Three Steam Games Are Free This Weekend (July 9 - 13) - And One Is Truly Great

Steam's Free Weekend is back with a trio of completely different titles, a dino-survival epic, a cozy co-working sandbox, and a dark fantasy city-builder that Polygon calls "one of the best city builders we've ever played." While all three are free to download and keep progress on, there's one clear standout that makes this weekend unmissable.

The Free Weekend Lineup, What's On Offer

The promotion runs from July 9 through 1:00 PM PT / 4:00 PM ET on July 13. The three games available are ARK: Survival Ascended, Against the Storm, and Gogh: Focus with Your Avatar. All progress you make during the free weekend carries over if you decide to buy the game afterward.

Each title is also discounted until July 23 as part of the ongoing Steam Summer Sale. ARK is 75% off at $11.24, Against the Storm is 70% off at $8.99, and Gogh is 40% off at $7.19. For Steam Deck owners, both ARK and Against the Storm are Verified; Gogh is playable but not officially Verified.

ARK: Survival Ascended, Dinosaur Spectacle with Performance Baggage

Studio Wildcard's Unreal Engine 5 remaster of the original ARK: Survival Evolved is still in early access, having launched in October 2023. It offers the same massive open-world survival experience: tame dinosaurs, build bases, fight other players, and explore a prehistoric island. The ambition is undeniable, and when it works, it can be breathtaking. However, ARK carries a mixed legacy, its Steam rating sits at just 60% positive, dragged down by persistent performance issues and the decision to sell the remaster as a separate purchase.

During the free weekend, you can test whether your rig can handle it and whether the core loop still appeals. At $11.24 during the sale, it's tempting for survival fans, but the free weekend is the smartest way to decide if the trade-offs are worth it.

Gogh: Focus with Your Avatar, A Cozy Co-Working Sandbox

The newest of the three, Gogh: Focus with Your Avatar, launched in April 2025 by developer ambr. It targets a very different audience: players looking for a multiplayer virtual workspace where they can hang out with friends, customize their avatar, and focus on real-world tasks. Think of it as a digital co-working space with cozy aesthetics and social features.

Gogh has earned a "Very Positive" rating on Steam with over 1,000 reviews, reflecting a 93% positive score. It appeals strongly to the productivity and cozy gaming niche, a corner of Steam that has grown rapidly in recent years. The game is lightweight and runs well on most hardware. Its appeal is narrow, but for anyone who enjoys chill social experiences, it's a low-risk purchase.

Against the Storm, The Clear Standout

And then there is the true standout. Against the Storm, developed by Eremite Games and released in December 2023, is a dark fantasy city-builder that blends traditional resource management with roguelite elements. Each settlement is a fresh run: you start with a randomly generated map, a set of challenges, and a goal to gather resources and repopulate the cursed lands. When you win or lose, you return to a central hub and unlock upgrades for future expeditions.

The result is a game that feels endlessly replayable. No two runs play out the same, thanks to procedural maps, shifting weather conditions, and a branching tech tree. The art style is moody and beautiful, with a palette of deep purples, blues, and golden light that sets it apart from the usual medieval city-builders.

Against the Storm holds an "Overwhelmingly Positive" rating on Steam, with 94.6% of its 34,489 reviews positive. Polygon's praise is echoed by a fanbase that hails it as one of the best city-builders ever made, praised for its innovation, depth, and tight gameplay loop. The combination of roguelite risk/reward decisions with classic city-building satisfaction is a formula that few games have executed with such polish.

It is also Steam Deck Verified and currently priced at $8.99 (70% off), a steal for one of the highest-rated strategy games on the platform. If you have never tried it, this free weekend is the perfect entry point.

Why This Weekend Deserves Your Attention

ARK: Survival Ascended and Gogh: Focus with Your Avatar both serve specific niches, and for fans of those genres, the free weekend is a great chance to test the waters. But Against the Storm is something rarer: a critically acclaimed game that offers something fresh in a crowded genre. Its near-universal acclaim sets it apart from the other two titles.

The free weekend ends Sunday at 1:00 PM PT, download at least one game tonight. And if you choose only one, let it be Against the Storm. With deep discounts still running until July 23, you can keep playing your favorite afterward.