By Jacob Miller | Sep 08, 2026
Paid indie games on Steam sometimes end up going free-to-play, and it's not a rare occurrence. But these kinds of pricing changes are easy to miss, and players can miss out on great opportunities right in front of them. Hayfever's recent move to free access is just the kind of news worth sharing, especially for those of us who love retro-style 2D platforming.
Hayfever Drops Its Price Tag Entirely
According to tracking site SteamDB, developer Pixadome made Hayfever free-to-play on August 21, noting the removal of the game's price tag. Originally released in 2020, Hayfever was well received by both players and critics alike. The game had been priced at the standard $14.99 for years, though it often went on sale through Valve's storefront. Pixadome announced about three years ago that they would be going on a game development hiatus, so the timing and reasoning behind this price change is a bit unclear, as well as who exactly decided to make it free.
Whatever the reasoning, Steam users who like to track down freebies have a stout new addition to explore. Another of Hayfever's biggest selling points is its replay value. With four different worlds, 140 levels and 240 collectibles, it has dozens of hours of potential gameplay. But its most unique trait is perhaps its sneeze and allergy-based mechanics, which smartly turn allergens and pollen into usable power-ups throughout the game.
A Platformer Built Around Allergy-Based Mechanics
Hayfever keeps it simple, unlike many modern 2D platformers that overwhelm players with a huge variety of skills and abilities, centering the entire gameplay experience around a few key mechanics related to protagonist Thomas' allergies. Thomas reacts to allergens in different ways, depending on what sets him off. Sometimes a powerful sneeze will launch him into the air, other times he gets a slimy texture that allows him to stick to surfaces. Normal pollen allows Thomas to build up momentum for a big sneeze that launches him into the air, Pixadome says, while exposure to smog makes him inflate like a balloon, opening up completely different platforming possibilities.
