star game of the lot. It’s the longest game, it has online play, and it has the best reviews by a mile. It’s also available in a bundle with Palworld (which recently hit 1.0), along with separate bundles for Guntouchables, Tinker Lands, Wonderia, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, Romestead, and Core Keeper.
Necesse is free until August 3 at 1PM ET. It also has the largest discount of the four free games on this list, at 50%.
Tower Dominion
Tower Defense can be considered old school by some, but there are tons of fantastic games still coming out for the genre. So far, it seems like Tower Dominion is a hit with fans. By combining classic Tower Defense gameplay with a ramping challenge, it’s already caught the eye of tons of Steam users, sporting “very positive” reviews that are almost as positive as Necesse.
The concept behind this one is the simplest of the bunch: “Build and design the terrain while defending your stronghold against alien invasion in this unique Roguelike tower defense. Choose from 30 heroes, survive enemy waves, and upgrade a variety of destructive towers to hold the line!”
Even if you don’t love Tower Defense games, you might warm up to this one, according to user reviews like this: “This game reignited my love for tower defense after I’d completely burnt out on the genre. It’s incredibly easy to pick up but takes time to truly master. Every run feels rewarding, and there’s always a new strategy or build to try. My only real complaint is that I wish it were a little better optimised for the Steam Deck. Once you get into the later waves, performance can start to struggle.”
However, some users feel like it ramps up too quickly: “Had fun with this game for the first few hours as I learned how to play on the easier levels. Got really frustrated when I tried to beat the harder levels due to enemies, towers, perks, terrain all being tied to RNG and random enemy quantity spikes that you can’t see coming and cannot prepare for.”
If you’re a heavy Steam player and are looking for something to play, there’s plenty on offer between these four games alone. Just remember that you only have 24 hours to actually partake.
- Brand
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Valve
- Original Release Date
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September 12, 2003