Steam Next Fest countdown – here's when Valve's next demo extravaganza kicks off

Conflicting forces in Sword of Convallaria battle on a bridge
(Image credit: XD)

The Steam Next Fest countdown is well and truly on, as the start time for the demo extravaganza is less than 24 hours away.  

Steam Next Fest is typically a week-long celebration of upcoming PC games headed to Valve's storefront. I personally show up for oodles of free demos, but you've also got dozens of livestreams going on and the chance to chat with developers about their games. 

We get several editions of Steam Next Fest throughout the year, and the first Steam Next Fest for 2024 starts in February. The demos are bound to be plenty, though if you're looking for some recommendations, I've got my eye on this wholesome pixel art platformer that combines cooking with Metroidvania-style gameplay alongside this tactical RPG that has all the Final Fantasy Tactics and Fire Emblem vibes you could hope for. 

If you're looking to join us in the demo mines, we've spelled out exactly when Steam Next Fest is due to release. We've got a countdown timer if you want to know how far away we are down to the second, and you'll find the start times below if that's what you'd prefer.

Steam Next Fest countdown

Steam Next Fest starts at the same time regardless of where you are, thankfully, so don't expect to be waiting around while everyone else is plowing through all the demos their SSD can manage.

A female protagonist runs across a town in a retro pixel platformer

(Image credit: Whitehorn Games)

Steam Next Fest start time

February 5

  • 10am PST 
  • 1pm EST 
  • 6pm GMT 
  • 7pm CET

You may be facing a wait to dive into demos galore if you're over in the US and plan to work – somewhat productively – that day. Me? Over here in Merry Old England? I'll be there after work. Valve confirmed that this edition of Steam Next Fest will last seven full days, so the good news is that you'll have plenty of time to get your fix.


Here are more of the best upcoming games if you're looking for a bit of potential inspiration.

Deputy News Editor

Iain joins the GamesRadar team as Deputy News Editor following stints at PCGamesN and PocketGamer.Biz, with some freelance for Kotaku UK, RockPaperShotgun, and VG24/7 thrown in for good measure. When not helping Ali run the news team, he can be found digging into communities for stories – the sillier the better. When he isn’t pillaging the depths of Final Fantasy 14 for a swanky new hat, you’ll find him amassing an army of Pokemon plushies.