Steam Next Fest February 2027: Dates, Start Time and How It Works

Steam Next Fest's February 2027 edition runs from 22 February to 1 March 2027, starting and ending at 10:00 AM Pacific time (18:00 in the UK), according to Valve's Steamworks documentation. It's a week of free demos for games that haven't launched yet, and it's the first of the three Next Fests Valve holds every year.

When is Steam Next Fest in February 2027?

From Monday 22 February to Monday 1 March 2027. Valve's event page for developers says the edition "runs February 22 at 10:00 AM PST (UTC-8) to March 1 at 10:00 AM PST (UTC-8)", and the Next Fest page on the Steam store already shows the February 2027 edition as coming soon.

What time does Steam Next Fest start?

At 10:00 AM PST on 22 February, and it ends at the same time on 1 March. In other time zones that's:

• UK: 18:00 (GMT)
• Central Europe (Paris, Madrid, Berlin): 19:00
• Eastern Europe (Athens, Sofia, Bucharest): 20:00
• US East Coast: 13:00
• India: 23:30
• Philippines: 02:00 on 23 February

All of these are winter times; none of these regions changes the clocks before 1 March.

What is Steam Next Fest and how does it work?

It's a week-long showcase of upcoming games with playable demos. Valve describes it as a celebration "where fans can try out demos, chat with developers, watch live streams, and learn about upcoming games on Steam". You play the demos for free, and if you like a game you wishlist it to follow its road to launch.

Only unreleased games can take part. Valve's rules say a game must have a public store page and a playable demo by the time the fest starts, can't release before the fest ends, and can appear in only one Next Fest ever. Prologues, "chapter 1" releases and other cut-down versions of a game that's already out are not allowed.

The fest page sorts games by genre and category. Valve says the first few days are fully randomised outside the named lists and personalised sections, so every game gets a turn; after that, logged-in users see carousels personalised by what similar players have been trying. Some developers also stream their demos live on their store pages during the week. For a longer view of what's coming, Steam's Personal Calendar shows upcoming releases picked for you.

Steam Next Fest February 2027 at a glance

• 8 December 2026: live Q&A for developers on Zoom
• 10 January 2027, 11:59 PM PST: registration deadline for developers
• 18 January: deadline to submit a demo that should be live for the Press Preview
• 1 February: deadline for everything else to be submitted for review
• 11 February, 10 AM PST: Press Preview starts
• 22 February, 10 AM PST: Steam Next Fest begins
• 1 March, 10 AM PST: the fest ends and the Wrap-up page with the most played demos goes live

FAQ

How long does Steam Next Fest last?

One week. The February 2027 edition runs exactly seven days, from 10 AM PST on 22 February to 10 AM PST on 1 March.

Is Steam Next Fest free?

Yes. The demos are free to download and play: Valve's announcement for the October 2026 edition promised thousands of free demos. You need a Steam account, but nothing has to be bought.

Is Steam Next Fest a sale?

No. Next Fest is about demos, not discounts. Every full game in it is unreleased by rule, so you can't buy those games yet, only try them and wishlist them. Steam's sales are separate events.

Can you play Steam Next Fest demos after it ends?

Often, but it's up to each developer: Valve leaves the decision to them. In its guidance to developers it encourages them to leave demos up afterwards, noting that "many players have expressed disappointment when demos disappear immediately", and asks those who plan to pull a demo to tell players first. So if a demo matters to you, play it during the week.

Can I play the demos before 22 February?

Sometimes. Developers can release their demo whenever they like, as long as it's out by the start of the fest. Some go live for the Press Preview on 11 February, and Valve points out that releasing a demo at that point makes it playable for everyone on Steam, not just the press. The Press Preview page itself is only for selected outlets.

Are there livestreams during Next Fest?

Yes, from developers who choose to run them. Valve says streaming is optional for developers, and streams of participating games get their own section on the fest page.

What happens after Next Fest ends?

Shortly after 1 March, Steam publishes a Wrap-up page with the games whose demos were played the most. Cozy Game Restoration's developer, for example, says its demo was among June 2026's most played.

When is the next Steam Next Fest after February 2027?

From 14 to 21 June 2027. Valve holds Next Fest three times a year, in February, June and October, but it hasn't published the October 2027 dates yet. The last edition ran from 19 to 26 October 2026.

How do developers join Steam Next Fest?

By registering the base game, not the demo, before 10 January 2027 at 11:59 PM PST. Registration is usually on the game's App Landing Page in Steamworks. The game needs a published store page, a developer account in good standing and a public demo by 22 February, and it must not have taken part in an earlier Next Fest. Valve runs a live Q&A for developers on 8 December, from 10 to 11 AM PST.

Are Early Access and free-to-play games allowed?

Yes, as long as they haven't released yet. Valve says a game planning to launch in Early Access or as free-to-play can take part, provided it's still unreleased during the fest. A game that releases before or during Next Fest drops out of it.

What else is happening on Steam around Next Fest?

Valve's calendar for early 2027 puts the Couch Co-Op Fest on 8 to 15 February, two weeks before Next Fest, and the Spring Sale on 18 to 25 March. Before all that, the Steam Winter Sale runs from 17 December 2026 to 4 January 2027.