Steam is one of the most popular PC gaming platforms, selling more than 400 million total games in 2023, according to Statista. The digital PC gaming service boasts a massive catalog of over 76,000 titles. I first discovered Steam in college -- until then, I’d never had my own computer, so the lure of PC gaming proved irresistible. What began as a humble dozen games (like Team Fortress 2 and Half-Life) blossomed into a collection of over 220 titles, thanks mainly to Steam sales. (Please don’t ask me how many items from my library I’ve actually played.)

Whether you’re trying to save a few bucks on one of the latest big-name AAA games, want to add more indie games to your digital shelf or need to fill up your Steam Deck hard drive, here’s everything you need to know about Steam sales, from when the next ones are to money-saving tips for maximizing your savings while growing your gaming backlog.

Konami Publisher Sale

A selection of Konami titles are currently discounted on Steam. Here are the best deals:

• Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1, 20% off (now $48, was $60)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection, 60% off (now $16, was $40)
• Contra Anniversary Collection, 80% off (now $4, was $20)
• Silent Hill Homecoming, 80% off (now $8, was $40)
• Super Bomberman R2, 40% off (now $40, was $50)
• Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience, 40% off (now $18, was $30)
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution, 75% off (now $10, was $40)

When are the next Steam sales?

There are four main Steam seasonal sales. The next major Steam Sale -- the Steam Autumn Sale -- runs Nov. 27 through Dec. 4. Before that, there are smaller sales, including the upcoming Turn-based RPG Fest which runs Sept. 30 to Oct. 7. Typically, the Steam Winter and Summer Sales last about two weeks, whereas the Spring and Autumn Sales last for one week, give or take. 

• Steam Autumn Sale (Nov. 27 to Dec. 4, 2024)
• Steam Winter Sale (Dec. 19, 2024 to Jan. 2, 2025)
• Steam Spring Sale (was March 14-21, 2024)
• Steam Summer Sale (was June 27 to July 11, 2024)

How often are Steam sales?

Steam Sales are pretty frequent, with at least one per month. While the big seasonal sales are quarterly -- winter, fall, spring and summer -- there are dozens of smaller sales or fests. Typically, these Steam discount days revolve around a particular theme, with lowered prices on titles within a certain genre, like fighting games or role-playing games. 

Here’s how I save money with Steam sales (and you can, too)

Take advantage of your wish list

Adding games to your Steam wish list simplifies figuring out what to snag -- or skip -- during a sale. You can sort your wish list by discount, so finding the biggest savings is a breeze.

Add a game to your wish list whenever you see one you like the look of but don't immediately want to play. Then, during a Steam sale, pop in, sort by discount and see which prices have plummeted the most. Or, you can arrange your wish list in order of your most wanted titles, then choose what to buy that way during one of the upcoming Steam sales. 

Use SteamDB to find the largest discounts

SteamDB is an excellent source for uncovering deals. Its many filters let you sort attributes, including discount percentage, rating, price or reviews, making it a helpful Steam sales tracker. You can even narrow down a list based on platform -- Windows, Linux or MacOS -- and features like controller support. I’ve even used SteamDB to nab free games, like a no-cost copy of Tell Me Why.

I typically hop into SteamDB during a Steam sale to look for hefty discounts on highly rated games. It’s worth checking SteamDB even outside of seasonal sales and fests if you want to expand your Steam collection.

Shop for older titles, indie games, DLC and complete catalogs

Often, newer AAA games get heavy markdowns -- but because of their usually high price tags, even the discounted cost isn’t cheap. However, you can find wallet-friendly older games, indies or downloadable content. For instance, I picked up a copy of The Sum of All Fears for just $2, which wasn’t even during a Steam sale. 

Complete publisher catalogs or franchise bundles save you a ton of money. I’ve seen the Activision Collection bundle -- typically $900 -- for as low as $355. While over $350 might not be pocket change, the per-title breakdown is pretty cost-effective when you’re getting 53 games. Similarly, I’ve seen the Call of Duty Franchise bundle for $443, a steep drop from its usual $1,010.

You can often get DLC packs pretty cheap during Steam sales, which provide more in-game content to enjoy. On the other hand, these comprehensive bundles might lead you to overspend if you’re not actually planning on playing, say, every single Call of Duty game under the sun.

Check your other game libraries to make sure you’re not double-dipping

Although Steam is incredibly popular, it’s not the only source for digital game purchases. Check your other libraries on GOG, Epic, EA Origin and Xbox Game Pass, for instance, to ensure you’re not double-dipping. While you could buy Cyberpunk 2077 on Steam and GOG, you probably don’t need two copies.

Cross-shop deals on other platforms

With many Steam alternatives, including GOG, Epic, Origin and Fanatical, you can find sweet discounts from several outlets. While you can -- and should -- check those individual storefronts, IsThereAnyDeal is a comprehensive source for savings. So you might notice a great deal on Skyrim from Steam, but it might be available at an even lower price at Epic at the same time.

Set a budget

Adding a bunch of games to your cart can be tempting, especially with prices slashed by 75% or more. However, lots of cheap games can still add up. I typically set a budget -- whether it’s monetary or a limit on the number of games -- and stick to that. 

Don’t feel compelled to buy anything

The best way to save money is by not spending it in the first place. I know, it’s tempting to load up your cart with $5 or $10 games, which is nearly as gratifying as an in-game loot grab. But only buy what you’ll play now or soon after purchasing. While there are rare instances where games get delisted on Steam, chances are if you pass up on a sweet deal, it’ll still be available during the next Steam sale. 

