Great news for Steam players! The next major Steam sale is the Summer Sale — June 25 to July 9, 2026. Before that, Deckbuilders Fest is live until May 11, and Ocean Fest runs May 18–25 — both are worth checking if you have specific games on your radar.
Wondering if the games on your wishlist are about to hit rock-bottom prices in the coming weeks? Keep reading! We’re breaking down discount predictions for upcoming events, the complete 2026 Steam sale calendar, and the ultimate money-saving hacks to game for less all year round! 👇
🎊 Bonus! If you do not want to wait for seasonal promotions, you can score massive discounts on Steam games year-round! Click the button below to explore GamsGo and grab deals on premium game accounts—including ARC Raiders accounts, EA FC 26 accounts, Palworld accounts, and over a dozen more trending hits.
The biggest sale of the year kicks off June 25 and runs through July 9, 2026. Up to 90% off thousands of titles — mark your calendar.
What's on Sale on Steam Right Now? (May 2026)
Before you start counting down to the Summer Sale, it's worth checking what's already discounted this month. Steam never really goes quiet, and right now, there are two windows you shouldn't miss.
🃏 Next: Steam Deckbuilders Fest 2026
The Steam Deckbuilders Fest is almost here! Running from May 4 to May 11, this highly anticipated event will bring massive discounts to almost all card-based and deck-building games on the platform.
To save you time, the GamsGo team has handpicked 6 must-play card games hitting their all-time low prices during this fest. Check out our ultimate list below and see if your next favorite game is on it!
Featured Deals:
Game | Discount | Our Take |
|---|---|---|
 Slay the Spire sales | -75%👇️ =$6.24 | If you were to ask which game in recent years is most likely to cause the "just one more run" syndrome until the sun comes up, Slay the Spire absolutely tops the list. As the pioneer that flawlessly married roguelike mechanics with deck-building, it didn't just single-handedly popularize an entirely new genre—it wrote the textbook on it. So much so that every similar game released since has been inevitably compared to it by players. Yet, despite a sea of countless imitators, Slay the Spire remains the insurmountable peak of the genre. |
 Balatro sales | -25% to -50%👇️ ≈$7.50 – $11.24 | Balatro is an insanely addictive deckbuilder that mashes up Texas Hold'em poker with deep roguelike mechanics. You play classic poker hands to score chips, all while collecting game-breaking Joker cards to supercharge your deck. It perfectly nails the "challenge-and-grow" loop—score massive points during the round, then hit the shop between blinds to upgrade your ultimate build. |
 Inscryption sales |
| A Switch Must-Play❗ The Cult Classic Masterpiece, Inscryption It boasts incredibly inventive mechanics: ditching the traditional HP bar for a literal weighing scale. Every point of damage adds physical weight to the scale, dialing the tension up to eleven! ⚖️ Plus, you're not just playing cards—you're solving escape-room puzzles at the same time. The narrative is absolutely brilliant. As you dive deeper into the matches and crack each puzzle, you feel like you're inching closer to the truth, only to realize you've spiraled into an even darker mystery. 👁️ |
 Monster Train sales | $24.99 -60% to -80% ≈$5.00 – $10.00 | 💰️An Absolute Steal: Monster Train Grab this god-tier masterpiece for practically pocket change (around $8)! Monster Train is a strategic roguelike deckbuilder that puts you on a one-way trip to hell. You’ll need to use clever tactics to defend multiple vertical battlegrounds simultaneously. Featuring 5 distinct monster clans, over 220 cards, and 88 unique artifacts, the replayability is truly infinite! |
 Slay the Spire 2 sales | $24.99 New Release | Slay the Spire 2 Becomes Steam’s Top Roguelike 🎉 Within just 12 hours of launch, Slay the Spire 2 nearly quadrupled its predecessor's all-time peak, with concurrent players soaring past 430,000 to become the hottest roguelike on Steam. It comfortably outpaces other heavyweights like Elden Ring: Nightfall (313,593), Megabonk (117,336), Don't Starve Together (115,925), and Hades II (112,947). Currently a PC exclusive, the sequel now features up to 4-player co-op. It offers five playable classes, introducing two new additions: the Necrobinder and the Regent. Staying true to its roots, players will once again navigate the Nightmare Spire, choosing paths and crafting decks to survive increasingly brutal challenges. |
 Across the Obelisk sales | $19.99 -50% to -70% ≈ $6.00 – $10.00 | A fantastic co-op deckbuilder that's perfect for duos, friends, or couples! Think of it as Slay the Spire meets classic RPGs. You get a traditional "save the princess" narrative during your runs, paired with a solid out-of-run meta-progression system. The deckbuilding depth arguably surpasses Slay the Spire, largely thanks to the synergistic party compositions (mixing Warriors, Mages, Rogues, and Clerics). Builds like Dark Mage, Stall/Poison, and Inner Fire Priest come online quickly and are incredibly beginner-friendly for your first few runs. The downsides? There’s noticeable late-game stat bloat (even on the lowest difficulty), and the early-to-mid game grind for resources can be harsh, requiring patience and a good grasp of the mechanics. |
🌊 Ocean Fest Coming Up: May 18–25
Right after Deckbuilders Fest, Steam shifts to sea, underwater worlds, and sailing. If any of these are on your radar, add them to your wishlist before May 18 — Steam will email you the moment the discount goes live.
