Last Gambit to Start Charging New Players
The chess-inspired strategy game will cost new players about $5 after exiting early access on November 13.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in eSports
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Developer Mads will begin charging new players around $5 for Last Gambit starting November 13, when the game exits early access. Players who claim the game on Steam before that date keep it for free permanently.
Why it matters
The studio says it does not want to add in-game ads or subscriptions to the game, and the new price is intended to help sustain it. Players who claim the game early will continue to receive updates after November 13.
The developer has announced a price of approximately $5 USD (€4.99 on Steam) for new players after November 13, while the game is currently free to claim on Steam. The game features 27 collectible chess pieces, and it is not yet clear how the planned 1.0 version will change the title beyond addressing more of the indie game's issues.
The players
Mads
Mads is the developer of Last Gambit, the chess-inspired turn-based game set to begin charging new players on November 13.
The details
Last Gambit is a 2026 turn-based game inspired by chess in which players collect 27 pieces with unique abilities, fuse pieces into stronger ones, freeze them in place, or teleport them to other tiles. The campaign pits players against AI opponents, while PvP matches can be played online or in a 2v2 format, and split-screen play is available for two players on the same device.
Timeline
November 13, 2026: Last Gambit begins charging new players and exits early access.
Before November 13, 2026: Players can claim the game on Steam for free and keep it permanently.
Industry Context
Last Gambit's transition from free access to a roughly $5 price tag follows the Steam early access model, under which indie developers sell unfinished games before a full release. The studio's choice to avoid ads and subscriptions reflects a direct-payment approach to sustaining small PC titles.
Players who want Last Gambit at no cost should claim it on Steam before November 13, since the game will cost new buyers about $5 afterward. Those who claim it early will keep the game permanently and continue to receive updates after the price change.
The takeaway
Claiming Last Gambit on Steam before November 13 is the only way to keep it free permanently. Anyone interested should decide before the price takes effect.
What happens next
On November 13, 2026, Last Gambit exits early access and begins charging new players around $5, while players who claim it before that date keep it for free.
Further reading
For more on competitive and digital play, explore our eSports coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Game Rant.
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