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Steam Next Fest

All articles tagged with #steam next fest

Iron Nest: The Quiet Thrill of Loading a Giant Cannon
games27 days ago

Iron Nest: The Quiet Thrill of Loading a Giant Cannon

Kotaku’s review singles out Iron Nest: Heavy Turret Simulator as the best Steam Next Fest demo in a weak year. The game is less about firing and more about a meticulous, tactile process: writing orders, calculating range, loading shells, rotating turrets, and adjusting elevation in a step‑by‑step workflow that can feel almost meditative. Set under the morally dubious High Command, it delivers satisfying mechanical feedback and a surprising sense of smarts, turning what could be a simple cannon shooter into a rich, brain‑teasing simulation you’ll remember long after the festival’s other demos fade.

GI's Summer 2026 Steam Next Fest Demos You Should Try
technology28 days ago

GI's Summer 2026 Steam Next Fest Demos You Should Try

Game Informer curates a starter list of standout Steam Next Fest demos for Summer 2026, highlighting titles like Edge of Memories, Penguin Colony, Veritas Tales: Witch of the Dark Castle, Over the Hill, Demon Bluff, Well Dweller, Duskfade, and Woodo, with quick notes on each game’s vibe, combat or puzzle systems, and what makes them worth checking out before the festival ends on June 22, 2026.

About 1,700 Steam Next Fest demos carry AI disclosures
technology1 month ago

About 1,700 Steam Next Fest demos carry AI disclosures

Steam Next Fest features 8,700 participating games, with about 1,704 of them (roughly 20%) tagged for generative AI disclosures, reflecting Valve’s requirement that AI use be declared to players. The practice has sparked ongoing industry debate, with past clarifications like Sega’s Crazy Taxi AI usage cited as examples, while AI continues to be integrated in major releases and even linked to broader concerns like hardware price spikes.

Steam Next Fest Flooded With AI Warnings, Dimming the Demos
commentary1 month ago

Steam Next Fest Flooded With AI Warnings, Dimming the Demos

A Kotaku columnist browses Steam Next Fest with an AI-content detector and finds that many demos carry generative AI warnings, turning the event into a depressing experience as AI-made visuals and assets creep into indie titles. The piece argues small teams feel pressured to use AI due to resource limits, worries about a future where human-made games are rarer, and notes the overall flood of AI-signed content alongside a backlog of non-AI titles.

Steam Next Fest's top demos point to a busy year of promotions and surprises
gaming4 months ago

Steam Next Fest's top demos point to a busy year of promotions and surprises

As Steam's February Next Fest winds down, Valve’s data shows Marathon leading the top-played demos after its server slam, followed by titles like Burglin' Gnomes, Windrose and Vampire Crawlers. The piece situates the moment within Valve’s broader plan for 2026: 22 themed fests on top of Next Fests and seasonal sales, adding up to 29 promotions this year and keeping a steady stream of events shaping players’ calendars.

gaming4 months ago

New Blood's Dungeons of Dusk Aims for a Cross-Platform Release With Steam Next Fest Demo

New Blood CEO Dave Oshry outlines Dungeons of Dusk, a Doom/RPG-inspired dungeon crawler by Federico Szymanski, slated for mobile, PC, and consoles later this year with a Steam Next Fest demo. The game emphasizes simple, addictive on‑screen real-time combat and is designed to sit canonically between Dusk episodes. Oshry says they may skip traditional Early Access here, opting for a direct release, though an episodic approach could be possible later. Day‑one availability across PC, handhelds, and consoles (Switch/PlayStation/Xbox) is planned, with a vertical mobile UI, and there are discussions about keeping the soundtrack largely from Dusk with potential new tracks. David Szymanski has final approval but isn’t heavily involved day‑to‑day. Beyond Dungeons of Dusk, New Blood is juggling Blood West DLC, Ultrakill updates, Tenebris Somnia, and more console ports, while maintaining its founder‑driven, non‑mainstream approach to marketing and community.

Indie Demos Parade: The Sicko’s Steam Next Fest February 2026 Picks
tips-and-guides4 months ago

Indie Demos Parade: The Sicko’s Steam Next Fest February 2026 Picks

Kotaku’s The Sicko’s Guide to Steam Next Fest February 2026 spotlights a curated batch of indie demos (including Corn Kidz 64, Downsouth, RUBATO, Blast Cats, PSI, Subjectivation, ChainStaff, Bad Pixels, and ᴛᴜᴍᴏʀ ɴᴇᴄʀᴏꜱɪꜱ ꜰᴀᴄᴛᴏʀ:// αᴍᴇɴ) and discusses how Steam’s discoverability can obscure hidden gems. The piece advises creators and players to bolster discovery by following developers, checking itch.io, adding demos to the wishlist, and exploring Backlogged pages to tailor Next Fest to personal tastes.