Game | Expected Discount | Our Take |
|---|---|---|
 Subnautica | -50% to -75% ≈ $7.50 – $15.00 | Subnautica is a wildly addictive, god-tier deep-sea survival game. Imagine crash-landing on a strange alien ocean planet. With only a damaged lifepod to your name, you have to scavenge and craft everything from scratch just to stay alive. As the undisputed king of underwater survival-crafting, it's the ultimate must-buy during the Steam Ocean Fest. If you're into sci-fi exploration, snag it at a discount for an unforgettable dive into the abyss! |
 Dave the Diver | $-45% =$10.99 | The bizarre, double life of a cheerful, chubby diver! Spend your days spearfishing and exploring the mysterious Blue Hole, and your nights running a wildly profitable sushi restaurant. With side quests like saving the Sea People, breeding seahorses, and farming, it’s a flawlessly executed mashup of genres. Absolutely love it! |
 Dredge | -60% =$9.99 | A Lovecraftian horror simulator disguised as a cozy fishing game! By day, you’re chilling on your little boat, catching fish to upgrade your engine. Come nightfall, the fog rolls in, bringing sanity-draining abyssal monsters. You’ll be piecing together a creepy encyclopedia to uncover the archipelago’s dark secrets. You'll be terrified but unable to stop playing—insanely addictive! |
 Sea of Thieves | -50% =$19.99 | The ultimate pirate co-op simulator! Set sail with your crew to enjoy the views and dig up buried treasure, or engage in chaotic cannon and boarding battles with rival players. When you’re not fighting, you’re playing shanties, chugging grog, eating bananas, and trolling your friends on deck. If you have a squad to play with, you’ll be laughing until your sides hurt. God-tier fun! |
 SOMA | -70% to -85% ≈ $4.50 – $9.00 | A cold-sweat-inducing sci-fi horror masterpiece set in the deep sea! Not only are you sneaking past grotesque monsters and solving puzzles in an oppressive, dimly lit underwater ruin, but you’re also facing mind-bending, existential questions about consciousness uploading and the "brain in a vat" theory. It leaves you with a lingering sense of existential dread for days. An absolute must-play for story lovers! |
Steam Summer Sale 2026: Everything You Need to Know
This is the one everyone waits for all year. The Summer Sale is Steam's biggest event — roughly two weeks of discounts across thousands of titles simultaneously. Indie games can drop as low as 90% off, AAA titles hit 50–70% off, and games that only discount once or twice a year are all on sale at the same time. If you only pay attention to one Steam sale per year, make it this one.
Why the Summer Sale Hits Different
Most themed fests cover one genre. The Summer Sale covers everything at once — meaning games that normally wait months for a price drop are all on sale in the same two-week window. It's also the most reliable time of year to find all-time low prices, especially on games that are 1–3 years old.
There's also the Steam Points Shop element: during the Summer Sale, Valve releases exclusive seasonal items — animated avatars, badge frames, background art — that disappear the moment the sale ends. Once they're gone, they're gone permanently.
