Steam wishlist notifications: when Steam emails your wishlisters
26 Oct 2026 · 5 min read
A wishlist on Steam is a promise of one email. When your game releases, leaves Early Access or goes on a big enough discount, Steam tells the players who wishlisted it. The rules decide whether that email goes out at all, so it pays to know them. Everything below comes from Valve's Wishlists documentation, checked 26 Oct 2026.
What triggers an email
Valve sends an email and/or a mobile push notification to wishlisters on four occasions:
| Trigger | Who gets it | How |
|---|---|---|
| Release (Early Access or full) | Everyone with the game on their wishlist at that moment | Automatic |
| Early Access to full release | Everyone with it on their wishlist at that moment | Automatic, a second email |
| Discount of 20% or more | Wishlisters not on cooldown | Automatic, if the discount qualifies |
| Free demo goes public | Wishlisters of the main game | Once, you press the button within 2 weeks |
Sources: Wishlists, Visibility on Steam, Discounting. Checked 26 Oct 2026. Valve updates these pages; the Steamworks docs always win.
The discount rules
A discount only emails your wishlisters if it meets all of Valve's conditions:
The 2-week cooldown
A player who got any email about your game in the last 2 weeks is on cooldown and gets nothing more until it ends. That includes every kind of email about the same App ID. Valve says the period may be longer in busy weeks such as the seasonal sales, and its FAQ puts the cooldown at 1 to 2 weeks.
In practice: if you release and then discount a few days later, most wishlisters only hear about the first one. If you run a discount right before the Winter Sale, the sale discount may reach fewer people than you expect. Space your big moments at least 2 weeks apart when you can.
Who does not get the email
The demo notification
When a free demo for your game goes public, you can send one notification to everyone who wishlisted the game. Steam does not send it for you: you return to the demo's app landing page and press the button, any time up to two weeks after the demo's release. Many developers time it for the start of Steam Next Fest.
Do wishlists affect visibility?
This is where two Valve pages need reading together. The visibility docs say, under the heading "Wishlists (Mostly) Aren't a Factor", that with a few exceptions like the Popular Upcoming tab, wishlists are not a factor in your game's algorithmic visibility. The wishlist docs add that once a player wishlists your game, it may show up in featured sections with a reminder that it is on their wishlist, and that before launch it may appear in lists of upcoming games.
So the value of a wishlist is mostly the email, not a ranking boost. Valve also says there is no minimum number of wishlists before Steam starts showing your game, and that no formula predicts sales from wishlists. The visibility rounds guide covers the free front page traffic Steam does give you.
What happens after the click
Every email sends people to your store page, so that page has to do the rest. Check it against the store page checklist before a launch or a sale. A store page broadcast plays gameplay at the top of the page while they decide; see do Steam broadcasts increase wishlists for what it does and does not do. Loopcast keeps a broadcast running from an uploaded video without a PC at home, billed per minute on air. You can try it free for 7 days, no card needed.
Track it afterwards. Visits from the emails show in Traffic Breakdown on your app landing page, and the detailed wishlist breakdown lists the notifications sent. Valve suggests looking back at wishlist data after each sale to plan the next one.
FAQ
When does Steam email the people who wishlisted my game?
Valve lists three triggers: when the game releases in Early Access or in full, when it leaves Early Access, and when it gets a qualifying discount of 20% or more. You can also send one notification when a free demo for the game goes public.
Why did my discount not send wishlist emails?
Valve's rules: the discount must be 20% or more, last over 8 hours, and include the lowest priced package. Players who got any email about your game in the last 2 weeks are on cooldown, and only players with a verified email address who allow these emails receive one.
How fast do wishlist emails go out?
Valve says discount emails typically send within a few hours of the release or discount, and take longer in high volume periods. An email held up for over a week is not sent at all.
Do wishlists help my game's visibility on Steam?
Partly. Valve's visibility docs say that with a few exceptions, such as the Popular Upcoming tab, wishlists are not a factor in algorithmic visibility. Its wishlist docs add that a wishlisted game may appear in featured sections with a reminder to that player, and in lists of upcoming games.
Is there a minimum number of wishlists before Steam shows my game?
No. Valve answers that question directly: there is no minimum.
Where do I see whether the emails worked?
Visits from the emails show under Marketing and Visibility, Traffic Breakdown, on your app landing page. The detailed wishlist breakdown in the financial reporting site lists the notifications sent in a period.