One of Steam's Greatest Games Can Now Be Played for Free

One of the greatest games to be released on Steam during the past few years can currently be played for free, but only for a limited time. In other words, the game in question can be downloaded and played for free, but not added to your library, which means once the trial period is over you will lose access to the game unless you buy it outright. That said, to couple the free trial is a 50 percent discount that knocks the game down from $49.99 to $24.99. As for what the mystery game, it's Crusader Kings 3, one of the best strategy games ever made. 

Published by Paradox Interactive and developed by its internal studio, Paradox Development Studio, Crusader Kings 3 debuted on September 1, 2020. Boasting a 91 on Metacritic, it has attracted millions of players since its release. Of these players, nearly 59,000 have left reviews for the game on Steam, and 92 percent of these reviews are postive, giving the game a "Very Positive" user review rating, and almost an "Overwhelmingly Positive" rating, which is the highest rating you can earn on Steam and quite a rare one. 

"Your legacy awaits. Choose your noble house and lead your dynasty to greatness in a Middle Ages epic that spans generations," reads an official blurb about the game. "War is but one of many tools to establish your reign, as real strategy requires expert diplomatic skill, mastery of your realm, and true cunning. Crusader Kings III continues the popular series made by Paradox Development Studio, featuring the widely acclaimed marriage of immersive grand strategy and deep, dramatic medieval roleplaying."

As for the specifics of the free trial, the game is free to play until May 15 at 1 p.m. ET. In other words, it's free for the weekend. If you're interested in checking the game out on Steam Deck, you can, but it's not been verified for the platform by Valve so how well it will run is unclear. It could be run largely problem free but it could also be quite messy on the handheld. Whatever the case, it's really a game you want to play with a keyboard and mouse anyway so checking it out on Steam Deck may not be a great idea in the first place.