Quick answer: four paid PC games are officially playable free on Steam in the United States this weekend—MORDHAU, Surviving Mars: Relaunched, F1® 25, and Crime Boss: Rockay City. We checked Steam’s live U.S. product pages at 12:00 p.m. EDT (16:00 UTC) on Friday, September 11, 2026. Each page showed temporary free access through Monday; this is not permanent ownership. [1–4]
Promotion-class legend
The license expires when the event ends. All four games below are in this class.
A timed $0 claim grants continuing ownership. We found no currently active official Steam U.S. full-base-game offer in this class at the cutoff.
Demos, prologues, playtests, DLC-only offers, permanent free-to-play games, key giveaways, rumors, and Epic’s separate Thursday giveaway.
Compare the weekend at a glance
Phone readers: swipe the table left to see every column.
| Game | Style | Modes | Storage | Price to keep | Purchase-sale date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MORDHAU | Medieval melee action | Online PvP/co-op | 40 GB | $5.99 (normally $29.99) | September 17 |
| Surviving Mars: Relaunched | Colony simulation/strategy | Single-player | 10 GB | $19.99 (normally $39.99) | September 21 |
| F1® 25 | Formula racing/sports | Solo, PvP, co-op, split-screen | 100 GB | $34.99 (normally $49.99) | September 17 |
| Crime Boss: Rockay City | Co-op heist FPS/roguelike campaign | Solo and 1–4 player online co-op | 90 GB | $1.99 (normally $19.99) | September 24 |
Surviving Mars lists 10 GB and is the lightest download.
MORDHAU is built around skill-based online medieval combat.
F1 25 lists 100 GB, DirectX 12, and optional VR support.
Crime Boss combines up-to-four-player heists with a steep $1.99 keep price.
Temporary free play • access ends Monday
MORDHAU
$5.99 to keep during a Steam Daily Deal, down from $29.99; the purchase discount is listed through September 17, separately from the free-play deadline. [1]
What it is and how it plays
MORDHAU is a first- and third-person multiplayer slasher built around directional melee attacks, blocks, feints, kicks, ranged weapons, mounted combat, sieges, and large online battles. Steam lists online PvP and online co-op rather than a conventional story campaign. The official page describes a create-your-own mercenary system and battle sizes up to 64 players. [1]
Good Fit
You enjoy learning timing and spacing, customizing a medieval fighter, and jumping into chaotic large-team matches. A short session can show whether the combat feel clicks.
Consider First
Steam flags graphic violence, gore, and mature language. Broadband is required, the page lists partial controller support, and a competitive online game can demand more practice than the weekend allows.
PC requirements and setup burden
Steam’s listed minimum is Windows 10 64-bit, Intel Core i5-4670 or AMD equivalent, 8 GB RAM, GTX 680 or AMD equivalent, DirectX 11, broadband, and 40 GB storage. Recommended memory rises to 16 GB with a GTX 1060-class or AMD equivalent GPU. [1]
Watch before you install
Open the TRITERNION gameplay trailer on YouTube.
Install steps
- Sign in to the Steam desktop client.
- Open the official page below and select Play Game.
- Review the 40 GB storage requirement and installation location before downloading.
Game artwork: publisher-supplied Steam storefront header, used for editorial identification. Official hosting does not state a broad reuse license.
Temporary free play • access ends Monday
Surviving Mars: Relaunched
$19.99 to keep during a Steam Daily Deal, down from $39.99; the purchase discount is listed through September 21. [2]
What it is and how it plays
This remastered colony-builder asks you to establish infrastructure on Mars, manage resources, bring in colonists, and keep the settlement stable over time. Paradox says Relaunched combines the base game with prior expansions and adds upgraded visuals, interface work, quality-of-life changes, and the Martian Assembly political system. [5]
Good Fit
You prefer thoughtful single-player strategy, pausable management, and a lower download burden. Ten listed gigabytes makes this the easiest of the four to fit onto a tight drive.
Consider First
Colony-builders reveal their depth slowly. A brief evening can test the interface and early survival loop, but a longer weekend gives the economy and settlement systems room to unfold.
PC requirements and setup burden
Steam lists Windows 10 64-bit, Core i5-2500K or Ryzen 3 1300X, 8 GB RAM, GTX 970 / RX 470 / Intel Arc A380, and 10 GB storage as minimum. Steam lists full controller support, Steam Workshop, difficulty controls, color alternatives, and save-anytime support. [2]
Watch before you install
Open the official launch trailer on YouTube.
Install steps
- Open the official Steam page while signed in.
- Select Play Game.
- Choose the install drive and let Steam complete the 10 GB-class download.
Play Surviving Mars: Relaunched
Game artwork: publisher-supplied Steam storefront header, used for editorial identification; image-specific reuse terms were not stated.
Temporary free play • access ends Monday
F1® 25
$34.99 to keep for the 2026 Season Edition bundle, down from $49.99; Steam lists that purchase promotion through September 17. [3]
What it is and how it plays
F1 25 is Codemasters’ Formula racing game, now sold on Steam as a 2026 Season Edition bundle. Steam lists single-player, online PvP, online co-op, LAN play, shared/split-screen play, full controller support, optional VR, HDR, and Steam Workshop support. [3]
Good Fit
You want a polished lap-by-lap test, use a controller or wheel, or want to compare assists and handling quickly. A few races can provide a useful short-session impression.
Consider First
This is a 100 GB download, uses EA account/services alongside Steam, and lists in-game purchases and user interaction. VR has a separate supported-headset and hardware burden.
