Valve’s 2026 Steam calendar includes seasonal sales, themed Fests and Steam Next Fest editions. PC Guide counted 29 scheduled events in its January 23, 2026 report; that is the publication’s count, not a year-total announced by Valve. Six scheduled events came before the Spring Sale, which ran March 19–26. As of October 8, the Autumn Sale is ending, and the next seasonal sale on Valve’s calendar is Winter, December 17, 2026–January 4, 2027.
What “Steam sales” means on the 2026 calendar
The calendar groups together events that serve different purposes. Valve says it runs four Steam-wide seasonal sales a year. Themed Fests instead spotlight categories of games, while Steam Next Fest focuses on demos and upcoming games. A listing on the calendar therefore does not mean every event has the same discounts, participants or format.
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| Event type | What it is for | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Seasonal sale | Steam-wide sale event | Discounts across participating games; Valve schedules four annually. See Valve’s Seasonal Sales documentation. |
| Themed Fest | Spotlight on a game category or theme | Discounted games may be included, but Valve also welcomes free games, Coming Soon titles and games with demos. See Valve’s event schedule and definitions. |
| Steam Next Fest | Showcase for upcoming games | Players can explore demos; it is not simply another Steam-wide discount sale. See Valve’s event schedule and definitions. |
The figure of 29 comes from PC Guide’s January 23 report and its count of the announced calendar, not from a total Valve publishes. Valve’s official pages are the primary sources for its dates and event rules.
The six scheduled events before the 2026 Spring Sale
Valve’s first-half schedule placed six events before the Spring Sale. Their dates and types show why the calendar is broader than a list of seasonal discount periods.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
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| Event | Scheduled dates | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Board Game Fest | January 26–February 2, 2026 | Themed Fest |
| Typing Fest | February 5–9, 2026 | Spotlight |
| PvP Fest | February 9–16, 2026 | Themed Fest |
| Horse Fest | February 19–23, 2026 | Spotlight |
| Steam Next Fest — February edition | February 23–March 2, 2026 | Demo event |
| Tower Defense Fest | March 9–16, 2026 | Themed Fest |
| Steam Spring Sale | March 19–26, 2026 | Seasonal sale |
Dates are from Valve’s first-half 2026 schedule; the event list is also reported by PC Guide’s January 23, 2026 coverage. The dates identify scheduled events, not a guarantee that every listed event offered the same scope or discount structure.
What remains on the calendar as of October 8, 2026
Valve’s current schedule lists the Autumn Sale for October 1–8, so it is concluding on October 8—not an upcoming sale. The remaining listed events in 2026 are:
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
| Event | Scheduled dates | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking Fest | October 12–19, 2026 | Themed Fest |
| Steam Next Fest — October edition | October 19–26, 2026 | Demo event |
| Steam Scream V | October 26–November 2, 2026 | Themed Fest |
| Auto-Battler RPG Fest | November 16–23, 2026 | Themed Fest |
| Steam Winter Sale | December 17, 2026–January 4, 2027 | Seasonal sale |
These dates come from Valve’s current Steamworks event calendar. The same calendar also lists Spring and Summer seasonal sales in 2027; check it for the latest dates because schedules can change.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to use the calendar when planning a purchase
- For broad discount periods: use the seasonal-sale dates, rather than assuming a themed Fest is a Steam-wide sale.
- For a specific game: add it to your Steam wishlist and check its price during the event. A calendar entry does not guarantee that an individual game will be discounted or featured.
- For demos and unreleased games: look to Next Fest, whose focus is exploring demos of upcoming games.
Valve’s developer-facing Seasonal Sales documentation says a discount of 20% or more during a seasonal sale triggers an email notification to players who have that game on their wishlist. This is a notification rule, not a promise of a discount: each developer decides whether to discount a game.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
