Steam Sale Dates 2026–2027: Every Confirmed Sale and Fest
October 5, 2026
Valve publishes its sale calendar months in advance, so there is no need to guess when the next big Steam sale is coming. These are the confirmed dates from Valve's own published schedule. Every sale starts and ends at 10:00 AM Pacific Time (6 PM UK, 7 PM CET).
The big four seasonal sales
These are the sales with the deepest and widest discounts.
| Sale | Dates |
|---|---|
| Autumn Sale 2026 | October 1 – 8, 2026 (live now) |
| Winter Sale 2026 | December 17, 2026 – January 4, 2027 |
| Spring Sale 2027 | March 18 – 25, 2027 |
| Summer Sale 2027 | June 24 – July 8, 2027 |
The Winter Sale and Summer Sale are the biggest of the year: about two weeks each, with almost every major publisher taking part. The Autumn and Spring sales run for one week.
Steam Next Fest
Next Fest is not a discount event. It is a week of free demos for upcoming games, with developer livestreams. It is the best time to try games before they launch and wishlist the ones you like.
| Next Fest | Dates |
|---|---|
| October 2026 | October 19 – 26, 2026 |
| February 2027 | February 22 – March 1, 2027 |
| June 2027 | June 14 – 21, 2027 |
Themed fests
Themed fests are shorter sales focused on one genre. Discounts are smaller and fewer games take part, but they are great if the genre is yours.
Rest of 2026
| Fest | Dates |
|---|---|
| Cooking Fest | October 12 – 19 |
| Steam Scream Fest V (horror) | October 26 – November 2 |
| Auto-Battler RPG Fest | November 16 – 23 |
2027
| Fest | Dates |
|---|---|
| Desktop Companion Fest | January 14 – 18 |
| Shop Keeper Fest | January 25 – February 1 |
| Sheep Fest | February 4 – 8 |
| Couch Co-Op Fest | February 8 – 15 |
| Rhythm Fest | March 8 – 15 |
| Dinos vs. Robots Fest | March 29 – April 5 |
| Racing Fest | April 12 – 19 |
| Witch Fest | April 22 – 26 |
| Fighting Fest | April 26 – May 3 |
| Real-Time Strategy Fest | May 10 – 17 |
| Mountaineering Fest | May 31 – June 3 |
Valve sometimes adds or moves themed fests, so check the event page closer to the date. The seasonal sale dates are the most reliable.
Black Friday?
Steam does not run a Black Friday sale itself. Many publishers discount their own games that week, but the store-wide event is the Winter Sale in mid-December. If you are deciding whether to buy in late November or wait, wait.
How to get more out of a Steam sale
1. Wishlist now. Steam emails you when a wishlisted game goes on sale, so you do not have to check every day.
2. Check the price history. Third-party trackers show a game's lowest-ever price. If the "sale" price is higher than past lows, it might go lower next time.
3. Bought something just before a sale? If you are within Steam's refund window (under 2 hours played, within 14 days), you can refund it and buy it again at the sale price.
4. Claim the free Points Shop items. During the big sales, Steam usually gives away a free sticker or item each day. Our Steam Points guide explains what they are for.
5. Load your wallet before the sale. Redeem gift cards before day one so you are not waiting on a code when a limited deal goes live. If a code fails, see what to do when a gift card code is not working.
6. Gift at sale prices. You can buy gifts for friends at the sale price, and since July 2026 you can send them to friends in other regions too. See our gifting guide.
Saving up for the Winter Sale with gift cards
A Steam gift card bought or earned before December is worth noticeably more in the Winter Sale, when 50–90% discounts are common. If you are earning a Steam gift card through a rewards site, the Winter Sale is the obvious target.
To set honest expectations: on XPReward the first Steam card is $25 (3,600 points), and reaching it takes most people days to weeks of offers and surveys. Start now and the Winter Sale on December 17 is a realistic goal. Start on December 16 and it is not. Our earnings breakdown has realistic numbers.
FAQ
When is the next Steam sale?
The Autumn Sale runs until October 8, 2026. After that, the next big one is the Winter Sale, from December 17, 2026.
What time does the Steam sale start?
10:00 AM Pacific Time on the first day, which is 1 PM Eastern, 6 PM UK and 7 PM Central European time.
Are games cheaper during Next Fest?
Not usually. Next Fest is about demos. Some studios run discounts at the same time, but there is no store-wide sale.
Will the Summer Sale 2027 dates change?
Valve rarely moves a seasonal sale once it is published. Themed fests change more often.