The Best Multiplayer Pirate Game Is Free on Steam

Sea of Thieves and five others games are free on Steam this weekend

Steam has made six premium games free to play this weekend, with two that are free to keep permanently (if you redeem them in time). On top of a few big standouts, like Sea of Thieves, there are several smaller games that deserve a look as well. Let's take a look at everything that's up for grabs this weekend.

Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition

Sea of Thieves has survived treacherous waters for years. While most live service games don't last long, this one has stuck around since 2018. Since then, the game has undergone numerous iterations and updates that have built on its pirate theme and open-world exploration. As a result, it now sits at an impressive 88% user score on Steam from almost 150,000 reviews. Sea of Thieves has players embark on pirate voyages, discover hidden treasure, and battle other human-controlled crews. It's free to play until Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. local time, and is currently 65% off.

Diablo 4

Diablo 4 is undoubtedly one of the biggest games from this weekend's lineup. Blizzard's 2023 looter RPG normally costs $49.99, but this weekend, players can try it until they reach level 30. Like other entries in this renowned series, the latest installment is an isometric action RPG where players build up loot by slaying monsters. The game currently has a Mostly Positive user review score on Steam with 73% positive reviews. Diablo 4 is free to play until Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. local time, and it's 75% off until Sept. 24.

Crystal Crisis

On top of several free-to-try games, two are free to keep as long as you redeem them in the next few days. One is Crystal Crisis, a Puzzle Fighter-style competitive game featuring several well-known characters. For instance, it has Isaac from The Binding of Isaac, Quote from Cave Story, and more. The game has an 81% user score on Steam and normally goes for $19.99. It is free to keep until Sept. 21 at 11:59 local time.

Jump Space

Jump Space is an early-access co-op game where one to four players try to survive sci-fi encounters in deep space. It features ship combat, on-foot exploration, and jetpacks. It currently has an 87% user score on Steam and is $19.99 at full price. Unfortunately, there's a big caveat: it uses AI-generated content, specifically for some of its voice acting. It's free to play until Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. local time.

Last Flag

Last Flag is a five-versus-five hero shooter where one team hides their flag while the other tries to steal it. Strangely enough, the studio that created the game, Night Street, is owned by Imagine Dragons lead singer Dan Reynolds. Last Flag came out earlier this year to an admittedly muted response, and according to SteamDB, it had a 24-hour peak of only 12 players. That said, this free to play weekend seems like the perfect time to try it out. It's free to play until Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. local time.

Space Menace

Finally, there's Space Menace, a space-themed real-time strategy game that is also free to keep. The game came out in 2022 but didn't gain much traction. Players describe its gameplay as overly shallow and repetitive; it has a 57% user rating on Steam. The game normally costs $6.99, but it's free to keep until Sept. 23 at 10 a.m.