Games to Wishlist Right Now for June 25
You don't need to wait until the sale starts. Add these to your wishlist today so you get an automatic notification the moment the price drops:
Game | Likely Discount | Why It's Worth It |
|---|---|---|
 Cyberpunk 2077 + Phantom Liberty Bundle | -50% =$37.24 | A cyberpunk outlaw’s wild romance in Night City. You can install flashy cyberware and fight with guns and blades in explosive combat, or become an elite hacker and take down enemies from the shadows. The DLC adds a spy-thriller story that feels like a Hollywood blockbuster, full of tough choices and emotional moments pushing the plot forward. The visuals and immersion are on another level. You will fall in love with it. |
 Baldur's Gate 3 |
| The ultimate D&D-style RPG with endless possibilities. You can roll dice and follow an epic story like a true hero, or talk your way out of trouble and romance all kinds of attractive and weird companions. You can push enemies off cliffs, interact with almost everything, and let the world react to your choices. A total time sink. An absolute masterpiece. |
 Valheim |
| A hardcore Viking survival story for true grinders. You can become a building maniac and create a beautiful seaside base from scratch, or sail across the ocean with friends to fight massive mythological bosses. There are also hilarious accidents like trees falling on your head pushing the adventure forward. You will keep building houses and never want to stop. Seriously addictive. |
 Hades series | -75% =$6.24 | The rebellious son of a god who refuses to give up on escaping the Underworld. You can grab ever-changing weapons and slash through enemies nonstop, or stack blessings from Greek gods to create unstoppable builds. Add in detailed family drama and fully voiced relationship stories driving everything forward. The combat feels amazing. The more you die, the more hooked you get. |
 Divinity: Original Sin 2 |
| An incredibly free fantasy RPG masterpiece. You can seriously study spell builds and play hardcore tactical combat, or get obsessed with moving barrels and abusing elemental terrain to cheese fights. There are also tons of chaotic moments like sabotaging your teammates or talking to animal NPCs pushing the story forward. The immersion is insane. A must-play. |
📋 How to Prepare Your Wishlist Before June 25
- Add everything you're interested in now. Steam emails you automatically when wishlisted games go on sale. You won't need to check manually.
- Check price history on SteamDB before buying. "50% off" means nothing if the game was 70% off six months ago.
- Don't panic-buy on Day 1. Summer Sale prices are stable, but waiting 24–48 hours occasionally reveals extra adjustments.
- Look for bundles over individual DLC. Publishers often discount full bundles more aggressively than individual items.
- Keep your wishlist under 30 games. Too many items = notification overload = decision paralysis. Curate it before June 25.
What's Coming Before the Summer Sale?
The seven weeks between now and June 25 aren't empty. Here's everything on the calendar so you can plan ahead:
| Dates | Event | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| May 4–11 | 🃏 Deckbuilders Fest Live Now | Slay the Spire, Balatro, Inscryption, Monster Train — roguelike card game season |
| May 18–25 | 🌊 Ocean Fest | Subnautica series (-75%), Dave the Diver (-50%), Dredge (-60%), SOMA (-85%) |
| Jun 8–15 | 🔫 Bullet Hell Fest | Vampire Survivors, Cuphead, Enter the Gungeon (-80%), Touhou series |
| Jun 15–22 | 🎮 Steam Next Fest — June | Free demos for upcoming games — play them now, buy on June 25 |
| Jun 25–Jul 9 | ☀️ Steam Summer Sale ⭐⭐⭐ | The big one. Up to 90% off, thousands of titles, Steam Points Shop exclusives |
Complete 2026 Steam Sale Calendar
Here's every confirmed Steam sale and event for 2026. All times are Pacific Time (PT) — events typically start at 10:00 AM PT.
| Dates | Event | Featured Games / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 12–19 | 🔍 Detective Fest Done | Detroit: Become Human (-80%), Disco Elysium (-75%), L.A. Noire (-70%) |
| Jan 26–Feb 2 | 🎲 Board Game Fest Done | Dune: Imperium, Monopoly Madness (-75%), Tabletopia DLC |
| Feb 5–9 | ⌨️ Typing Fest Done | The Typing of the Dead: Overkill (-75%), Duskers (-50%), Glyphica (-30%) |
| Feb 9–16 | ⚔️ PvP Fest Done | Mortal Kombat 1 (-80%), Marvel Rivals (free), Overwatch 2 (free), Apex Legends (free) |
| Feb 19–23 | 🐎 Horse Fest Done | Red Dead Redemption 2, Petz Horsez 2 (-85%) |
| Feb 23–Mar 2 | 🎮 Next Fest — February Done | Free demos for upcoming games |
