Payday 3 Free on Steam Until Nov 9: What You Get, 70% Off Deal

By GameDrop Staff · Nov 07, 2026 · Updates · 3 min read

Four masked heisters in front of a vault in Payday 3 key art — Image: Starbreeze Entertainment

Steam is running a free-play weekend for two games: Starbreeze's co-op heist shooter Payday 3 and Paradox's fantasy strategy game Age of Wonders 4. Both can be played for free until November 9, 2026 at 10 AM Pacific, which is 11:30 PM IST on Monday, November 9. After that, both games stay on sale.

Quick summary

Free to play on Steam until Nov 9, 10 AM PT (11:30 PM IST).
Payday 3 runs a Double Infamy event during the weekend; progress carries over if you buy.
After the free period, Payday 3 is 70% off until Nov 12.
Age of Wonders 4 is 60% off (base game, Starter and Premium editions) until Nov 18.
These are free-play weekends, not permanent giveaways.

What do you get in the Payday 3 free weekend?

Zero1Gaming reports that the trial covers the game's current experience: Campaign Mode, the returning CRIME.NET server browser, and the reworked skill and armor systems. Heists that were once paid DLC were made permanently free for everyone in September, so they are part of the trial too.

Payday 3 is a four-player first-person shooter where you plan and pull off robberies, choosing stealth or all-out gunfights when plans collapse. Starbreeze has switched on a Double Infamy event so newcomers level up faster, and anything you earn is kept if you purchase the game later.

Is Age of Wonders 4 really free too?

Yes, on the same deadline. The timing follows the November 3 launch of The Silver Seas, a paid expansion that adds sea exploration, a new Mercantile culture and aquatic creatures. A free update called Manta arrived with it, improving naval play, adding a trade system and balance fixes. Note the expansion is sold separately, so the free weekend covers the base game only.

How much do the games cost after the free weekend?

Game	Free until	Discount after	Sale ends
Payday 3	Nov 9, 10 AM PT	70% off	Nov 12
Age of Wonders 4 (base, Starter, Premium)	Nov 9, 10 AM PT	60% off	Nov 18

We have not listed rupee prices because regional Steam pricing varies; check the store page for the figure in your currency.

How do you claim it?

Open the game's Steam page and press the free-play button, then install as usual. Playing does not add the game to your library permanently, so buy it before the sale ends if you want to keep going. Check storage first: free trials still download the full game.

What should newcomers know before starting Payday 3?

Payday 3 is built around four-player co-op, so matchmaking or a friend group makes the free weekend far more fun than going solo. Start with the Campaign Mode heists to learn the stealth and loud approaches, and spend your first Infamy rewards on skills that suit how you like to play. Because the Double Infamy event doubles progression rewards, the weekend is a good time to unlock gear you would otherwise grind for.

Should you buy during the sale?

Only if the trial hooked you. A 70% cut is significant for a live-service shooter, but the sale ends November 12, so you have a few days after the free period to decide. Since progress is kept, nothing you do this weekend is wasted. The same logic applies to Age of Wonders 4, where the 60% discount lasts until November 18 and covers the Starter and Premium editions as well as the base game.

Which one should you try?

If you have friends online, Payday 3 is the better weekend pick since heists are built around teamwork. If you prefer playing alone and like long turn-based campaigns, Age of Wonders 4 is the one. More freebies are tracked on our deals page, and another free trial is coming on PS5 with the 007 First Light free starter pack.