PC requirements and setup burden
Steam’s minimum lists Windows 10 64-bit 21H1 or newer, Core i5-6400 / Ryzen 3 1200, 8 GB RAM, GTX 1060 6 GB / RX 570 8 GB, DirectX 12, broadband, and 100 GB storage; VR and ray tracing raise the GPU requirements. The page lists full controller support but does not promise that every wheel or peripheral is supported. [3]
Watch before you install
Open the official EA SPORTS F1 reveal trailer on YouTube.
Install steps
- Sign in to Steam and open the official product page.
- Select Play Game.
- Confirm at least 100 GB free plus practical headroom for installation and updates.
- Complete any EA account or service prompts presented by the game; never reuse a password across accounts.
Game artwork: publisher-supplied Steam storefront header, used for editorial identification; no broad image reuse license is implied.
Temporary free play • access ends Monday
Crime Boss: Rockay City
$1.99 to keep during a Steam Weekend Deal, down from $19.99; the purchase deal is listed through September 24. [4]
What it is and how it plays
Crime Boss is a first-person heist game with a solo roguelike campaign and online co-op for up to four players. The core loop mixes stealth or firefights, crew selection, jobs, rewards, and longer-term territory or campaign decisions. 505 Games describes separate solo and cooperative modes, while Steam lists single-player, online co-op, adjustable difficulty, partial controller support, and Steam Cloud. [6] [4]
Good Fit
You have friends ready for cooperative heists or want to sample the solo campaign. At $1.99, the keep price is the least expensive of this weekend’s four paid licenses.
Consider First
The theme centers on organized crime, drugs, gun violence, and mature material. The 90 GB download is a poor last-minute choice on a slow connection, and online co-op works best when your group coordinates install time.
PC requirements and setup burden
Steam lists Windows 10, Core i7-4790 or Ryzen 5 1600, 16 GB RAM, GTX 1650 4 GB / RX 570 4 GB, DirectX 12, and 90 GB storage as minimum. Recommended graphics rise to GTX 1070 8 GB, RX Vega 56 8 GB, or Intel Arc A770 16 GB. [4]
Watch before you install
Open the INGAME STUDIOS Steam launch trailer on YouTube.
Install steps
- Open Steam and sign in.
- Visit the official page and select Play Game.
- Confirm 90 GB available and coordinate the download with co-op friends.
- Use the $1.99 purchase button only if you want ownership after the event; the free-play button and purchase button are different transactions.
Game artwork: publisher-supplied Steam storefront header, used for editorial identification; image-specific reuse terms were not stated.
Build a realistic weekend plan
Start with a few F1 races or MORDHAU matches; both expose their moment-to-moment feel quickly, although mastery takes longer.
Surviving Mars benefits from time to grow a colony. Crime Boss benefits from a coordinated co-op window or repeated solo runs.
Begin F1 25 (100 GB) and Crime Boss (90 GB) early. Surviving Mars (10 GB) is the safest fallback if time or storage is tight.
Expect the temporary Steam license to stop launching the paid game. Purchase if you want continuing access; verify publisher-specific save behavior before depending on a carryover.
How to play the free-weekend games
- Install or open the official Steam client and sign in.
- Use the blue official-store button in each section; verify the page still says Play for free until Sep 14.
- Select Play Game, not the paid Add to Cart option.
- Review storage, OS, GPU, account, controller, and online requirements before downloading.
- If you decide to buy, compare the separate purchase deadline shown above; it may continue after free play ends.
What is not in this count
We did not count Borderlands 4 because a current secondary roundup named it but Steam’s live U.S. page did not show a free-play purchase block at our cutoff. We also found no active, officially claimable Steam U.S. full-base-game free-to-keep offer through the storefront featured surfaces, current tracker leads, and official app-page verification. Epic’s weekly free-to-keep titles remain in The IT Guys’ separate Thursday coverage and were intentionally not duplicated here.
Frequently asked questions
Do I keep these four games?
No. They are temporary free-play events. Buying during the separate sale gives you a paid license.
Why does Steam show 10:00 a.m. without a timezone?
Steam’s fetched U.S. product pages printed the clock without a zone. If the displayed time is Pacific, it converts to 1:00 p.m. Eastern, but the official capture did not confirm that interpretation. Treat the live Steam button as the final authority.
Will saves carry over if I buy later?
Possibly, but this guide does not promise it. Save behavior can depend on the game, publisher account, cloud settings, and edition. Check the publisher’s support material for the exact game before relying on carryover.
Can I uninstall after the weekend?
Yes. If files remain after the license expires, Steam’s Manage menu can uninstall them and reclaim storage.
Are the purchase discounts active as long as free play?
Not necessarily. Steam lists separate September 17, 21, or 24 purchase-deal dates for these games, while temporary access ends September 14.
Sources and verification
- Steam — MORDHAU: current free-play marker, price, sale date, developer/publisher, modes, content note, and requirements.
- Steam — Surviving Mars: Relaunched: current free-play marker, price, sale date, modes, accessibility features, and requirements.
- Steam — F1 25: current free-play marker, 2026 Season Edition price, modes, account/services, VR, and requirements.
- Steam — Crime Boss: Rockay City: current free-play marker, price, sale date, modes, and requirements.
- Paradox Interactive — Surviving Mars: Relaunched: official feature and edition context.
- 505 Games — Crime Boss: official mode, developer, platform, and release context.
- MORDHAU official site and TRITERNION trailer.
- Official YouTube previews: Surviving Mars launch trailer, F1 25 reveal trailer, and Crime Boss Steam launch trailer. Channel identity and availability were checked through YouTube oEmbed.
Checked: Friday, September 11, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. EDT (16:00 UTC), United States region, USD. Storefront availability, pricing, and clocks can change or localize by account and region. The IT Guys is not affiliated with Valve, Steam, EA, Paradox Interactive, Triternion, INGAME STUDIOS, or 505 Games.