Squad Is Free on Steam This Weekend: A 100-Player War Simulation That Demands Tactics, Not Reflexes

Developer studio Offworld Industries is holding a free trial for Squad, the tactical first-person shooter that puts up to 100 players on a single battlefield, this weekend on Steam. The free period runs until 28 September 2026 at 10.00 Pacific time, or 29 September at 00.00 WIB, and coincides with a 50% discount from $39.99 to $19.99.

Unlike most large war games that rely on individual action, Squad demands that its players think like part of a single military unit. Two teams of 50 each must capture strategic points on a vast map, use armored vehicles, build forward bases, and keep supply lines alive. Victory is not determined by who shoots the most, but by how orderly the chain of command and communication between squads is.

Logistics mechanics are the main differentiator. Players can set up forward operating bases, arrange defenses, and set rally points to return fallen team members to the front line. Transport vehicles and ammunition supplies determine whether an assault can continue or instead stalls midway. As a result, a seemingly quiet part of the map can turn into a major firefight within seconds.

For the Indonesian market, this moment could be an opening to try the milsim genre, which is usually considered expensive and complicated. The $19.99 price is equivalent to around Rp320 thousand, still affordable for some gamers, but the free trial removes the risk of a bad purchase. On the other hand, this genre demands a stable internet connection and English proficiency for voice coordination, two things that remain obstacles for some players in the country. Even so, the tactical gaming community in Indonesia is fairly active, especially on Discord and Steam forums, so new players can join existing squads.

"Squad is a game that depends on communication and coordination. Players are divided into squads, with squad leaders responsible for organizing the team and communicating with other squads," the developer described, emphasizing that running around looking for kills does not automatically help the team win.

This slower, more deliberate approach places Squad between accessible multiplayer shooters and full military simulations like Arma. For players who have long been curious about the milsim genre but reluctant to dive straight into Arma's complexity, this free weekend is a chance to test whether a playstyle that demands patience and discipline suits their tastes.

Going forward, free trial models and aggressive discounts like this will continue to be a developer strategy for expanding the player base amid increasingly fierce competition in live service games. The question is whether Indonesian players will seize this momentum to build a more solid local tactical community, or instead return to more instant genres once the weekend ends?