Credit: Digital Sun
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Moonlighter Is Free on Steam Before Its Sequel Launches
August 6, 2026·3 min read
Moonlighter is free to keep on Steam until August 9, giving players four days to claim one of the most distinctive roguelikes of the last decade. The 2018 game normally costs $19.99, but anyone who adds it to their library during the offer can keep the full version after the promotion ends.
The giveaway arrives just before Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault leaves Early Access on September 2. The timing gives new players a chance to see what makes the series special before the sequel reaches version 1.0. Its dungeon runs are a big part of that experience, but the story really begins when Will returns home and opens his shop.
Will lives in Rynoka, a village built beside magical gates that lead into dangerous dungeons. Each trip is a careful balance between pushing deeper for better relics and leaving before one bad room wipes out most of the haul. This simple risk keeps every run exciting because every item you collect could become your next big sale.
The offer is more valuable than a weekend trial because the game stays in the player's Steam library permanently. There is no need to finish the campaign before the deadline or rush through the early dungeons. New players can claim it now, install it later, and return when they have time to understand its slower mix of combat and business.
Years of updates have made the original game much better than it was at launch. New room layouts, companions, mini-bosses, equipment, balance changes, and New Game Plus give returning players more to explore. Its bright pixel art still holds up, especially when the calm village gives way to stranger and more dangerous dungeon floors.
Players must place items on shelves, choose prices, study customer reactions, and adjust when something is too expensive or being sold too cheaply. Thieves can also slip through the door, turning a quiet workday into another small problem that needs attention.
A trip that ends early may still provide enough stock to fund a new weapon, improve the store, or bring another useful service into Rynoka. Progress comes from learning what to sell, what to keep, and when greed is likely to ruin a promising run.
Better armour and weapons make future trips safer, while new shops provide potions, enchantments, and other help. The loop remains easy to understand, but each part feeds naturally into the next, creating a rhythm that many roguelikes never attempt.
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault reaches full release on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 after entering Early Access in November 2025. The sequel brings the series into colorful 3D environments while keeping Will's daily routine of exploring dungeons, managing inventory, and running a growing shop.
Version 1.0 completes Will's story in Tresna and unlocks the shop's final level, adding more space alongside extra cosmetic and Bloblet slots. New weapons, armour, and the Bomb Path ability also widen combat options, with the latter causing enemies to explode after enough hits and helping players control crowded fights.
After finishing the main story, players can continue in the Infinite Endless Vault. A more challenging mode also sends Will back to the beginning if he fails a dungeon run. A free sequel demo is already available on Steam, but claiming the original first gives newcomers the simplest picture of what the new game is trying to improve.
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Moonlighter is an Action RPG with rogue-lite elements that demonstrates two sides of the coin – revealing everyday routines of Will, an adventurous shopkeeper that secretly dreams of becoming a hero.
Released
May 29, 2018
Developer
Digital Sun Games
Publisher
Netflix
