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Chris is a Gaming Editor at ScreenRant. He has been a professional writer since 2009, and has written for top TV, comics, movie, and video game outlets like Engadget, Polygon, Destructoid, and more. He brings with him an expertise in every game genre, no matter how niche or mainstream.
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Steam is really ramping up for a heck of a year. In 2026, the service will benefit not only from the launch of new hardware but also from a thriving series of indie releases.
You won't need to wait for all that to happen, though. There are five freebies you can grab on Steam now, without needing a subscription service.
Steam Users Can Grab 5 New Freebies Now
Try Them All Out
This week, a series of studios added new games to play for free on Steam. Here's a quick breakdown:
- Skybound
- Price of Obsession
- The Scream Of Darkness
- BND-Legenden: Operation Blackbox
- Poker Fate - ACG Texas Hold'em (free-to-play)
Out of every game, Skybound is easily the most interesting. Described as a "3D exploration game," you'll focus on parkour puzzle-solving. The setup is also enough to get you in the door: "You play as Bell, a young archaeologist exploring mystical floating islands in search of ancient artifacts. Use Bell's specialized equipment - including a Grappling Anchor, agility boots, and mastery over the magical "Flow" - to investigate ruins untouched by explorers for ages."
The creators note that this is "only Act 1" of Skybound, and "more acts will be made if the game is positively received." There was a groundswell of these kinds of games in the Xbox 360 era, but they've slowed in recent years. It's nice to see a studio like Half Home Games still keeping the genre alive.
The Scream of Darkness is an indie that's inspired by other games in the jumpscare horror genre. Most criticism seems to stem from its short length, but it's also completely free. It's currently sitting at a Steam user review rating of "positive."
BND-Legenden: Operation Blackbox is intriguing, as it's a "tactical stealth adventure" that tasks players with moving a Cyberpunk-esque protagonist through a tech compound. It's also currently sitting at a positive rating on Steam, but it doesn't currently have English-language support.
Finally, Poker Fate - ACG Texas Hold'em is the free-to-play game in the pack, which means it includes monetization. Because of that, it's been met with a mixed reaction on Steam, with some users criticizing the free-to-play model as a slow drip feed.
You Won't Need A Subscription
It's An Easy Click
None of these games requires a subscription like Luna (formerly Prime Gaming), PlayStation Plus, or Xbox Game Pass, so they're perfect for folks who are tired of managing multiple services.
If you find yourself juggling too many of these subscriptions in 2026, give Steam a shot and explore some of the curated free sections. It'll only grow more from here.
English (US) ·