Steam Next Fest
Steam Next Fest October 2026: Dates and Start Time
Steam Next Fest is a week of free demos from upcoming games. The October 2026 edition opens on 19 October and closes on 26 October.
Starts in
17d 23h 0m
Updated every few minutes. Times below are exact.
Start and end time in your zone
| Zone | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific (Valve) | Mon, Oct 19, 10:00 AM | Mon, Oct 26, 10:00 AM |
| US Eastern | Mon, Oct 19, 1:00 PM | Mon, Oct 26, 1:00 PM |
| UK | Mon, Oct 19, 6:00 PM | Mon, Oct 26, 5:00 PM |
| Central Europe | Mon, Oct 19, 7:00 PM | Mon, Oct 26, 6:00 PM |
| Vietnam | Tue, Oct 20, 12:00 AM | Tue, Oct 27, 12:00 AM |
| Japan | Tue, Oct 20, 2:00 AM | Tue, Oct 27, 2:00 AM |
| Sydney | Tue, Oct 20, 4:00 AM | Tue, Oct 27, 4:00 AM |
Source: Steamworks documentation, checked Sep 29, 2026. Valve can adjust the schedule, so confirm on the Steam page.
Our Next Fest coverage, including past editions
Jun 18, 2026
PAPERHEAD Demo: Cardboard Boomer Shooter Ahead of October 9
PAPERHEAD Demo remains free after Steam Next Fest, with cardboard horror and a magic pencil. The full Windows PC game is planned for October 9, 2026.
Jun 17, 2026
Grave Seasons: A Farming Sim With a Serial Killer Twist
Grave Seasons is a narrative farming sim where a supernatural serial killer stalks your cozy town. Farm, romance, investigate. Demo at Next Fest 2026.
Jun 16, 2026
Shift At Midnight Is Out Now on Steam and Xbox Game Pass
Shift At Midnight launched July 22, 2026 after two delays. Track its 13-shift loop, Game Pass release, 3-player design, and expanded lobbies.
Jun 16, 2026
Distant Shore: Magnetic Parkour Demo at Next Fest 2026
Distant Shore is a first-person magnetic parkour game, Portal meets Mirror's Edge, with a demo at Steam Next Fest June 2026. Here's how the gauntlets work.
Jun 15, 2026
SPRAWL zero Demo: Boomer Shooter Prequel at Next Fest
The SPRAWL zero demo launched at Next Fest; the full game released September 8, 2026. Gravity Gloves, 40-plus weapons, cyberpunk boomer-shooter prequel.
Jun 15, 2026
Tears of Metal: Co-op Hack-and-Slash Roguelike Demo 2026
Tears of Metal launched into Early Access July 22, 2026, after its Next Fest demo. Reclaim your island with a Scottish battalion in this co-op roguelike.
Jun 13, 2026
Steam Next Fest June 2026: 4 Best Demos Worth Playing
Steam Next Fest June 2026 ran June 15-22: four demos worth revisiting, from a 540-peak roguelite to a Jet Set Radio-inspired arcade train game.
See also our release calendar for launch dates of the games we cover.