Steam Users Have Until February 9 to Play Acclaimed Strategy Game for Free

Steam users have until February 9 at 12:00pm CST to play one of the best turn-based strategy games ever made. Steam is the most popular digital storefront on PC, and for good reason. Many of the best games of all time can be found on Steam, ranging from decades-old classics to brand-new releases. Steam also regularly features demos and trials that let players try before they buy, a fair refund policy, and free games.

Right now, there are two games that Steam users can claim for free. Single-player survival game Arabian Gulf is free on Steam until February 8 at 12:00pm CST, while hardcore sci-fi tactics game Magellania is free until February 9 at the same time. Those games are two titles that Steam users can add to their digital libraries and keep indefinitely, no strings attached. However, there are also various games on Steam that are currently offering free trials, including one of the best turn-based strategy games ever made.

XCOM 2: 16 Best Mods, Ranked

Players looking to get more out of XCOM 2 should take a look at these stellar mods available on Nexus and the Steam Workshop.

XCOM 2 is free to play on Steam until February 9 at 12:00pm CST. XCOM 2 was first released in 2016 and received rave reviews from critics, earning it an impressive 87 overall rating on review aggregate site OpenCritic. Critics praised XCOM 2 as a huge improvement over the also-beloved XCOM: Enemy Unknown, with deeper strategy and greater challenges to conquer. XCOM 2 takes 33 hours to beat on average, so there’s probably not time to complete it during its free-trial period, but it’s the perfect opportunity to at least try before you buy.

While XCOM 2 takes 33 hours to beat to hit credits for most players, there is so much more to the game. Procedurally-generated maps ensure near-endless replay value, and there’s also the substantial War of the Chosen expansion pack to consider. If you are someone that gives XCOM 2 a try on Steam during its free trial period and wants to keep it for your library so you have time to play the DLC and complete the base game, you’re in luck, as the trial coincides with a steep discount.

Until February 19, XCOM 2 is discounted to a staggering $2.99 on Steam. This is a massive 95% drop from its usual asking price of $59.99. Needless to say, that’s a steal for any strategy game fans that want to keep XCOM 2 in their Steam library after the free trial period ends. It’s the next best thing to just getting the game for free, though there have been opportunities for that as well. In fact, XCOM 2 was given away for free on the Epic Games Store years ago, though it remains to be seen if such an offer will ever come around again.

XCOM 2 was a success at the time of its launch, but XCOM 3 still has not been announced at the time of this writing. Developer Firaxis Games was hit with layoffs late last year, and we don’t know what it’s currently working on. In the years since XCOM 2 released in 2016, Firaxis has made Civilization 6, Marvel’s Midnight Suns, and most recently, Civilization 7. Firaxis also made the spin-off game XCOM: Chimera Squad in 2020, but it wasn’t nearly as well-received as XCOM 2 and has remained a PC exclusive since its release, with no plans for console ports announced to date.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)

It’s been over a decade since XCOM 2 hit the market, and so it’s safe to say that franchise fans are anxious for a new entry in the series. Whether that ever happens or not remains to be seen, but in the meantime, those that have yet to experience XCOM 2 for themselves now have an incredible opportunity to do so.