After a tumultuous first year, tactical FPS Exfil hopes to course correct with a free week and a major new update

Launching a live service game is difficult in modern times, but nowhere is as saturated as the first-person shooters and military sim arena. It takes a lot to really stand out, get noticed, and leave a hook in players. Unfortunately, Exfil launched to 'mixed' Steam reviews at the tail end of 2024, and hasn't fared much better since. However, it's latest attempt to win players back around is an enormous free trial and a massive update that promises a completely new experience.

Hoping to join our storied list of the best FPS games available on PC, Exfil was met with a mild reception upon its release. A free weekend in early 2025 got more players on board, but things went downhill from there.

After peaking at 1,178 concurrent players in February 2025, Exfil has been seeing double-digit player peaks in recent months, according to SteamDB. Whether players were put off by the lack of polish or the generative AI used for radio messages, icons, and sound effects, that's not a big enough playerbase to sustain a multiplayer game.

Exfil's hail Mary is an generous free trial period, which lasts from Monday, December 22, until Wednesday, December 31. Screw a free weekend, have a free week instead. To go alongside this, developer Tiny Leviathan has pushed a huge update that it hopes will change the game and its fortunes.

Such is the extent of the update, the developer suggests that returning players delete their pre-existing settings before jumping back in.

The patch notes on Steam show that Exfil has two new maps, Stone Dragon and Malverde Cartel, 11 new weapons, nine new attachments, eight gadgets, and more. The update also adds plenty of mechanics that you'd expect in an FPS game, including mounting your weapon on terrain, holding your breath to steady your shots, and flinching when you get hit. Ballistics have been reworked and new muzzle and audio effects have been added to weapons.

The headline change is the helicopter support that you can now call in, but the upgrades to enemy AI in PvPvE modes will have more of an impact on the game. AI-controlled foes can now use 'nades, for starters, but smarter pathing, better logic, and improvements in countless other areas will help players feel more immersed in battles.

I'm also glad to see some accessibility settings added, including an FOV slider and colorblind modes.

Exfil is free to play on Steam until Wednesday, December 31. It is also 30% off until Monday, January 5, making it just $13.99 / £11.72 if you like what you play. You can download it here.

Bear in mind that Exfil is still in early access, so it won't be fully polished, but if there's any time to try out a flawed game that's trying new ideas, it's while it's free, right?