| Mar 9–16 | 🛡️ Tower Defense Fest Done | Kingdom Rush (-80%), Bloons TD 6, They Are Billions (-75%), Factorio (-30%) |
| Mar 19–26 | 🌱 Spring Sale ⭐ Done | First major seasonal sale. All genres, deep catalogue discounts |
| Mar 30–Apr 6 | 🏠 House & Home Fest Done | House Flipper series, Stardew Valley, Townscaper, Cozy Grove, Dinkum |
| Apr 9–13 | 🔍 Hidden Object Fest Done | Enigmatis series (-90%), Nancy Drew series (-90%), Unforeseen Incidents (-80%) |
| Apr 20–27 | 🏰 Medieval Fest Done | Crusader Kings III (-60%), Kingdom Come: Deliverance (-70%), Mount & Blade II (-60%) |
| May 4–11 | 🃏 Deckbuilders Fest Live Now | Slay the Spire (-75%), Balatro (-50%), Inscryption (-70%), Monster Train (-80%) |
| May 18–25 | 🌊 Ocean Fest | Subnautica series (-75%), Dave the Diver (-50%), Dredge (-60%), SOMA (-85%) |
| Jun 8–15 | 🔫 Bullet Hell Fest | Vampire Survivors (-60%), Cuphead (-60%), Enter the Gungeon (-80%), Touhou (-60%) |
| Jun 15–22 | 🎮 Next Fest — June | Free demos — final preview before Summer Sale. Try before you buy. |
| Jun 25–Jul 9 | ☀️ Summer Sale ⭐⭐⭐ | Biggest sale of the year. Up to 90% off, Steam Points Shop exclusives |
| Jul 13–16 | 🕵️ Social Deduction Fest | Among Us (-60%), Town of Salem series (-60%), Secret Neighbor (-70%) |
| Jul 20–27 | 🚂 Train Fest | Transport Fever 2 (-60%), Mini Metro (-70%), Train Sim World series (-75%) |
| Aug 3–10 | 🤖 Cyberpunk Fest | Cyberpunk 2077 + Phantom Liberty (-60%), Ghostrunner series (-75%), VA-11 Hall-A (-70%) |
| Aug 17–20 | 📌 Pins & Pegs Fest | Short spotlight event — puzzle/casual focus |
| Aug 31–Sep 7 | 🪓 PvE Survival Crafting Fest | ARK series (-80%), Valheim (-60%), Green Hell (-70%), Don't Starve Together (-75%), Grounded (-60%) |
| Sep 10–14 | 💻 Coding / Programming Fest | SHENZHEN I/O (-70%), TIS-100 (-70%), Human Resource Machine (-80%), Hacknet (-90%) |
| Sep 14–21 | 🎲 Party-Based RPG Fest | Baldur's Gate 3 (-50%), Divinity: Original Sin 2 (-75%), Wasteland 3 (-75%) |
| Oct 1–8 | 🍂 Autumn Sale ⭐ | Third major seasonal sale. Full catalogue discounts — last chance before Winter |
| Oct 12–19 | 🍳 Cooking Fest | Overcooked! series (-80%), Cook Serve Delicious series (-80%), Chef: Restaurant Tycoon (-60%) |
| Oct 19–26 | 🎮 Next Fest — October | Final demo event of 2026 — holiday season releases preview |
| Oct 26–Nov 2 | 👻 Steam Scream Fest V (Halloween) | Resident Evil series (-75%), Outlast series (-80%), Amnesia series (-85%), Phasmophobia (-60%) |
| Nov 16–23 | 🤖 Auto Battler RPG Fest | Hades series (-60%), Teamfight Tactics (free), Super Auto Pets |
| Late Nov | 🖤 Black Friday Sale | Smaller than major sales. Winter Sale follows in 3–4 weeks — often worth waiting |
| Dec 17–Jan 4 | ❄️ Winter Sale ⭐⭐⭐ | Longest sale of the year (18 days). All-time lows, Steam Awards, holiday gifting season |
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5 Rules for Getting the Most Out of Every Steam Sale
Steam sales offer real discounts — but it's easy to buy the wrong thing at the wrong time without a clear strategy. Here are five rules that actually make a difference.
1️⃣ Check Price History First
A “30% off” tag on Steam doesn’t always mean it’s the best deal. Some games may have been discounted more deeply in the past. Before purchasing, it’s important to check the price history using these tools:
SteamDB: Simply search for a game to view its full price history chart and quickly see whether the current discount is close to its all-time low.
IsThereAnyDeal: A cross-platform price comparison tool that tracks prices across Steam, Epic Games, GOG, and more, helping you find the best deal available.
👉 Pro Tip: If the current price is still higher than its historical low, consider waiting for a better deal — especially during major seasonal sales.
2️⃣ Use Your Wishlist Before the Sale, Not During
The Steam Wishlist is one of the most powerful — yet often underrated — features on the platform. When used effectively, it means you never have to manually check for deals. Here's how to get the most out of it:
- Organize your wishlist before each major sale. About a week before, clean it up. Remove games you're no longer interested in and keep only what you genuinely want. This helps you make fast decisions once the sale begins.
- Use the wishlist as a filter for demos. When you play a demo during Next Fest and find something interesting but not urgent, add it. You'll be notified when it goes on sale.
- Compare prices across platforms. IsThereAnyDeal lets you import your Steam wishlist and track prices across Steam, Epic, GOG, and more. Sometimes the best deal isn't on Steam.
