The first Steam Next Fest of the year has come and gone, kicking off 2025 right for all PC gamers worldwide. However, there are more dates in the pipeline to look forward to. Steam's event is the perfect time for users with accounts to fill up their wishlists, and for developers with exciting upcoming PC games to show off their stuff. It's one of the best times for players to connect with one another and discover new communities with other folks who are also anxiously waiting for fresh release dates and fun demos to try out.
However, the list of new games for 2025 is pretty overwhelming already, so you may be wondering how to make the most out of the second Steam Next Fest. You may want to download as many demos as you possibly can to make sure your wishlist is updated before the next big Steam Sale. Or, maybe you want to be sure of dates and times if you find yourself super busy this month and need more planning. Well, no matter your needs, we are here to help.
Below, we've gathered all the information and details that you need to know about all the Steam Next Fest events happening throughout the year. So, if you're looking to make your hunt for the next best Steam games easier, read on below!
What is Steam Next Fest?
Steam Next Fest is a week-long event that celebrates upcoming games by letting players download exciting new demos and watch live streams of future titles from developers.
It's during this event that Steam users will get the chance to populate their wishlists and potentially join more communities to support the release of their favorite games discovered during the multi-day time period.
This is also a recurring event that will happen three times throughout 2025. Steam Next Fests will appear just before the Steam Spring sale, Summer sale, and Winter sale, so by the time discounts start coming in, you'll have a clear idea of all the games you'll want to pick up when the time comes.
When is Steam Next Fest?
The first Steam Next Fest started on Monday, February 24 @ 10am PST / 6pm GMT and ended on March 3 @ 10am PST / 6pm GMT.
That gave users seven days to check out and play all the new demos on the event's line-up. But don't worry, if you missed this event another one is coming in June. To participate in the second Next Fest, you'll need to have a Steam account (which is free to create). So, if you plan on installing a bunch of demos this year, make sure that you're signed up before June 9.
To make sure you are fully prepared for the year, we've listed all the Steam Next Fest dates below:
- February 24 - March 3, 2025
- June 9 - June 16, 2025
- October 13 – October 20, 2025
Are demos free during Steam Next Fest?
The good news is that all the demos during Steam Next Fest are free. All you need to do is sign into your Steam Account and click the green "download" button on the game you wish to investigates store page.
There is no limit to the amount of demos you can play during the event, and you can also replay demos as much as you want without worrying about encountering some kind of paywall. Keep in mind, though, that while the demos may be free, the full game probably won't be once it releases in the future.
Is Steam Next Fest a sale?
Technically, Steam Next Fest isn't a sale. However, we do normally see some discounts go live during this time. Steam Next Fest is focused on devs showcasing their future games and giving space for players to see the title's progress and potentially wishlist new games after installing demos.
Any discounts are typically around Next Fest are unrelated and more likely due to the opportunity to garner more sales as teams know that there will be more active users exploring the Steam Store page during the week-long event.
The next Steam sale will be the Spring-Summer sale, which begins on March 13, 2025. So, if you are after discounts instead of free demos, mark your calendar for then. In the meantime, you can check out our list of all the best free Steam games currently available to play today.
For more titles, read our list of the best PC games ever made, or check out our ranking of the best laptop games of all time.
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