Is the demo still free, and what is in it?
On 19 October 2026, Steam appdetails for demo app 2546270 returned type demo, free, and Windows only. The full-game store also links the demo. A Hooded Horse reply in the demo thread points to the right-hand store column if you cannot find the download control.
- Open the Beyond These Stars Steam page in your browser or Steam client.
- Choose Download Demo, then allow Steam to install the Windows demo. The demo is app 2546270; the paid full game is app 2295060.
- Launch the installed demo from your Steam library. It is a native download, with no official browser-play build identified in the checked listings.
The save does not come with you
The pinned FAQ is unambiguous: a demo save cannot be loaded in 1.0. I would not spend the demo optimizing a city you hope to keep. Use it to learn green tiles, the disabled Cleaner method, and whether the supply loop is a game you want at $29.99.
What the press kit and the studio blog actually added
- The official press kit dates the public demo to 11 June 2024. Steam demo metadata lists 30 May 2024. These official records differ, so neither is presented here as the sole first-release date.
- The press kit dates the major demo update to 18 November 2025. The studio’s 20 November recap describes new buildings, perks, a player guide, revised tutorial dialogue, an introductory Kewa conversation, and more weight on placement, greenery and pollution. The recap date is not a second update release date.
- I am not stating where the demo story stops. A competitor claim that it ends at the next star system is not in the official FAQ.
Install from Steam only: app 2295060 store page. Full-game stores are on the download page. Opening build order: beginner guide.
Sources
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