Steam is forever deeply discounting the wealth of available games on the platform and, occasionally, slashing prices by 100%. Indeed, the sheer number of free games on Steam is monumental at this point, with users capable of building massive libraries without ever spending a cent. It's remarkable, especially considering that so many of these free games are legitimately great, some being AAA RPGs and others being profoundly impactful indies. One truly does not need to spend any money on Steam in order to have a good time, and that is a truly wonderful facet of the platform.
Joining this pantheon of phenomenal free Steam games is a 2026 roguelike with a novel twist. This game has been available for free for a short while and has already amassed a handful of positive reviews from fans. However, if you want to experience it while it's still free and, indeed, keep it forever without paying any money, you'll need to be quick. On November 13, this free roguelike on Steam will lose its massive discount, and newcomers will start having to pay in order to play.
Among the many recently released free Steam games is the Early Access title, Last Gambit. Inspired by the classic game of Chess, Last Gambit is a 2026 roguelike developed by Mads that sees players build an army of original and unique chess pieces in an attempt to defeat bosses and complete the game's story. With 27 unique pieces to build your army from, Last Gambit requires quite a bit of strategic thinking to overcome each battle. Naturally, the better you do and the more impressive the feats you complete, the more pieces you'll unlock and the easier it'll get.
Last Gambit features a story-focused mode as well as an online multiplayer mode, and has been fairly frequently updated since it was released on August 27, 2026. Throughout its currently short span on Steam, it has garnered a small number of positive reviews, with many praising the unique concept and story bosses. If it sounds at all interesting, then you can pick up Last Gambit for free, no questions asked. Once added to your Steam library, it'll be yours to keep forever. Here's a brief description of the game from its official Steam store page:
27 pieces, from the six classics to ones you won't find in any chess club: the Unicorn, the Griffon, the Void Queen that leaves through one edge and comes back through the other, the Phoenix that returns from its ashes, Catapults and Trebuchets that hurl your own pieces, the Summoner, the Mirror.
You start with a handful. The rest have to be discovered: by taking down the Story bosses, by winning under crazy conditions (with your King strolling across half the board, or coming back from ten points down), by earning trophies, by experimenting in the Laboratory. Every piece you discover is one more weapon, online too.
Last Gambit has been free for the duration of its Early Access period, but is switching its price when it launches into 1.0. In order to help pay for server costs to ensure that Last Gambit's multiplayer mode remains accessible, Mads has elected to charge $4.99 when the game launches into 1.0 on November 13, 2026. However, as stated in an update on the game's official Steam store page, anyone who downloads the game prior to that point will get to keep it for free, even once the game's price changes to reflect the 1.0 update.
It is worth noting that Last Gambit uses AI in several pieces of its artwork, including pieces and skins. This has been confirmed by the developer on Steam, which also states that it reviewed and refined any pieces of art generated by AI.
It is worth downloading Last Gambit while it is still free if it appeals to you, if only to see if it's worthy of being ranked among the very best roguelikes available. Of course, if you miss out on the game being free, $4.99 isn't a ridiculous cost for an indie of this size. Regardless, it is an interesting strategy and one that will hopefully pay off for the developer. It remains to be seen, but in the meantime, be sure to download this free Steam game while you still have the chance.
