Black Desert Online is free to play this weekend

Black Desert Online
(Image credit: Pearl Abyss)

Black Desert Online is free to download and play this weekend on Steam. The sandbox MMO will be available for free from today until March 2 at 4 PM CET / 7 AM PST / 10 AM EST. The Traveller's Package and Explorer's Package DLC are also on sale for a 60 percent discount.

Developers Pearl Abyss has announced that if it's your first time playing you will also receive a free game pass called the Starter's Package which you can keep forever. The Guest Package includes access to Black Desert Online and ten guest passes.

Black Desert Online revealed its 2020 roadmap last week, giving players a look at a new feature where they can let out their music spirit with playable instruments. The roadmap also teased new classes, including the Guardian, a powerful northern warrior who wields a battle axe. 

Black Desert Online is in our list of the best MMOs, where Steven praises the game's expansive crafting system and says that "the freedom it provides is unparalleled, and it's unlike anything else in the genre." Check out Black Desert Online for free on Steam until Monday.

Rachel Watts

Rachel had been bouncing around different gaming websites as a freelancer and staff writer for three years before settling at PC Gamer back in 2019. She mainly writes reviews, previews, and features, but on rare occasions will switch it up with news and guides. When she's not taking hundreds of screenshots of the latest indie darling, you can find her nurturing her parsnip empire in Stardew Valley and planning an axolotl uprising in Minecraft. She loves 'stop and smell the roses' games—her proudest gaming moment being the one time she kept her virtual potted plants alive for over a year.