Steam Next Fest - October 2026

Steam Next Fest: October 2026 is a Steam event focused on discovering upcoming PC games. Throughout the week, players can explore a wide selection of titles that have not yet been released and freely try their playable demos. The festival also lets players learn more about participating games through their Steam store pages and, when developers choose to participate, through livestreams. The October 2026 edition begins on October 19 at 10:00 AM PDT and concludes on October 26 at the same time.

Discovering upcoming games

Steam Next Fest brings together upcoming games that have a playable demo. Players can browse different sections of the event, discover titles across a wide range of genres and directly try the games that catch their attention. The event is designed to help players find games that have not yet launched and experience them before their official release.

Free demos and developer activities

One of the festival's main features is the availability of free playable demos from participating games. Players can also visit each game's Steam page and add their favorites to their wishlist. Developers may additionally host livestreams to showcase their projects and interact with the community, although these livestreams are optional and Steam no longer runs a centralized official livestream for the event.

October 2026 schedule

The main edition begins on October 19, 2026 at 10:00 AM PDT and ends on October 26 at 10:00 AM PDT. Before the main event, Steam will hold a Press Preview beginning October 8 at 10:00 AM PDT. October 26 also marks the release of the Steam Next Fest October 2026 Wrap-Up, featuring information about games whose demos were among the most played during the festival.

Which games can participate

Steam has specific eligibility requirements for games participating in Next Fest. Games must be upcoming releases associated with an account in good standing with Steamworks, have a public Steam store page and provide a playable demo. Their planned release must also take place after the festival concludes. The final list of participating games may change up until the event begins.