Steam has always been a particularly useful storefront for free PC games, letting players expand their libraries without spending anything, and Steam’s new Free-to-Keep Promotion is expanding its current October lineup. Publishers and developers regularly use limited-time giveaways, such as the FTK Promotion or Free Weekends, to put older and lesser-known games in front of larger audiences. Of the two, Steam’s Free-to-Keep Promotion is especially appealing because the games aren’t simply available for a weekend before disappearing.
The constant nature of these giveaways also means Steam users have plenty of reasons to keep checking the storefront throughout the year, beyond just the major releases. For those unaware, the way Steam’s Free-to-Keep Promotions work is games, freebies, and other content are made completely free to claim and add to a digital library (permanently) until a specific date. Players have to claim before that expiration date, but as long as they’ve done that, they can play it whenever they want (expanding that backlog).
- MXGP 26 Scrubdesignz Liveries
- Gear.Club Unlimited 3 Gear.Club Signature Pack
- Hunting Simulator 3 Classic American Hunter Pack
- Fireside Feelings
- *NEW CONFIRMATION* Rotwood DLC 1
Now, reliable backend information from Steamdb has revealed a new Free-to-Keep Promotion coming in October for Rotwood’s first DLC. In this case, it means Steam users will need to own the base game to receive this expansion for free. Rotwood is a co-op action roguelike game where players battle corrupted beasts, improve their gear, master different weapons, and take on increasingly difficult encounters across eight locations, either solo or with up to three friends. Its combat emphasizes learning enemy patterns, building effective gear combinations, and improving through skill rather than relying heavily on randomness. On Steam, Rotwood has a 90% Very Positive overall rating.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.
It’s worth noting that nothing is known about this DLC, and in fact, Rotwood hadn’t confirmed any post-launch expansions before this backend confirmation. As such, fans who are actively playing the game should keep their ear on the ground for more info. That said, Rotwood is not the only Steam Free-to-Keep Promotion coming out in October 2026, so those who are not interested or do not own Rotwood are not left completely out to dry.
Steam’s Free-to-Keep Promotion for October will also include Fireside Feelings, a dialogue-heavy cozy game, although all other promotions right now are DLC for new games. Also joining Fireside Feelings and Rotwood‘s DLC is cosmetic content for MXGP 26, Gear.Club Unlimited 3, and Hunting Simulator 3. The silver lining for anyone not into these games is that some additions sometimes never grace Steamdb, so there’s plenty of time for more additions and/or surprises, too.
GameRant Quiz
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Plus, while Steam’s Free-to-Keep Promotion can be quite erratic, Steam’s Free Weekend Promotions are practically on a weekly basis. Every Thursday, Steam makes some paid, premium games free-to-play until the following Monday, so fans should keep their ears to the ground for those looking for something new, but none of these options quite fit with someone’s particular interests.
