Steam free-to-keep October 2026: Rotwood DLC 1 in SteamDB records

• The DLC is listed in the backend as a “Limited Free Promotional Package - Oct 2026”.
• The available information does not confirm the full October lineup or give an exact end date for the promotion.

What happened

Game Rant reported on 23 September 2026 that SteamDB had spotted a new free-to-keep promotion for October 2026 in backend data. In that record, Rotwood DLC 1 appears as a “Limited Free Promotional Package - Oct 2026”. The report is based on a SteamDB package listing rather than an official Steam announcement in the provided sources.

According to the same reporting, this is Rotwood’s first DLC, and the free claim appears to apply only to players who already own the base game. That detail also appears in external context, which says Steam users can receive the expansion for free if they already have Rotwood in their library. The source also notes that free-to-keep items can be permanently added to a library if claimed during the promotion window.

The provided information does not include a full list of all October promotions. As a result, it remains unclear which other Steam free-to-keep items are planned for the same period, and when Rotwood DLC 1 will end exactly. Another external summary does say there would be three separate free-to-keep promotions in October 2026, but in the available data only Rotwood DLC 1 is named specifically.

Background

Steam uses free-to-keep as a promotional format where a temporary offer stays in your library permanently once claimed in time. In the provided sources, that format is also used for other Steam campaigns, including recent free claim offers on the platform. The reporting on Rotwood DLC 1 fits that same pattern of temporary promotions surfacing through backend data or store listings before a broader official explanation appears.

Rotwood is the game tied to the named DLC. The available sources explicitly identify the expansion as the game’s first DLC. External context also refers to a SteamDB page for package SubID 1835073, titled “Rotwood - DLC 1 Limited Free Promotional Package - Oct 2026”. That supports the link between the promotion and the specific DLC, but it still leaves open how Steam has structured the offer and what its duration is.

The reporting also says the claim applies only to players who already own the base game. That is an important distinction in Steam promotions, since not every free-to-keep offer has the same conditions. In this case, it appears to be a DLC package rather than a full game, which means owning Rotwood itself seems to be required. The provided sources do not include an official Steam post, an exact start time, or an exact end time, so for now the report should mainly be read as a backend signal.

A second external summary says Steam would have three separate free-to-keep promotions in October 2026. However, the available information only specifies Rotwood DLC 1 and does not name the other two items. That leaves the October lineup incomplete in the current source set, and it is not possible to tell from these data whether Rotwood DLC 1 is the only DLC in that period or just one part of a broader series.

Related GAME-scanner articles

• Steam free-to-keep: Space Menace and Deadshot free to claim until 23 September 2026

Sources

• Game Rant, 23 September 2026: report on a Steam free-to-keep promotion for October 2026 featuring Rotwood DLC 1.
• SteamDB record: “Rotwood - DLC 1 Limited Free Promotional Package - Oct 2026”.