What's Happening Right Now
Two Steam promotions overlap this week, and both expire before the weekend is out.
Steam's PvE Survival Crafting Fest runs through September 7 at 10 a.m. PT, putting record-low or near-record prices on dozens of survival and crafting titles. At the same time, Sid Meier's Civilization VII is completely free to play on Steam until September 10 at 10 a.m. PT as part of a special promotion marking the franchise's 35th anniversary.
If you've had any of these games on your wishlist, the window is closing.
Sources: Game Rant — Steam Free Weekend September 2026 · Polygon — Civilization 7 Free Play Week
Event Schedule at a Glance
| Promotion | Ends |
|---|---|
| PvE Survival Crafting Fest sale | September 7, 10 a.m. PT |
| First Class Trouble free weekend | September 7, 10 a.m. PT |
| Civilization 7 free play | September 10, 10 a.m. PT |
| Civilization 7 purchase discount (-50%) | September 17 |
| First Class Trouble purchase discount (-70%) | September 17 |
Civilization 7 Is Free — Here's the Catch
Firaxis and 2K are giving everyone a full week to try Civilization VII for free on Steam, with no strings attached beyond creating a Steam account. The promotion is pegged to the Civilization franchise's 35th anniversary and runs September 3 through September 10. If you buy after trying, it's 50% off at $34.99 through September 17.
Civilization 7 has been one of the more divisive entries in the series. Its Steam review score sits at 51% (Mixed), driven largely by complaints about the new Age system that resets units mid-game, stripped-down UI at launch, and a steeper-than-usual learning curve for returning veterans. Several major patches have addressed some of these issues — the game's standing has improved among newer players — but the fan debate hasn't fully settled.
The free week is also tied to a PAX West panel on September 5 in Seattle, where creative director Ed Beach, lead producer Tom Shaw, and game director Matt Owens are scheduled to discuss the past, present, and future of the franchise. The panel will be livestreamed.
For anyone curious about the 4X formula who hasn't committed $70 to the full release, the free play week is a low-risk way to find out whether Civilization 7 clicks.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Firaxis Games |
| Publisher | 2K |
| Steam Review | 51% Mixed |
| Free Play Window | September 3 – September 10, 10 a.m. PT |
| Purchase Discount | -50% ($34.99) through September 17 |
| Languages | Full localization including English, Korean, Japanese, and more |
First Class Trouble: Free Until September 7
First Class Trouble — a social deduction party game for 2–6 players set on a luxury space cruise ship — is free to play until September 7 at 10 a.m. PT. Its Steam review stands at 78% (Mostly Positive). If you enjoy it, it's available at -70% ($4.49) through September 17. It's one of the better deals of the week on a per-hour basis, especially for groups.
Survival Crafting Fest: Full Discount Table
Prices sourced from Comicbook and Gamemeca. Verify current prices directly on Steam before purchasing.
| Game | Discount | Sale Price (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Forest | -78% | — | Deep cut on a survival classic |
| Subnautica | -75% | $7.49 | Record-low price |
| Icarus | -75% | — | |
| 7 Days to Die | -45% | — | |
| LotR: Return to Moria | -60% | $11.99 | Record-low price |
| Grounded | -50% | — | |
| The Planet Crafter | -50% | — | |
| Soulmask | -35% | — | |
| Raft | -33% | — | |
| Project Zomboid | -33% | — | |
| Core Keeper | -40% | $11.99 | Matches record-low |
| Palworld | -30% | $18.89 | Matches record-low |
| Witchspire | -15% | $19.54 | Lowest since EA launch discount |
Three Picks Worth Your Time
Subnautica — $7.49 (75% off, record low)
The underwater survival benchmark. Released in 2018 and still holding Overwhelmingly Positive reviews on Steam. Interest in the original has spiked again following the Early Access launch of Subnautica 2 earlier this year. At $7.49, the original is at its lowest-ever recorded price on Steam. The companion game Below Zero is also discounted at 75% off, meaning both can be purchased together for less than the original's full price.
Worth noting: no official Korean localization, but the game is fully playable without it.
Palworld — $18.89 (30% off, matches record low)
PocketPair's open-world creature-catching survival game reached 1.0 this year after a massive Early Access run that made it one of the fastest-selling games in Steam history. With over 180,000 Steam reviews at Overwhelmingly Positive, the full release has substantially more content than the version that went viral in 2024. The 30% discount matches its historical low. For anyone who dismissed it during the "Pokémon clone" discourse, the 1.0 release is a different game.
Core Keeper — $11.99 (40% off, matches record low)
A top-down pixel survival game built around mining, crafting, and base-building in procedurally generated underground caverns. 1.0 launched in 2024 and the developers have continued adding free content updates since. Supports up to 8 players in co-op. At $11.99, two players buying together costs less than a single full-price indie game.
What Comes Next on Steam
The Survival Crafting Fest won't be followed by a quiet week. Valve has already announced the next two genre events:
| Event | Dates |
|---|---|
| Programming Game Fest | September 10 – 14 |
| Party-Based RPG Fest | September 14 – 21 |
| Steam Autumn Sale | October 1 – 8 |
| Steam Next Fest (October) | October 19 – 26 |
The Autumn Sale on October 1 is the next major cross-genre discount event. If you're willing to wait three weeks, games that aren't at record lows now may go lower then. But for Subnautica, Palworld, and Core Keeper — which are already at their record-low prices — this discount is unlikely to go deeper before the holidays.
Source: PC Gamer — Steam sale dates 2026