Hardcore opens in the free demo for one weekend.
From Friday morning, September 25 through Sunday night, September 27 - Arizona time, UTC-7, and we don't do daylight saving - Hardcore mode is unlocked in the free demo of MSO FreeCell Arena, and in the free iPhone and Android apps at the same time. It has never been open there before.
What Hardcore is
No undo. No hints. No restart. One life.
A solver runs in the background while you play, and it isn't there to help you. It's the referee. The moment your position has no path left to victory, the run ends - and then it shows you where the run was lost, which is usually further back than it felt.
You pick the difficulty, and the difficulty you pick is the band your run is ranked in.
The Afterlife
When a run ends, you can carry on from the position just before the fatal move and play the hand out. It counts for nothing. It's there so you can see what you should have done.
There is also a hand you can be dealt that was already lost before you touched it. Almost nobody will ever see one.
Your run counts
Results from the weekend land on the real leaderboards and records, and they stay there after it ends. A run you start at ten to midnight on Sunday still counts - finish the hand you're in.
Every Hardcore record in the demo is unclaimed
Hardcore has never been open to demo players, so there is no Hardcore history there at all. Every board, every record, every first is sitting there waiting.
Racing friends
During the weekend you can host a Hardcore round from Group Play and send friends a code. Everyone races the same deal. Whoever joins does not need Hardcore unlocked themselves - they play your round, and their result stands in the same standings as yours.
One honest note
The public Arena Queue stays casual all weekend, so Hardcore is solo play and the rounds you host, not the matchmaking queue. Arena Hour still runs nightly, 7 to 8 PM Arizona, and I'm usually in the queue if you want a live opponent.
Where to play
The free demo on Steam, free on iPhone and Android, or in a browser with no install. Same account across all of them. This weekend's unlock is for the free demo and the free mobile apps.