Steam third-party sale events: how joining one works
29 Oct 2026 · 6 min read
Third-party sale events are sale pages on Steam run by an outside organizer, with Valve's Steam Events Team, rather than by Valve. This guide is for a developer whose game joins one: the steps, discounts, the visibility the event gets and the rules on paying, from Valve's Participating in Third-Party Sales Events and Hosting Third-Party Sales Events docs, checked 29 Oct 2026.
Valve names three kinds as examples: a themed event (Tacticon), a showcase event (The Game Awards) and a regional event (Games in Sweden). Some exist only on Steam; others also have an award show, a convention hall or a global broadcast.
How joining works
An organizer may invite your game, or you can ask an organizer to add it. Once you are invited, Valve lists five steps:
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Decide | Joining is up to you. Check that the event fits your game and marketing plans, ask the organizer any questions, and tell them if you join. Their event name and contact then show in your Steamworks dashboard. |
| 2. Discount (optional) | Set your own discount over some or all of the event dates, or use the optional custom discount event the organizer may share in your Discount Management Tool. |
| 3. Prepare | Depends on the event. The organizer may, for example, ask for a pre-recorded bit of gameplay for a segment of their livestream. |
| 4. Take part | Your game is featured on the event's sale page as agreed, and the event's banner shows at the top of your store page while the event is live. |
| 5. Check results (optional) | Sales in the Sales & Activation report; traffic in Store & Steam Traffic Platform Breakdown, under "Sales Page". |
Sources: Participating in Third-Party Sales Events, Hosting Third-Party Sales Events. Checked 29 Oct 2026. Valve updates these pages; the Steamworks docs always win.
Discounts and the 30-day cooldown
What visibility an event gets
In most cases a published event gets automatic featuring on the Store:
| Placement | What happens |
|---|---|
| Sale Events News Hub and Special Events page | The event appears in both when it begins. |
| Store page banner | Shown on the store page of every game in the event for up to 2 weeks, with Valve's approval, and links to the event's sale page. |
| Wishlist notifications | A game in the event that goes on a discount of at least 20% triggers the usual wishlist notification to the players who wishlisted it. |
The wishlist emails are the same ones covered in Steam wishlist notifications. Rarely, an event is left out of automatic featuring, for example a massive event, one with no clear theme, or one very similar to others run that year.
Curated featuring is rare. A few events also get placements such as the homepage Takeunder or Daily, Midweek and Weekend Deals. The Steam Events Team tells only the organizer, who passes it on; Valve cannot share featuring details with participants. Where your game sits on the sale page is the organizer's call.
Off Steam, the organizer markets the event and may ask you to help, for example with a social media post about your participation when the event starts.
Rules on paying
Organizers may not charge for placement on a Steam sale page. If one asks you to pay for that, Valve asks you to contact it. They may charge for other event benefits, such as booth space at a convention center or a segment on a global livestream.
Finding events
Steam does not keep a calendar of third-party events and cannot introduce you to organizers. Valve says many organizers look for games and post their contact details online, and suggests local game developer associations and genre groups. Events Steam runs itself are on the Upcoming Events page; the 2027 themed ones are in Steam themed fests 2027.
If your game is missing from a live event's sale page, contact the organizer: they place the games, and their contact info is in your Steamworks dashboard.
Where a broadcast fits
During the event its banner sits on your store page, and visitors from the sale page land there too, so a broadcast on your store page plays to that traffic. Livestreams on the sale page itself are a separate topic: see livestreams on Steam sale pages. Loopcast keeps a store page broadcast running from an uploaded video, billed per minute on air. You can try it free for 7 days, no card needed.
FAQ
Can an event organizer charge me to be on a Steam sale page?
No. Organizers are not allowed to charge for placement on a Steam sale page, and Valve asks you to contact it if one does. They may charge for things off Steam, such as booth space or a segment in their livestream.
Do I have to discount my game to join a third-party event?
No. A discount is not required, but it may affect featuring decisions, so ask the organizer. Event discounts are not exempt from Steam's 30-day discount cooldown.
How many third-party sale events can my game join?
As many as you like, with two limits: the 30-day discount cooldown, and at most one featured Publisher or Developer Sale and one featured Franchise sale per calendar year.
Does Steam keep a list of upcoming third-party events?
No, and Valve cannot introduce you to organizers. Many organizers post their contact details online; Valve also suggests local developer associations and genre groups.
How do I see what an event did for my game?
Check the Sales & Activation report for sales, and Store & Steam Traffic Platform Breakdown for traffic, which shows up under the line item "Sales Page".