What Are Festivals on Steam, and Why Do They Matter?

Steam festivals have become an integral part of the gaming ecosystem, offering a unique way for gamers to discover new titles and for developers to showcase their projects. Whether it’s a festival for unreleased games, a genre-specific event, or a community-driven showcase, these events provide value for everyone involved. Let’s dive into what they are, their types, and why they matter.

What Are Festivals?

Steam festivals are time-limited events hosted on the Steam platform, focusing on a specific theme, genre, or category of games. During these events, games gain increased visibility through curated lists, free demos, live streams, and discounts. For gamers, festivals provide opportunities to explore and try new games. For developers, it’s a chance to build hype, increase wishlists, and connect with their audience.

Types of Festivals

Steam festivals come in different formats, catering to both gamers and developers in unique ways. The three main types are:

Steam Next Fest

Steam Next Fest is one of the most significant opportunities for indie and AA developers to showcase their upcoming games. It focuses on games still in development and provides an excellent platform to:

    ● Offer free demos to players.

    ● Host live streams to connect directly with the audience.

    ● Build hype and grow your wishlist numbers before launch.

Important Note for Developers:

You can only feature your game in Steam Next Fest once! This means planning carefully and using it at the most strategic time for your game is crucial. To make the most out of this opportunity:

    ● Ensure your demo is polished and represents your game in the best light. A subpar demo can hurt your game’s reputation.

    ● Reach out to streamers and content creators who play your genre or cover games featured in Next Fest. The more creators who play and showcase your game during the event, the more exposure you’ll gain and the more wishlists you’ll generate.

    ● Decide when to participate:

    ● Some developers use Next Fest immediately after launching their Steam page, kicking off wishlists and building early momentum. If you choose this strategy, make sure your demo is fully tested and as bug-free as possible. First impressions are critical, and a polished, stable demo can positively impact players.

    ● Others save it as a final push before release, leveraging the event to maximise visibility and attract the most significant number of wishlists right before launch. This approach is more commonly used, allowing developers to present a nearly complete game with a polished demo, ensuring strong player interest and confidence.

Steam Next Fest happens three times a year, and Steam announces the dates well in advance. The 2025 schedule can be found here: Steamworks Next Fest Announcement. Make sure to check these dates and plan your participation accordingly.

Steam Next Fest often results in the biggest wishlist spike for many games, making it an essential part of any indie marketing plan. Timing it right and ensuring the demo impresses can make all the difference between a successful launch and a missed opportunity.

If you’d like to read more about Steam Next Fest, I’ve written a short blog post about it: What Is Steam Next Fest? It might help if you’re just starting to learn about the event.

Steam Themed Festivals

These festivals are centred around specific genres or themes. Examples include:

    ● Puzzle Fest for puzzle game enthusiasts.

    ● Horror Fest in October, perfect for spooky games.

    ● Seasonal or holiday-themed events like Winter Sale showcases.

Themed festivals spotlight games that might otherwise struggle for attention. They’re ideal for developers with released games who want to boost visibility and attract new audiences through sales and renewed engagement.

You can find all the announced and upcoming Steam-themed festivals at this official Steamworks announcement link. Keeping track of these events can help you plan your participation effectively.

3rd Party Festivals

In addition to official Steam-hosted events, developers can participate in numerous third-party festivals. These festivals vary in format and reach, offering unique opportunities to showcase games to specific audiences.

Types of 3rd-Party Festivals:

    ● Big In-Person Expos: Events like gamescom and PAX combine physical expos with dedicated Steam pages, allowing developers to showcase their games in person and online.

    ● Online-Only Festivals: Festivals such as OTK Games Expo, DreadXP, and Wholesome Games are exclusively digital and often feature live streams and curated showcases for games.

Regional Festivals:

Many festivals cater to specific regions or communities, appearing exclusively for localised audiences. For example, events might focus on games made by developers in certain countries or designed for particular language groups. These festivals can provide highly targeted exposure for your game.

