1. Key dates, October 2026 to 2027
| Date | Event | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 19 to 26, 2026 | Steam Next Fest | Demo festival: biggest chance to collect wishlists |
| Oct 26 to Nov 2, 2026 | Steam Scream V Fest | Themed horror fest |
| Nov 16 to 23, 2026 | Auto-Battler RPG Fest | Themed Steam fest |
| Dec 10, 2026 | The Game Awards | Reveals and trailers; high news traffic |
| Dec 17, 2026 to Jan 4, 2027 | Steam Winter Sale | Major discount event |
| Late Jan 2027 | Global Game Jam | Weekend jam; confirm dates on the official site |
| Jan 25 to Feb 1, 2027 | Shop Keeper Fest | Themed Steam fest |
| Feb 22 to Mar 1, 2027 | Steam Next Fest | Demo festival |
| Mar 1 to 5, 2027 | GDC (Festival of Gaming), San Francisco | Industry conference, GDC Awards and IGF |
| Mar 18 to 25, 2027 | Steam Spring Sale | Seasonal discount event |
| Jun 14 to 21, 2027 | Steam Next Fest | Demo festival |
| Jun 24 to Jul 8, 2027 | Steam Summer Sale | Major discount event |
| Aug 23 to 29, 2027 | gamescom, Cologne | Largest European games show |
Dates come from public reports as of October 14, 2026 and can change. Verify them on the official pages, such as the Steamworks upcoming events list, GDC, gamescom and Global Game Jam. The Steam Awards 2026 dates were not confirmed when we wrote this.
2. How to plan around them
- Steam Next Fest: have a polished demo and a complete store page, and register early. A trailer and wishlist button matter most.
- Seasonal sales: join only if your game is already out, and plan your discount. The revenue calculator shows the effect on income.
- Game jams: a free way to ship a small game. See how to join a game jam and the idea generator.
- Conferences: GDC and gamescom are for networking and press. Many indie developers skip travel and still join the online events.
3. Awards and submissions
Festivals like the IGF open submissions months before the show. If you are close to finishing, aim for the next cycle. Game of the Year 2025 winners shows what wins. Also check itch.io jams for community jams every week.
4. Latin America and other regions
gamescom latam took place in São Paulo in spring 2026 and incorporates the BIG Festival, an independent games competition. Dates for the next edition were not confirmed when we wrote this, so check the official site.
5. Work backward from a date
Pick one event, subtract the weeks you need for the demo, the trailer and the store page, and use that as your deadline. The launch checklist and Preflight list what to finish by when. How to market an indie game explains how to use each event.
Questions
October 19 to 26, 2026, then February 22 to March 1, 2027 and June 14 to 21, 2027, according to Valve's published schedule.
March 1 to 5, 2027, in San Francisco, as announced by the organisers. The event is being rebranded as the GDC Festival of Gaming.
December 10, 2026, in Los Angeles, according to published reports.
itch.io lists jams at itch.io/jams, and the Global Game Jam runs every January.
Who wrote this
Imersa Studios builds the Unity systems, low poly packs and field guides sold on itch.io. The code and techniques here come from shipping those products. More about the studio.