- Keep it manageable. A wishlist with 100+ games generates so many notifications that you stop reading them. Keep it to 20–30 games you genuinely want to play.
The smart move is to add everything you're interested in before the sale begins — then your inbox does the work for you. Don't wait until June 25 to start browsing: you'll end up impulse-buying things you don't care about.
3️⃣ Don't Buy Everything on Day One
Summer Sale prices are stable, but waiting 24–48 hours occasionally reveals additional adjustments. You won't miss deals by being patient — and you'll make better decisions when you're not in panic-buying mode.
4️⃣ Check Bundles Before Buying DLC Individually
Publishers like Capcom, Paradox, and Square Enix often bundle DLC at a lower combined price than buying it separately. If you own the base game and are eyeing DLC, always check the complete edition price first. Sometimes, the bundle including the base game is still cheaper than just the DLC.
5️⃣ Use the Refund Policy as a Free Trial
Steam gives you 14 days and 2 hours of playtime to request a refund, no questions asked. This is one of the most underused features in gaming. If you're on the fence about something, buy it, try it for an hour, and refund it if it's not for you. Just don't abuse the system — Steam will notice if you refund frequently.
Steam Sale Rewards: You're Getting More Than Just Games
Steam sales aren't just about discounts. Every purchase earns you Steam Points (roughly 100 points per $1 spent), which you can redeem in the Steam Points Shop for items you can't buy anywhere else.
What you can get with Steam Points:
- Animated profile avatars and avatar frames
- Mini-profile backgrounds and chat stickers
- Exclusive seasonal items (Summer Sale items disappear on July 9 — permanently)
- In-game items for select titles
You can also collect trading cards by playing games, craft badges from complete sets (which award XP, coupons, and profile backgrounds), and sell cards on the Steam Marketplace for wallet credit.
Get Steam Games for Less on GamsGo
Steam sales offer great discounts, but you usually have to wait for seasonal promotions. On GamsGo, you can find discounted Steam game accounts year-round and get a ready-to-play account without waiting for the next Steam sale.
For players who want to access more games at a lower cost, GamsGo can be a practical alternative. You can also check a detailed GamsGo review to learn more about pricing, safety, and user experience.
GamsGo also offers other game accounts, including PUBG MOBILE accounts and Wuthering Waves accounts, giving players more flexible options for different games.
Whether you rely on sale timing or combine different purchasing methods, smart planning can help you enjoy more games while spending less. 🎁 For users who choose GamsGo, we’ve prepared a special gift for you:
We’ve prepared an exclusive promo code for all blog readers:
Enjoy an additional 3% off on your next purchase!
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FAQ
What's the biggest Steam sale?
The Summer Sale and Winter Sale are Steam's biggest events. The Summer Sale offers slightly deeper discounts (~66.63% avg) vs Winter Sale (~57.52%), but the Winter Sale generates higher overall revenue and purchase volume.
Does Steam take a 30% cut?
Yes, the standard revenue share is 30%. However, once a game’s cumulative revenue exceeds $10 million, Valve reduces its cut on that portion to 25%. When revenue surpasses $50 million, the share is further reduced to 20%.
Will Steam have a Black Friday sale in 2026?
Yes. Valve has confirmed in its 2026 annual event calendar that Black Friday will be included. According to the official description, Steam plans to direct platform traffic to the “Special Offers” hub in late November, highlighting games participating in Black Friday discounts. The exact dates and format have yet to be announced.
How many days is the Steam sale?
Different types of Steam sales vary significantly in duration:
Sale Type | Duration |
Summer Sale / Winter Sale | 14 to 18 days |
Spring Sale / Autumn Sale | 7 days |
Themed Fests (e.g., Cyberpunk Fest, Ocean Fest) | 7 days |
Spotlight Events (e.g., Typing Fest, Horse Fest) | 4 to 5 days |
Steam Next Fest | 7 days |
In 2026, the Winter Sale (December 17 to January 4) lasts about 18 days, making it the longest event of the year. The Summer Sale (June 25 to July 9) runs for around 14 days.
Do sales really save you money?
Yes, Steam sale discounts are genuine. The Summer Sale, for example, typically offers an average discount of over 66%. Indie games often see reductions of 80% to 90%, and classic titles frequently reach their all-time lowest prices during major sales.
What is the best time to buy games on Steam?
It depends on the game’s release timeline:
< 6 months: Rarely see deep discounts. AAA games usually get their first 25%–35% off during the next major sale.
1–2 years: Best discount period, often 50%–75% off in both themed and seasonal sales.
3+ years: Frequently hit all-time lows; themed events can offer even better deals than major sales.
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