Steam themed fests 2027: how games get invited
27 Oct 2026 · 6 min read
Steam runs a themed fest most weeks: a sale page built around one genre or mechanic, usually promoted on the Steam front page. You do not apply for one. Valve picks the games and sends invites, and what it looks at is mostly your store page. Here is how that works, from Valve's themed sale events documentation, checked 27 Oct 2026, and the fests Valve has announced for the first half of 2027.
The 2027 themed fests
Valve has published these themed fests for January to June 2027 on its upcoming events page. Each event gets its own Steamworks page with its eligibility rules and registration link. Seasonal sales and Next Fest are on the full 2027 calendar.
| Themed fest | Dates | Theme, per Valve |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop Companion Fest | 14-18 Jan 2027 | Games that sit on your desktop and keep you company |
| Shop Keeper Fest | 25 Jan - 1 Feb 2027 | Games about managing a store |
| Sheep Fest | 4-8 Feb 2027 | Games about sheep, goats and their relatives |
| Couch Co-Op Fest | 8-15 Feb 2027 | Local co-op on the same device |
| Rhythm Fest | 8-15 Mar 2027 | Hitting notes in time to the beat |
| Dinos vs. Robots Fest | 29 Mar - 5 Apr 2027 | Dinosaurs, robots, or both |
| Racing Fest | 12-19 Apr 2027 | Games about going fast |
| Witch Fest | 22-26 Apr 2027 | Games that are witchy |
| Fighting Fest | 26 Apr - 3 May 2027 | Fighting games in the genre sense |
| Real-Time Strategy Fest | 10-17 May 2027 | Real-time strategy |
| Mountaineering Fest | 31 May - 3 Jun 2027 | Games about climbing mountains |
Sources: Steam Themed Sale Events, Upcoming Steam Events. Checked 27 Oct 2026. Valve updates these pages; the Steamworks docs always win.
How Valve picks the games
Each fest has its own criteria, usually built around the primary mechanic of the games. Valve automatically selects and invites eligible games, and eligibility is decided by two things: the store tags on your game and the gameplay that your store page description and media show.
The invite and registration
Valve emails invitations to the Steamworks users who have the "Receive Steamworks communications" permission for an eligible game. Registering is one checkbox and a save. After that, users with "Edit Pricing Permissions" see the event in Discount Management and can enter a discount.
If no invite arrives for a fest you think you fit, check your list of eligible games with the link in that event's documentation. If the game is missing and you believe it qualifies, use the appeals process at the bottom of the event's registration page. To make sure invites reach you, have at least one account with "Receive Steamworks communications" enabled, and check the store email setting for Steamworks news and sales events. If you stay opted out, you can still find the registration page by adding your App ID to the event's opt-in URL, or look for the opt-in on your App Admin page.
Discounts and the cooldown
A discount is not required, but the event page features discounted games most prominently. Themed fests follow the normal discount cooldown, and Valve says no exceptions are possible; only the four major seasonal sales are exempt. Plan around that: a discount just before a fest can rule out a discount in it.
You can use the official discount listed in Discount Management or set your own, but Valve recommends the official one so the game is discounted for the whole event. The official discount usually runs for the standard week even when the fest is shorter. You can enter a discount any time before the event starts.
Demos, upcoming games and free to play
Unless the event says otherwise, unreleased games, demos and free to play games can all take part, each in its own section. Every fest is organised into Discounted, VR, Free to Play, Demos and Upcoming, plus sub-sections for the theme. For a demo, registration uses the base game's store page, so keep the base game's tags accurate. Playtests are not included in themed fests.
The official trailer
Valve picks a handful of games for each fest's trailer, posted to Steam's YouTube channel, the event page, social channels and press. To stay in the running you need an opt-in request from Valve and to complete it, usually at least six weeks before the event, plus a registration with a discount, and at least one public trailer on your store page. Free to play games, unreleased games and demos are generally not eligible for the trailer.
What you get during the fest
Each fest has a dedicated sale page and is typically promoted on the Steam home page, in pop-up messages or on Steam's social channels. A participating game usually gets an event banner on its store page for the duration. If several events with banners overlap, Valve shows them in this order: franchise sale, developer or publisher sale, third party sale, then the themed fest. Within the event, Valve says it cannot guarantee specific featuring or positions.
Broadcasts. Valve says livestreaming typically will not be featured on the fest's sale page, unless the event says otherwise, but you are welcome to livestream on your own store page. That is where fest visitors land when they click your game; see livestreams on sale pages.
Example: Desktop Companion Fest
The first fest of 2027 shows how specific the rules are. Valve's event page says it runs from 14 January at 10am PDT to 18 January at 10am PDT. The trailer announcing it launches on 8 January, and the start of the event is also the deadline for entering a discount or opting out. Eligible games sit unobtrusively across part of the screen and keep playing while you do other things. Games with only a companion mode, screensavers, utilities and Pomodoro timers are not eligible, and a game without the Desktop Companion tag likely is not either.
A fest is a week of extra visitors
A fest sends players to your store page for a week. A broadcast at the top of that page shows them the game moving before they scroll. Loopcast keeps one running from an uploaded video, with no PC left on at home, billed per minute on air. You can try it free for 7 days, no card needed.
FAQ
How does Steam choose games for a themed fest?
Valve automatically selects and invites eligible games. Eligibility comes from the store tags on your game and the gameplay your store page shows, and the game must be primarily about the theme, not just have a mode that fits it.
Do I need a discount to join a Steam themed fest?
No. A discount is not required, but the event page features discounted games most prominently. Themed fests follow the normal discount cooldown with no exceptions.
Can my unreleased game or demo be in a themed fest?
Yes, unless the event documentation says otherwise. Each event has sections for upcoming games and for games with free demos. Playtests are not included.
I did not get an invite. What can I do?
Check your list of eligible games using the link in the event's documentation. If your game is missing and you believe it fits, use the appeals process at the bottom of that event's registration page.
Will my broadcast be shown on the fest page?
Valve says that unless the event documentation says otherwise, livestreaming typically will not be featured on the sale page. You are welcome to livestream on your own store page.