Core Keeper's Steam free weekend ran from Thursday, October 8, 2026 at 10:00 PT (17:00 UTC) until Monday, October 12 at 10:00 PT (17:00 UTC), and has ended. For readers in the UK that is 18:00 BST on both days, and for most of mainland Europe it is 19:00 CEST.
When the free weekend runs
The Core Keeper store page shows a "Play for free until 12 Oct @ 10:00am" line above its Play Game button. The Steam timestamp behind that line converts to 17:00 UTC on Monday, October 12, which is 10:00 in Pacific Time. The start converts to 17:00 UTC on Thursday, October 8. Readers in other time zones should use the UTC times in this post rather than the local label on their own screen, because the label depends on the time zone the page is rendered in.
The free weekend is a time-boxed trial. Once the window closes, the store offers the normal purchase options again, so anyone who wants to try the game should plan a first session before Monday morning in the Pacific zone.
To start, open the Core Keeper store page while signed in to the Steam account you plan to use, then press the Play Game button shown beside the countdown. Because the cut-off is a fixed moment rather than a number of hours of play, a practical plan is to put the 17:00 UTC end time in your calendar and choose a session length that finishes before it. Readers in Asia or the Americas should convert from UTC rather than from the Pacific label, since the same instant falls at a different local hour for each of them.
What Core Keeper is
Core Keeper is developed by Pugstorm and published by Fireshine Games, according to its Steam page. The game entered Early Access on March 8, 2022 and released on Steam on August 27, 2024. The Steam description says players explore a vast cavern full of creatures, relics and resources, which is the part of the game the weekend puts in front of new players.
The Steam store page links to the game's official YouTube channel, which is where the two videos below come from. Those videos are the developer's own material, so they are the most direct way to see the game in motion before you start the trial.
Prices after the weekend
On the US Steam store, the base game lists at $19.99 and the weekend deal lowers it to $11.99, a 40 percent discount. Steam's countdown on the store page says the offer ends October 22. The euro store on the same page shows 19,99 euros and 11,99 euros with the same 40 percent cut. Other regional stores may show different prices, so check your own store before you buy.
The weekend deal does not change what the free weekend includes. It is a separate price cut that lasts ten days longer than the free access, which means the discounted price is available after the trial ends, until the countdown date. A reader who enjoys the trial and wants to buy has until October 22 at the lower price, which gives a little more time than the free access itself.
Videos from the developer
The first video is a beginner's guide that the channel posted on October 8, 2026 at 18:00 UTC, the same day the free weekend began. The second is a release video titled "Riders of the Underground - Out Now!", which the channel published on September 21, 2026.
Other free access on Steam this week
Steam's other free weekend running at the same time is ARC Raiders, which has its own store page and cut-off. The ARC Raiders free weekend post covers that window, its price and how to start, so readers choosing between the two can compare them side by side.
Core Keeper on SteamStore page with the free weekend countdown, prices and developer details↗Frequently asked questions
When does the Core Keeper free weekend end?
Monday, October 12, 2026 at 10:00 PT (17:00 UTC), which is 18:00 BST in the UK and 19:00 CEST in Central Europe.
Do I need to buy Core Keeper to play the free weekend?
No. Steam's free weekend lets you play during the stated window without a purchase. Access ends at the cut-off time.
How much does Core Keeper cost after the weekend?
On the US Steam store the game lists at $19.99 and $11.99 with the weekend deal, which Steam says runs until October 22, 2026. Check your regional store for local prices.
