New on Steam: One of the world’s biggest Free-to-Play games is finally coming to Steam

Summer slump? Not a chance: We’re bringing you the week’s top Steam releases.

The summer slump is slowly creeping up—but this week on Steam still has plenty to offer. With Zenless Zone Zero, one of the biggest free-to-play games is finally making its way to Valve’s platform, and Square Enix is following right behind with its most ambitious 2D RPG to date.

Joining them are a soccer tycoon game, a cycling management game, and a city-wrecking monster—as we do every Monday, we’ve rounded up all the major new releases for you.

• The Highlight of the Week: Zenless Zone Zero
• More Exciting Steam Releases This Week

  • Monday, June 15
  • Tuesday, June 16
  • Thursday, June 18
  • Friday, June 19

This Week’s Highlight: Zenless Zone Zero

Almost two years after its original launch in July 2024, Zenless Zone Zero is finally coming to Steam this week. HoYoverse traditionally keeps its heavyweight titles off Valve’s platform: neither Genshin Impact nor Honkai: Star Railhave made it there yet. So if you’ve been hesitant to use the in-house launcher, now’s your chance.

At its core, ZZZ is an action-adventure game that sends you to the metropolis of New Eridu: You’ll fight your way through hordes of enemies in fast-paced real-time battles, stringing together combos, dodges, parries, and chain attacks while switching between your characters on the fly. The overall package is typical HoYoverse: high-gloss anime visuals and a cast full of eccentric characters, plus a free-to-play model with gacha mechanics.

The Steam launch coincides with the major 3.0 update:Just in time for the platform debut, HoYoverse is releasing Version 3.0, “A Sleepwalker’s Confession,” which brings fresh content with the Roscaelifer region and the new S-Rank agents Velina and Norma. Your save data can be transferred across platforms, so you don’t have to start from scratch.

More exciting Steam releases of the week

Monday, June 15

• Pro Cycling Manager 26: The cycling management series returns with its biggest overhaul in years. New features include a completely revamped season planning system with priority levels for races and a “Detailed Simulation” mode.

Tuesday, June 16

• City Car Driving 2.0(Early Access): The sequel to the popular driving school simulator runs on Unreal Engine 5 and drops you into an open world where every traffic light and sign is placed according to real-world traffic rules. Dynamic weather, AI traffic, and realistic driving physics are designed to take you from beginner to pro. The developers plan to keep the game in Early Access for one to two years.

• COPA CITY: Instead of coaching a team on the field, in this self-proclaimed first soccer tycoon game, you’ll organize everything surrounding a match day—infrastructure, fan zones, transportation, security, and catering. Launch titles include licensed clubs such as FC Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Arsenal, as well as venues like the Maracanã in Rio.

Thursday, June 18

• The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales: The next role-playing game from the creators of Octopath Traveler lets you play as the adventurer Elliot as he travels through four eras to break a curse. Real-time battles with up to two weapons and Zelda-style dungeons combine with the now-iconic HD-2D visuals.

• R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos: The turn-based PSP classics from the R-Type universe are finally getting their Western release—Part 2 is even being released outside of Japan for the first time. The games feature revamped graphics, online modes, multiple campaigns, and a new “Cosmos” epilogue.

• YOU ARE THE MONSTER(Early Access): Here, you turn the tables and, as a giant Kaiju, smash an entire city to pieces. With every act of destruction, you level up and unlock new abilities—but the greater the chaos, the harder the police, tanks, and airstrikes will fight back. A charmingly chaotic one-man indie project featuring four playable monsters at launch.

Friday, June 19

• Thank You For Your Application: Clearly inspired by Papers, Please, you take on the role of a junior interviewer at the largest corporation in the dystopian city of Aeropolis. You sift through resumes and reports based on criteria that change daily and decide whether to accept or reject applicants—all while paying rent and keeping an eye on your mental health.

That wraps up this week’s Steam highlights! What’s at the top of your list—will you take the plunge into the world of Elliot’s time-travel adventure? There must be plenty of Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger fans among you! Let us know in the comments, and have fun gaming!