Steam has three free-to-play games this weekend, including last year's hot mess MindsEye

Published Jul 17, 2026, 1:30 PM EDT

A few games are currently free-to-play this weekend, with MindsEye leading the bunch. You know, MindsEye, the hottest of hot messes from last year. At least a couple of more positively rated games are also playable for free.

MindsEye

Once upon a time, MindsEye was an intriguing third-person shooter whose developer, Build a Rocket Boy, had a lot of hopes for. Then it was released. MindsEye had a very rough launch that led to layoffs and its status as one of the worst games of 2025. It received a big update earlier in 2026 ahead of another round of layoffs amid allegations of "espionage and corporate sabotage" made by its studio's totally normal co-CEO. That evidence of "sabotage" then became the basis for MindsEye's pretty terrible DLC. BARB staff have since sued the studio over privacy violations and recently protested outside the studio as it held an expenses-paid playtest for fans.

In short, it's a fiery car wreck that we just can't look away from.

If you want to sample MindsEye for yourself, it's currently free to play on Steam. You can try out its campaign mode about "confront[ing] a conspiracy involving rogue AI, corrupt corporations, and unchecked military power." Missions will have you driving around the city of Redrock and shooting at robots and other enemies. If you beat its campaign during the free weekend, you can experiment with the game's creation tool Arcadia and craft your own ways to play. Recent reviews have a Mostly Positive rating, so it seems like players are enjoying it... somehow... ?

Super Battle Golf

Ah, a good video game. Super Battle Golf is a "free-for-all rush to the hole" where up to eight players all golf at the same time, promising chaotic fun. In between your own shots, you can sabotage other players by swinging at their feet, shooting them with a flintlock pistol, or throwing explosives their way. You know, like in regular golf.

It includes 27 courses across a variety of locations, and you'll have no shortage of customization options for your whacky character. Players have really enjoyed Super Battle Golf as it has over 6,500 Very Positive reviews on Steam. Sample it for free and, if you like what you play, Super Battle Golf is also 30% off for a limited time.

Empyrion - Galactic Survival

Empyrion - Galactic Survival sounds a lot like No Man's Sky. It's a space-set survival sandbox game all about exploration, settlement-building, crafting, surviving hostile threats, and more. Thousands of mods and the game's Creative Mode mean you have endless ways to shape your Empyrion experience how you want it.

Players have dug Empyrion as it has wracked up nearly 18,000 Mostly Positive player reviews. If you find yourself unable to get enough of Empyrion during its free weekend, you can pick it up for 60% off at $7.99 to keep the space adventures going.