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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Steam ran three Steam Next Fest editions in 2025: February 24 to March 3, June 9 to June 16, and October 13 to October 20. Each one closed at 10 a.m. Pacific. Next Fest was a free-demo event, not a sale. The separate Steam Spring Sale ran March 13 to March 20, 2025, starting at 10 a.m. PT, and it was announced as its own event.
The 2025 Steam Next Fest dates
Steam published a News post for each edition, and those posts set the windows below. All three times are stated in Steam’s announcements as 10 a.m. Pacific.
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| Edition | Start | End | Official announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | February 24, 2025 | March 3, 2025, 10 a.m. Pacific (the announcement says PST) | Steam News, “Steam Next Fest is here!”, February 24, 2025 |
| June | Announced June 9, 2025 | June 16, 2025, 10 a.m. Pacific | Steam News, “It’s HERE: The June edition of Steam Next Fest!”, June 9, 2025 |
| October | Announced October 13, 2025 | October 20, 2025, 10 a.m. Pacific | Steam News, “October’s Steam Next Fest is here!”, October 13, 2025 |
For June and October, the start date is the day Steam posted that the event was live. The announcements do not give a separate opening time, so readers should treat those dates as the first day the event was open.
What Next Fest was
Next Fest was a week of free demos of upcoming games. Steam’s February announcement describes it as “a full week of demos” and specifically calls them “FREE demos.” During an edition, players could:
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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.
- Play demos of games that were not yet released.
- Chat with developers.
- Watch livestreams.
- Wishlist games they liked.
Steam’s February post also says “Hundreds (ok, more than that) of demos are here.” It does not give an exact count, so no specific number of demos for any edition should be assumed.
When the Spring Sale started
The February Next Fest and the Spring Sale were separate events. Steam announced the Spring Sale on March 13, 2025 in a post titled “The Steam Spring Sale is here!”, which says: “The Steam Spring Sale is on now through March 20th at 10am PT!” That sale ran March 13 to March 20, 2025, 10 a.m. PT. It discounted games in the store, and it was not part of the demo event.
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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.
Why the two events get confused
Both happened in the same spring window, and both ended at the same kind of time stamp, so readers often assume they were one event. The official posts treat them differently. Next Fest offered demos with no sale. The Spring Sale offered discounts on store purchases. Searching for a “Next Fest sale” will not match any 2025 Steam announcement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Dates for 2026
This article covers the 2025 calendar only. Steam’s News page carries each announcement as it is posted, so check there for the current schedule of Next Fest and sale events.
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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.
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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.
