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Steam Next Fest Opens With Hundreds of Free Demos as Roguelike Experiments Lead and Players Push for AI Filters

Curators highlight inventive hybrids during a weeklong showcase running through March 2.

Overview

  • The February 2026 edition runs February 23 to March 2 on Steam with free access to hundreds of playable demos.
  • Early coverage spotlights a wave of roguelike innovation, with Titanium Court flagged as a must-play for mixing match-three, tower defense and resource strategy under a Shakespearean theme.
  • Other run-based experiments lean into dicebuilding and chess twists, including DiceVaders and Gambonanza.
  • Genre range remains broad beyond roguelikes, featuring the retro submarine survival-horror Heavy Metal Death Can and the music-focused RPG People of Note.
  • Outlets such as PC Gamer and DayOne publish fast-moving recommendation lists, while Creative Bloq reports growing player calls to filter AI-generated content; Steam mandates AI disclosures on store pages but offers no AI tag.