Steam’s Auto Battler RPG Fest 2026 runs from November 16 to November 23, according to Valve’s Upcoming Steam Events calendar for developers, read on November 11. It is the only themed Steam fest left on the 2026 calendar, and Valve’s page gives no start hour, no list of games and no discount levels yet.
- Dates: Monday, November 16 to Monday, November 23, 2026.
- Theme, in Valve’s words: “Games where the battles play themselves out – but you have to upgrade your units to win.”
- Not announced: start time, the participating games and any discounts. We could not find a live fest page on Steam at 00:25 UTC on November 11.
- What comes next: Valve’s calendar lists the Winter Sale for December 17, 2026 to January 4, 2027.
Table of Contents
What is the Auto Battler RPG Fest?
Valve runs these themed “Fests” through the year, each spotlighting one category of games. Valve says each one is promoted on the Steam homepage and split into sub-categories. Developers choose to take part: Valve says discounted games are prioritised, but free games, “Coming Soon” games and games with demos are also welcome. So expect a mix of sales, demos and wishlist pushes rather than one big price cut.
An auto battler is a game where you build and upgrade a team between rounds, then the fight plays out without you steering it. There is search interest: Bing’s autocomplete offers “steam auto battler rpg fest 2026” as a completion, and “auto battlers on steam” appears next to it.
Backpack Battles, tagged Auto Battler on Steam, is $11.99 today (20% off). Image: PlayWithFurcifer
Games tagged Auto Battler on Steam right now
Valve has not said which games will join, so this is not a fest lineup. It is a price check: the best-reviewed and most popular games carrying Steam’s own “Auto Battler” tag, with their current US prices. If one of them drops during the fest, you can compare it to this baseline. Prices and ratings were read on Steam’s US store on November 11 between 00:25 and 00:28 UTC.
| Game | Released | US price now | Steam rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechabellum | Sep 26, 2024 | $14.99 | Very Positive (84%) |
| Backpack Battles | Jun 13, 2025 | $11.99 (20% off $14.99) | Very Positive (92%) |
| The Bazaar | Aug 13, 2025 | $19.99 | Mostly Positive (78%) |
| 9 Kings (Early Access) | May 23, 2025 | $19.99 | Very Positive (92%) |
| The King is Watching | Jul 21, 2025 | $14.99 | Very Positive (90%) |
| How Many Dudes? The Roguelike Autobattler | Jul 30, 2026 | $14.99 | Very Positive (91%) |
| Batomon Showdown | Sep 15, 2026 | $9.74 (35% off $14.99) | Very Positive (90%) |
What each one is, per its Steam page
- Mechabellum: a “mech auto-battler” where you draft troops, customise units and set formations, then watch 3D battles in 1v1, 2v2, free-for-all or Survival Mode. Developer: Game River.
- Backpack Battles: “a PvP inventory management auto battler” in which you buy and craft items and arrange them in a backpack.
- The Bazaar: a multiplayer roguelike about heroes, item combos and a changing marketplace. Its Steam page does not use the words auto battler; the tag is what puts it here.
- 9 Kings: a roguelike kingdom builder with big battles against rival kings; it is in Early Access.
- The King is Watching: a roguelite kingdom builder where you choose between producing resources and training armies.
- How Many Dudes?: a roguelike where you recruit an army of “dudes” for ridiculous fights, from Butterscotch Shenanigans.
- Batomon Showdown: a creature-collecting, asynchronous PvP auto battler where you pick a trainer and build a team.
Batomon Showdown's fights play out automatically; the Steam price today is $9.74. Image: berrymint
How to prepare for the fest
- Wishlist now. Steam can notify you when a wishlisted game goes on sale (check your notification settings), which is the easiest way to catch a fest discount.
- Note today’s price. The table above is the baseline for November 11. Two of these games are already discounted, so a “sale” later may not beat today’s price.
- Try demos first. Valve says games with demos can take part, so a free demo may be the cheapest way to test whether you like the genre.
- Check the end date on the store page. Valve’s calendar gives the fest dates, but each game’s own discount shows its own countdown.
Mechabellum, a mech auto battler, costs $14.99 on Steam today. Image: Game River
Steam sales after the fest
Black Friday timing is tracked in our Black Friday 2026 gaming deals hub and the Steam Black Friday explainer. For the sale that follows, Valve lists the Winter Sale from December 17. If you only want games that cost nothing, see free Steam games this week and our list of best free games on Steam. For earlier Steam events, see our Steam Next Fest October 2026 page; our Steam Autumn Sale page explains the sale calendar.
What’s next: we will update this page when Valve opens the fest page with its start time and featured games.
Sources: Valve, Upcoming Steam Events (Steamworks); Steam store pages and search listing for the Auto Battler tag (prices, release dates, ratings and descriptions as shown on the US store, November 11, 2026); Bing autocomplete.
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Featured image: Butterscotch Shenanigans
