$12.99 game for free: Steam is giving away a unique first-person simulation game at no cost for a limited time
Pictured – a screenshot of a home office setting from Toy Tinker Simulator. You can build small toy museums to showcase completed restorations. (Image source: Steam)
For the holiday season, Steam is now giving away Toy Tinker Simulator for free for a limited time. Originally released in 2021, the toy repair simulation usually sells for $12.99 and currently holds a “Mixed” user rating, with calm, methodical gameplay at its core.
Epic Games is not the only platform that’s giving away games this holiday season. Now, Steam has flipped the switch on Toy Tinker Simulator, turning the game into a free-to-claim title for a limited time. The game, which normally sells for around $12.99, can now be added to a Steam library at no cost if claimed before the promotion ends on December 21.
Originally released in 2021, Toy Tinker Simulator is a somewhat niche simulation game built around repairing, restoring, and displaying toys rather than managing businesses or chasing progression-heavy goals. The core idea is simple: players take apart broken toys, clean individual parts, repaint surfaces, reassemble components, and photograph the finished results. There’s no time pressure and no failure state, which makes the game a pretty low-stress pickup.
Beyond basic repairs, the game lets players expand and customize their workshop, unlock new tools, and gradually build small toy museums to showcase completed restorations. Some toys can also be interacted with after repair, though this is more of a novelty than a gameplay pillar.
On Steam, the game currently holds a Mixed review rating, with roughly 55-60% positive reviews depending on region and time frame. Players who recommend it often describe it as calming and methodical, especially for short sessions. Negative reviews tend to focus on repetition, limited variety in later stages, and performance hiccups on slower storage drives.
From a pricing perspective, this is the first time the full version has been given away completely free to keep. While the game has seen steep discounts in the past, including drops below $1 during sales, this promotion removes the paywall entirely. SteamDB price history confirms that this is a new low for the title. It’s also worth noting that Toy Tinker Simulator has long offered free side releases, including a Prologue and Beta version, both of which are still available and are generally better received due to their tighter scope. The current giveaway applies to the full game, not those standalone previews.
Additionally, there’s no indication that this free release is tied to a major update or sequel announcement. For now, it appears to be a straightforward free-to-keep promotion. Check out the Steam store page for Toy Tinker Simulator here.
Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.
Anubhav Sharma – Tech Writer – 1261 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2024
Most of my time goes into writing – and somehow it hasn’t stopped being fun yet.
My work mainly revolves around everyday tech, gaming, watches, DIY modding, and the occasional piece on tech-policy chaos when companies and governments clash. I try to keep things simple and honest, without sounding like a product brochure.
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science Engineering and an Associate Degree in English Studies from the College of New Caledonia in British Columbia, Canada.
Away from articles and deadlines, life usually shifts to making music, taking photos, or trying to finish games that should have been completed months ago.