How to Get Involved:

Unlike Steam’s official festivals, participating in 3rd party events is often more challenging. Many of these festivals operate by invitation only, meaning you’ll need to:

    ● Follow the companies or brands organising them on social media to stay informed about upcoming opportunities.

    ● Be proactive in applying for invitations when slots open up.

Some websites and lists can also help you track down third-party festival opportunities. Here are a few useful links:

    ● How To Market A Game

    ● Game Conference Guide

    ● Games Industry Events

    ● Game Development Event List

    ● The Indie Houses

Why Is It Important for Gamers?

Discover New Games

Festivals act as curated events, introducing players to titles they might not find otherwise. For instance, Steam Next Fest allows players to explore games that are still in development.

Free Demos

The ability to play free demos during events like Steam Next Fest gives gamers confidence in their purchase decisions. This “try-before-you-buy” approach reduces buyer hesitation.

Community Engagement

Many festivals include live streams, developer interviews, and interactive content, making them exciting opportunities to engage directly with creators and fellow gamers.

Shape the Games You Love

Developers often use festivals to gather feedback from players. By trying out demos and sharing your thoughts, you can directly influence the game’s development road map, helping shape its final structure and features.

Why Is It Important for Developers?

Steam festivals and third-party events are critical opportunities for developers to connect with their audience, refine their games, and increase visibility. Here’s why they matter:

Increased Visibility

Whether Steam-hosted or third-party, being featured in a festival can put your game in front of thousands or even millions of players. This is especially valuable for indie developers competing in a crowded marketplace.

Wishlist Growth

Festivals, particularly Steam Next Fest, often result in significant wishlist spikes. A strong wishlist count boosts your game’s visibility within Steam’s algorithm, increasing its chances of success at launch.

Player Feedback

Offering a demo during festivals allows you to gather direct feedback from players. This feedback can help you refine gameplay mechanics, balance difficulty, or even influence your development roadmap to align with player expectations.

Engagement with Content Creators

Festivals are an excellent time to connect with streamers and content creators. Reaching out to creators who play your genre or cover festival games can amplify your game’s exposure, as their audiences often follow their recommendations closely.

Showcasing Regional or Niche Appeal

Participating in regional or third-party festivals lets you tap into specific communities that might be highly receptive to your game. This is particularly important for niche genres or culturally specific content.

Polished Demos Build Trust

A festival demo can make or break first impressions. If your demo is polished and engaging, it builds trust and excitement among players. This is especially true for Steam Next Fest, where you only get one chance to participate, making it critical to present your best possible work

Building Long-Term Hype

Whether it’s kicking off wishlists with Steam Next Fest or using a third-party festival as a final marketing push before launch, festivals allow you to time your game’s exposure to maximise momentum strategically.

Hard-to-Access Third-Party Festivals

Though third-party festivals like PAX West, OTK Games Expo, or Wholesome Games can be more complex to get into, they provide unique, curated audiences. Being proactive on social media and tracking festival announcements can help you find and apply to these opportunities.

Revenue Opportunities

For released games, themed festivals are a chance to drive sales, re-engage existing players, and attract new audiences through discounts or thematic events.

Summary

Steam festivals and third-party events have become essential pillars of the gaming industry, offering unmatched opportunities for gamers and developers. For players, these festivals provide curated access to exciting new titles, free demos, and even the chance to shape the games they love through feedback. For developers, festivals are a powerful tool to boost visibility, grow wishlists, gather valuable player insights, and connect with streamers and communities. Whether it’s the high-stakes exposure of Steam Next Fest, the niche appeal of themed festivals, or the unique audiences of third-party events like PAX and Wholesome Games, each festival offers distinct benefits. Planning strategically, presenting polished demos, and engaging with the community can make these events a game-changer for indie and established developers alike.

Speaking of wishlists, if you’re curious about how festivals help indie developers or want to see a game inspired by the folklore and food themes we’ve discussed, check out Hungry Horrors on Steam! It’s a pixel art roguelite deckbuilder where you’ll cook and feed monsters from mythology. Adding it to your wishlist will help us reach more players, and let you know when it launches!