New "truly free-to-play" RPG with online PvP and PvE launching on Steam soon

Dreadmyst is a small indie online RPG that’s quietly gearing up for a Steam launch on January 9, 2026 (Jan 10 for the eastern side of the world). It will feature isometric, tab-target combat with light MMO features: four classes, dungeon runs, and ranked arena fights. The build is pretty compact (about 600 MB on Steam) and the developer is labelling this project as a "truly free" game without any paid content.

Players will be able to pick from four baseline classes - Paladin, Mage, Ranger and Cleric - each with their own distinct weapon sets and roles. Progression will be driven by stat point allocation across attributes (Strength, Agility, Willpower, Intelligence, Courage) and by leveling up ability trees that will let players mix-n-match skills to create hybrid builds. The system will prioritize flexibility: you’ll tune raw stats and then layer abilities to define how a character performs in both PvE and PvP.

Dreadmyst uses tab-target combat rather than action aiming. The developer has put special emphasis on "crisp, responsive controls" and feedback-heavy abilities. It's the sort of mechanical polish that matters in arenas and tight dungeon encounters. We can expect classic ARPG staples like loot drops, rare materials and difficulty tiers in dungeons; fights rely on cooldown timing and crowd control to reward coordination.

Dungeons work in two modes: group content designed for four players (tank, healer, two DPS) with boss mechanics that need teamwork, and solo dungeon runs where players can tackle elite packs and mini-bosses alone. Higher difficulties get you better gear, so there’s an explicit risk/reward ladder for players who prefer group play or solo grinding. On the other hand, PvP is focused on small-scale arena matches - 1v1 and 2v2 brackets are called out specifically. Matches should be quick and built around ability timing, chainable crowd control and punishing cooldown mistakes.

Dreadmyst currently sits around #1535 in Steam’s top wishlists, while ranking much higher at #326 for wishlist activity, which means there has been a recent uptick in interest. The game also has over 1,200 Steam followers, which is a pretty modest figure for a free-to-play indie RPG with no visible marketing push.

However, there are some questions that won't be answered until launch. Does the "truly free" promise actually hold? How stable are servers under real concurrent loads? Will the developer publish a roadmap for post-launch support? All this will determine whether Dreadmyst becomes a niche RPG or a small, sustainable community-run MMO. The Steam release on January 9 will be the first real test.