Right now, five Steam games are free to play, featuring Stunlock Studios’ vampire survival hit, V Rising, along with Spiders’ RPG, Greedfall: The Dying World, which has faced some challenges. These promotions run until May 19, allowing gamers a chance to try out these titles before deciding to purchase.
V Rising launched from early access on May 8, 2024, and has received 65,174 reviews on Steam, with an impressive 89% positive rating. Those numbers are quite strong for an indie survival game. Currently, the game costs $15.74 on Steam and boasts 10,476 concurrent players at the moment, a number likely boosted by the free weekend promotion.
Greedfall: The Dying World has a more complex situation. PC Gamer’s review, two years into early access, indicates the game still feels incomplete, which raises concerns for a title that’s been in development for so long. Spiders is framing the free access period as a chance for players to judge the RPG for themselves, but the critical feedback suggests managing expectations might be wise.
The third key title, called a 9/10 horror game free until May 19 by Comic Book Resources, adds to the promotional weekend. Steam’s free weekends are a common strategy for publishers to boost wishlist additions and encourage post-trial purchases, though success rates can vary widely based on players’ impressions during the trial.
It’s also interesting to note that Stunlock Studios confirmed in April 2026 that they’re developing a new game following V Rising’s success. This free weekend likely aims to maintain the player base and increase brand recognition while the studio works on its next project. Additionally, V Rising has introduced crossplay support, expanding its audience ahead of the promotion.
| V Rising Steam Review Score | 89% positive |
| Total V Rising Steam Reviews | 65,174 |
| V Rising Current Price | $15.74 |
| V Rising Current Players | 10,476 |
| Free Weekend End Date | May 19, 2026 |
Community reactions to the free trial have varied. One reviewer shared their thoughts after three hours with V Rising: “Glad it was free, only took 3 hours to realize it’s not for me. Definitely just a constant grind for the next thing and no reason to care I guess.” This reflects a common issue in survival crafting games — the gameplay either resonates immediately or it doesn’t. Three hours is a fair amount of time to make that determination.
What To Watch
- Keep an eye on whether V Rising experiences a noticeable spike in concurrent players beyond the current 10,476 and how many trial players convert to buyers at $15.74 after May 19.
- Watch Greedfall: The Dying World’s response following the free weekend. If the unfinished aspects continue to draw criticism, Spiders might feel pressure to speed up development or offer deeper discounts.
- Look out for Stunlock Studios’ upcoming game announcement. The studio confirmed they’re working on a new title after V Rising’s commercial success. This free weekend might be a strategic move to keep the community engaged while they prepare for the next release.
Sarah Chen
Sarah Chen is the Reviews and Guides Editor at Explosion.com. With a background in game design studies and 6 years of gaming journalism, Sarah brings technical insight to her reviews and creates comprehensive guides that help players get the most out of their games. She has reviewed over 200 titles across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo platforms. Her current obsessions include FromSoftware titles and indie roguelikes.
