Steam gives away Payday 3 and Age of Wonders 4 free through Nov. 9

Steam is giving away Payday 3 and Age of Wonders 4 free through Nov. 9, letting players keep their progress if they buy the full games, ScreenRant reported.

Payday 3 is a cooperative heist game from Starbreeze Studios. It is free to play until Nov. 9 and discounted 70% until Nov. 12. Progress carries over for players who decide to buy it.

Age of Wonders 4 is a turn-based strategy game set in a fantasy world. It is free to play until Nov. 9 and discounted until Nov. 18. Both games are available through Steam’s free-to-play promotion.

Payday 3 had a disastrous launch in 2023. Players faced mandatory Starbreeze Nebula accounts and server problems that locked them out of the game. Starbreeze has since removed the account requirement and released updates that improved the experience.

What the coverage missed

The ScreenRant report covers the promotion but does not explain why Payday 3 needs a free-to-play weekend. The game sold 1.8 million copies in its first month but saw its player count collapse after the launch problems. A free weekend is a way to win back players who left.

The report also does not mention that Payday 3 is the third game in a series. Payday 2, released in 2013, still has more concurrent players than Payday 3 on Steam. The free weekend is an admission that the sequel has not replaced its predecessor.

Age of Wonders 4 gets less attention in the report, but it is the better game. It has a 91% positive rating on Steam and was named one of the best strategy games of 2023. The free weekend is a chance for a good game to find a bigger audience.

What I think

Payday 3 is getting a second chance it does not entirely deserve. The launch was a mess, and Starbreeze took too long to fix it. But the game underneath the problems is decent, and a free weekend is the right way to let people see that.

Age of Wonders 4 is the better deal. It is a full-priced strategy game from a respected studio, and it is free for five days. Anyone who likes strategy games should try it.

The promotion runs through Nov. 9. After that, Payday 3 is 70% off and Age of Wonders 4 is discounted through Nov. 18. The window is short. The games are worth the time.