- Irregular
- Trials
- Free during window
- Needs subscription
Nintendo periodically lets Switch Online members download and play a full paid game for a limited time. Save data stays if you buy the game afterwards.
Irregular — no fixed drop time
- Trials
- Weekly
- Checked against official sources
Steam free weekends
by Valve / individual publishers
Most weeks one or more paid Steam games can be played in full for free over a weekend, usually with a discount if you decide to buy. You do not keep the game afterwards.
Key facts
- Schedule
- No fixed schedule — drops appear without notice
- How long it stays free
- Full game playable free for a few days, usually Thursday to Monday; access ends when the weekend ends.
- What you need
- Free Steam account
- Where
- Worldwide
- Do you keep it?
- No — it is free only during the window
- Last checked
- 1 November 2026
How to claim Steam free weekends
- 1Find the free weekend banner or the game's store page on Steam.
- 2Click 'Play Game' to install it.
- 3Play until the stated end time.
- 4If you buy before or after, your progress normally carries over.
Tips and gotchas
- Free weekends are trials, not giveaways - the game becomes locked afterwards.
- The game usually stays in your library as 'free weekend' until you uninstall it.
- Big multiplayer titles often join free weekends, so expect busy servers.
Where this information comes from
Checked by hand on 1 November 2026 against these pages. Providers change their programs without notice — the official page always wins.
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