Steam Officially Makes 2025 Hidden Gem Permanently Free

Steam users may have a massive selection of free games to choose from on the platform, but that doesn’t necessarily mean these are all high-quality selections. In fact, finding a top-tier free game can sometimes be a challenge amid the load of free-to-play titles available, given the fact that dozens of new games are added to the collection every week.

However, it’s even rarer that you’ll find a top-tier free game that was previously only available for purchase, and then later updated to a free-to-play title by the developer themselves. But there’s an incredible hidden gem from 2025 that meets these criteria exactly. It’s a now-free-to-play listing that was originally launched for purchase, but due to lackluster sales that don’t at all reflect the game’s quality, the developer has made it free for all to enjoy (via Steam).

Greenhouse: Schism is a true hidden gem on Steam that first launched back in 2025 by solo developer Volpanic! It’s a 2D action platformer that fans of games like Shovel Knight or the recently released Mina the Hollower will definitely find worthwhile, and thanks to a recent decision from the developer, the game has been made permanently free for all to enjoy.

In a recent post from Volpanic! that announced the developers decision to go free-to-play as opposed to a purchase-for-cheap model, they cite poor sales as a core reason for the switch-up, stating that the “game didn’t sell well and I would take more joy in someone playing it than in someone buying it.”

Whether it was due to lackluster promotion or the fact that the game launched in the same window as some incredible 2025 titles, Greenhouse: Schism‘s poor sales aren’t by any means a reflection of the game itself. Despite only being listed for $7 initially, the game only has positive reviews on Steam so far, even if there are very few of them in total.

Now that the game is completely free, Volpanic! seems to be making a Hail-Mary attempt at getting players on board, and it’s not a bad idea, all things considered. Greenhouse: Schism lets players “explore and fight through the Acri forest and discover the secret to its high concentration of magic … [learning] new spells and [finding] secrets while adventuring deeper towards the truth.”

It’s a 2D action platformer that gives players several different spells to learn, with six distinct areas for exploration, each with their own dedicated boss fight. The game also touts secrets that players can unlock through exploration, as well as a “drastically harder New Game+” option for hardcore players. If you’re looking for a top-tier free game on Steam to check out and add to your library, Greenhouse: Schism is well worth a shot.