when does the steam sale start

The next big Steam sale on the calendar is the Steam Spring Sale 2026 , which starts on 19 March 2026 and runs until 26 March 2026.
Quick scoop
- The current major sale period is the tail end of the Steam Winter Sale 2025 , which runs 18 December 2025 â 5 January 2026 , so that one is either ongoing or just about to end, depending on your exact date.
- After Winter, a series of smaller themed âFestsâ (like Detective Fest and Board Game Fest) fill JanuaryâFebruary 2026 with discounts on specific genres.
- The next major, storeâwide discount wave is the Steam Spring Sale starting 19 March 2026 , which is generally treated as the ârealâ next Steam sale after Winter.
Key 2025âearly 2026 dates
| Event | Dates | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Sale 2025 | 18 Dec 2025 â 5 Jan 2026 | Big endâofâyear sale rolling into early 2026. | [5][1][2][3][4]
| Detective Fest | 12 â 19 Jan 2026 | Mystery and crimeâthemed games. | [1][2][3][4]
| Board Game Fest | 26 Jan â 2 Feb 2026 | Digital board and tabletopâstyle titles. | [2][3][4][1]
| Typing Fest / PvP / Horse Fest | 5 â 23 Feb 2026 (various) | Shorter, niche genre Fests with rotating discounts. | [3][4][1][2]
| Steam Next Fest (Feb) | 23 Feb â 2 Mar 2026 | Demoâfocused event with some deals and lots of upcoming games. | [4][1][2][3]
| Steam Spring Sale 2026 | 19 â 26 Mar 2026 | First big, storeâwide sale of the year. | [5][1][2][4]
What this means for you
- If you want immediate broad discounts, the ongoing or justâfinished Winter Sale is your best bet right now.
- If you missed Winter, plan your wishlist for the Spring Sale (19â26 March 2026) and watch the smaller Fests in JanâFeb for deeper genreâspecific deals.
- Historically, later in the year you can expect the Summer , Autumn , and next Winter sales around their usual windows (late June/early July, November, midâDecember), though exact lateâ2026 dates are not all finalized yet.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.