A complete list of Steam sale dates

Outside of Steam’s seasonal sales, there are different genre-themed sales or fests. Steam fests revolve around a genre or game theme. Here are the upcoming Steam fests for the remainder of 2024 and the first half of 2025 as announced by Steam, along with examples of Steam games on sale you might find:

• Turn-based RPG Fest (Sept. 30-Oct. 7): Turn down the costs for turn-based roleplaying games -- Wildermyth or King Arthur: Knight’s Tale might be priced lower than normal. 
• Next Fest: October Edition (Oct. 14-21): Demos, developer chats and livestreams.
• Halloween Sale (Oct. 28-Nov. 4): Score scary good deals. While horror games -- think Amnesia: The Dark Descent or Resident Evil 4 -- are the primary slashing “victims,” you can find deals on all genres.
• Cooking Fest (Nov. 11-18): Sizzling savings on food-related games. Cheaper-than-normal titles may include Overcooked or Papa’s Freezeria.
• Real-Time Strategy Fest (Jan. 20-27, 2025): Reap the rewards of discounted RTS strategy games -- you might find Hearts of Iron IV, Manor Lords or DOTA 2 on sale.
• Idler Fest (Feb. 3-10, 2025): If you want to play a video game that lets you progress without too much demanding effort, an idler is a great choice. Examples of what you could find on the cheap include Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realm, Firestone and Rusty's Retirement.
• Couch Co-Op Fest (Feb. 10-17, 2025): Couch co-op games let you play with friends in the same room. You may see games like It Takes Two, LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4 or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the Cowabunga Collection for wallet-friendly prices.
• Steam Next Fest February Edition (Feb. 24-March 10, 2025): Demos, developer chats and livestreams featuring up-and-coming games.
• Visual Novel Fest (March 3-10, 2025): Stock up your Steam library on graphic novel and anime-adjacent games without breaking the bank. You might see Persona 3 Reload, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy or Vampire Therapist at attractively low costs.
• City Builder & Colony Sim Fest (March 24-31, 2025): Build your own virtual worlds, and cop titles like Anno 1800, Ages of Empires IV or RimWorld on sale.
• Sokoban Fest (April 21-28, 2025): Pick up some puzzle games like Isles of Sea and Sky or Schein.
• Wargames Fest (April 28-May 5, 2025): Get your fight on with slashed prices on titles that may include Six Days in Fallujah, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 and Europa Universalis IV.
• Creature Collector Fest (May 12-19, 2025): If you like Pokémon, you'll love these discounts on games like Palworld, Digimon World: Next Order and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin.
• Zombies vs. Vampires Fest (May 26-June 2, 2025): Unreal deals on the undead and living dead -- titles you may see on sale include Resident Evil 4, The House of the Dead Remake and Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines.
• Steam Next Fest June Edition (June 9-16, 2025): Demos, livestreams and developer chats showcasing upcoming games.
• Fishing Fest (June 16-23, 2025): No fishing license required for these great games. You could see prices sink for games like Bassmaster Fishing, Fishing Planet, Bass Pro Shops Fishing Sim World or Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos.

Here are the past Steam sales from 2024:

• Capitalism and Economy Fest (was Jan. 8-15)
• Pirates vs. Ninjas Fest (was Jan. 22-29)
• Next Fest (was Feb. 5-12)
• Remote Play Together Fest (was Feb. 12-19)
• Dinos vs. Robots Fest (was Feb. 26-March 4)
• Deckbuilders Fest (was March 25-April 1)
• FPS Fest (was April 15-22)
• Farming Fest (April 29-May 6)
• Endless Replayability Fest (was May 13-20)
• Open World Survival Crafting Fest (was May 27-June 3)
• Next Fest (was June 10-17)
• Fighting Games Fest (was July 15-22)
• Tower Defense Fest (was July 29-Aug. 5)
• Rhythm Fest (was Aug. 19-26)
• Space Exploration Fest (was Sept. 2-9)
• Planes, Trains and Automobiles Fest (was Sept. 16-23)

When is the next Steam Next Fest?

There’s an upcoming Steam Next Fest running Oct. 28-21. The Steam Next Fest highlights upcoming game releases, featuring developer chats, free playable game demos and livestreams. Some of the most played demos from the June 2024 Steam Next Fest include Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, Once Human and Level Zero: Extraction.

Here’s what I bought on Steam recently

So what did I stock up on at a recent Steam Sale? Mass Effect Legendary Edition -- three games for $2 apiece was too good a deal to skip. I also snagged Middle-earth: Shadow of War. While I picked up Shadow of Mordor at a previous Steam Sale, I’ve not yet added its sequel to my metaphorical shelf. As a big cinephile and fan of movie tie-in games (like Peter Jackson’s King Kong), I was excited to get Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine alongside Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb for $4 total. 

How to get the most out of Steam once you’ve ravaged your wallet during a Steam sale

Once you’ve drained your bank account dry on games you’ll likely never play, there’s a lot more you can do with Steam, like sharing your library with friends or family, using Remote Play Together and adding non-Steam games. I suggest installing the Steam Link app on your phone, tablet or streaming device for playing your games away from your PC. You can also game on the go with the Steam Deck or another handheld gaming console like the Asus ROG Ally. Or, you can share your Steam library with up to five family members using Steam Families.