Steam’s Free-to-Keep promotion adds three games this week: Nocturnal, 8AM, and Aeonic. Each has a different claim deadline. Here is what they offer and how to grab them.
Steam’s Free-to-Keep promotion is running three simultaneous giveaways in late April 2026. Nocturnal, 8AM, and Aeonic are all available at a 100% discount, meaning you can add them permanently to your library at no cost. The combined regular price of these three titles is over $37, and they span three completely different genres: a 2D action platformer, a psychological horror game, and a text-based adventure. Each game has its own claim deadline, so knowing the order matters.
Nocturnal: A Fire-Driven 2D Action Platformer Worth Your Time
Developed by Sunnyside Games and published by Dear Villagers, Nocturnal launched in June 2023 on PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series, and Nintendo Switch. It normally costs $16.99 and is the most valuable game in this week’s free batch. You play as Ardeshir, a soldier of the Enduring Flame, returning to his home island of Nahran, which has been consumed by a mysterious Mist.
The core mechanic revolves around fire: your flaming sword is both your weapon and your navigation tool. You light torches to open doors, activate platforms, and push back the darkness. Upgrades unlock through a skill tree tied to Phoenix statues, granting faster movement, special attacks, and a parry system. GameGrin called it “a must-play title for fans of 2D action-platformers,” while Noisy Pixel described it as “a unique 2D action sidescroller that consistently tests the player’s skills.”
The game lasts around two to three hours, which makes it a tight, focused experience rather than a sprawling adventure. Metacritic press scores range from 75 to 100, with praise consistently going to the fire mechanics, visual design, and combat flow. The main criticism is the short length, but at the current price of zero, that concern disappears entirely.
Claim deadline: April 26, 2026, at 10:00 AM (Steam time). This is the first deadline of the three, so claim Nocturnal first.
Sunnyside Games is currently developing Nocturnal 2, a larger Metroidvania-style sequel planned for release in 2026 on Steam and Nintendo Switch. A demo launched in January 2026 with over an hour of gameplay. Claiming the original for free now is a solid way to get ready for the sequel.
8AM: Anomaly Detection Horror Through Security Cameras
8AM is a psychological horror game developed by David Gallardo and published by HeadArrow. Released in March 2024, it carries a “Very Positive” rating on Steam with 82% positive reviews from 106 users. Its normal price is $3.99.
The premise puts you in a room with nothing but monitors connected to a family home’s security cameras. Starting at midnight, you observe the house as events unfold. Some are normal. Some are deeply unsettling. Your job is to identify anomalies: ghostly figures in hallways, family members behaving strangely, objects shifting positions. Each correct call pushes you one hour closer to 8:00 AM and freedom. Each mistake resets you to midnight.
With over 160 anomalies to spot, replay value is strong. The early anomalies are straightforward, but the difficulty ramps significantly around anomaly 30, requiring sharper observation and steadier nerves. The game has drawn comparisons to Five Nights at Freddy’s for its surveillance-based tension, though 8AM leans more heavily on psychological dread than jump scares. Sound design plays a critical role: creaking doors, shattering glass, and whispers build atmosphere without relying on cheap tricks.
Claim deadline: April 27, 2026, at 10:00 AM. One day after Nocturnal’s deadline.
The 8AM franchise has expanded into spin-offs including 8AM: The Office, 8AM: The Shopping Mall, and 8AM: The Warehouse, all built on the same anomaly-detection formula in different environments.
Aeonic: A Text-Based Journey Through Human History
Aeonic is a text-based adventure developed by Erik and Hayk Khachatryan, released in November 2024. Players travel through eras of human history, from the Primal Age to the Space Age and beyond, making choices at each stage. Early decisions might involve choosing how to hunt a mammoth, while later ones deal with the complexities of more advanced civilizations. Different choices lead to different endings.
Before the free promotion, Aeonic had only one user review on Steam. Since going free, around 20 new reviews have appeared, and most are negative. The primary criticisms target the writing quality and the confirmed use of generative AI for the game’s artwork. Steam’s AI disclosure on the game’s page confirms that “generative AI tools are used to create some of the assets.”
Despite the mixed reception, the concept of travelling through all of human history in a choice-driven format has an inherent appeal for players interested in historical settings and branching narratives. At zero cost, there is no financial risk in trying it.
Claim deadline: April 29, 2026 (as reported by GameRant and CBR). This is the most generous deadline of the three.
How to Claim Free-to-Keep Games on Steam
Steam’s Free-to-Keep promotions work differently from the Epic Games Store’s weekly giveaways. They appear irregularly and without a fixed schedule. When a game goes 100% off under this program, claiming it adds it to your library permanently, even after the promotion ends.
Here is how to claim these games:
- Open Steam (desktop app or store.steampowered.com in your browser).
- Search for the game by name: Nocturnal, 8AM, or Aeonic.
- On the game’s store page, look for the green “-100%” discount tag and the $0.00 price.
- Click “Add to Account” or “Play Game” to claim it.
- The game is now permanently in your library. You can install and play it whenever you want.
A critical distinction: Free-to-Keep is not the same as a Free Weekend. Free Weekends give temporary access that expires when the event ends. Free-to-Keep games stay in your library forever. Always check that the store page says “Free to keep” before assuming the game is a permanent addition.
Quick Comparison: All Three Free Games at a Glance
| Game | Genre | Claim Deadline | Normal Price | Steam Rating | Playtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nocturnal | 2D Action Platformer | April 26, 2026 | $16.99 | Positive (press: 75-85) | 2-3 hours |
| 8AM | Psychological Horror | April 27, 2026 | $3.99 | Very Positive (82%) | 1-4 hours |
| Aeonic | Text-Based Adventure | April 29, 2026 | Low price tier | Mixed | Under 1 hour |
Nocturnal offers the highest production value and the biggest savings. 8AM delivers an engaging horror loop with solid replay value. Aeonic is the weakest of the three by reception but costs nothing to try. All three take only seconds to claim.
How to Track Future Free Steam Games
Since Steam’s Free-to-Keep promotions do not follow a predictable schedule, staying informed requires a bit of effort. SteamDB’s upcoming free games page (steamdb.info/upcoming/free) is one of the most reliable tools for tracking current and upcoming giveaways. It clearly separates permanent Free-to-Keep offers from temporary Free Weekend trials.
Sites like gg.deals and IndieGameBundles also post alerts when new free games appear on Steam. You can also use Steam’s own store filters by dragging the price slider to zero and looking for titles tagged with a 100% discount, though this method does not always distinguish between permanent and temporary offers.
For ongoing coverage of free games and the latest deals across platforms, the GamerMarkt guide to the best free Steam games in 2026 is a useful starting point for discovering what is worth playing without spending a cent.
