If you’re waiting for the Steam Autumn Sale 2026, you’ve already missed it: Valve ran it from October 1 to October 8 at 10 a.m. Pacific, according to its own announcement. There’s no second Autumn Sale in November this year. The next Steam-wide seasonal sale is the Winter Sale, December 17, 2026 to January 4, 2027, and Steam Scream V is running right now until November 2.
- Steam Autumn Sale 2026: October 1 to October 8, 2026 (over).
- On now: Steam Scream V horror sale, until November 2 at 10 a.m. PT (18:00 UTC).
- Next fest: Auto-Battler RPG Fest, November 16 to 23.
- Next big sale: Winter Sale, December 17 to January 4, 10 a.m. PT (18:00 UTC) both days.
- Black Friday: Valve lists no Steam-wide event between November 2 and December 17. Publishers can still discount on their own.
Table of Contents
When was the Steam Autumn Sale 2026?
October 1 to October 8. Valve’s post called it a week of deals across the whole store, with free stickers for clearing your Discovery Queue. That’s the second year running that the sale left its old late-November slot. In 2025 Valve opened it on September 29 and joked that it was “two months ahead of schedule”. From 2021 to 2024 it ran over US Thanksgiving week and doubled as the Steam Awards nomination window.
| Year | Steam Autumn Sale dates |
|---|---|
| 2026 | October 1 to October 8 |
| 2025 | September 29 to October 6 |
| 2024 | November 27 to December 4 |
| 2023 | November 21 to November 28 |
| 2022 | November 22 to November 29 |
| 2021 | November 24 to December 1 |
All dates come from Valve’s Steam News announcements. Each sale ended at 10 a.m. Pacific.
When is the next Steam sale?
Valve’s Steamworks events calendar lists everything it has announced so far. These are the sales and fests coming up through spring 2027:
| Event | Dates | What’s on sale |
|---|---|---|
| Steam Scream V | On now, ends Nov 2 | Horror and Halloween games |
| Auto-Battler RPG Fest | Nov 16 to Nov 23 | Auto-battlers |
| Steam Winter Sale | Dec 17, 2026 to Jan 4, 2027 | Store-wide, plus Steam Awards voting |
| Desktop Companion Fest | Jan 14 to Jan 18, 2027 | Games that sit on your desktop while you work |
| Shop Keeper Fest | Jan 25 to Feb 1, 2027 | Store management games |
| Sheep Fest | Feb 4 to Feb 8, 2027 | Games about sheep and goats |
| Couch Co-Op Fest | Feb 8 to Feb 15, 2027 | Local co-op games |
| Steam Next Fest | Feb 22 to Mar 1, 2027 | Free demos of upcoming games |
| Rhythm Fest | Mar 8 to Mar 15, 2027 | Rhythm games |
| Steam Spring Sale | Mar 18 to Mar 25, 2027 | Store-wide |
| Steam Summer Sale | Jun 24 to Jul 8, 2027 | Store-wide |
Valve lists the Autumn Sale 2027 as “TBD”. The Winter Sale page says it starts and ends at 10 a.m. Pacific, which is 18:00 UTC once US clocks change on November 1. If you want horror deals before Halloween, our Steam Scream Fest 2026 guide has the details. For free demos, see what we picked out for October’s Steam Next Fest.
Last year's Winter Sale ran December 18, 2025 to January 5, 2026. This year's starts December 17. Image: Valve
Is there a Steam Black Friday sale in 2026?
Not from Valve, going by its calendar. Nothing store-wide is scheduled between the end of Scream V on November 2 and the Winter Sale on December 17, so Black Friday (November 27) falls in that gap. Last November was the same: Valve’s announcements were the Animal Fest on November 10 and Steam Awards nominations from November 24 to December 1, 2025. Publishers can still set their own discounts in any week. For console, PC store and retailer sale dates, our Black Friday gaming deals hub is updated as each one is announced.
Steam deals worth a look right now
You don’t have to wait for December. These are the store’s top-selling discounts at the moment (US prices, checked October 29, 2026, 08:25 UTC). The end times come from Steam’s own store data. Prices in other regions differ.
| Game | Price now | Discount | Deal ends (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rise of the Tomb Raider | $2.99 (was $29.99) | -90% | Nov 6, 17:00 |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition | $3.99 (was $39.99) | -90% | Nov 6, 17:00 |
| Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered | $5.99 (was $29.99) | -80% | Nov 6, 18:00 |
| ARK: Survival Ascended | $11.24 (was $44.99) | -75% | Nov 8, 17:00 |
| Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Reloaded Edition | $11.99 (was $59.99) | -80% | Nov 9, 17:00 |
| Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced | $14.99 (was $29.99) | -50% | Nov 5, 18:00 |
| No Man’s Sky | $23.99 (was $59.99) | -60% | Nov 9, 18:00 |
| Disney Dreamlight Valley | $35.99 (was $59.99) | -40% | Nov 4, 14:00 |
Our picks: the two Tomb Raider reboot sequels are the easiest buys here, at under $4 each. If you play on PS5 and have PS Plus, Tomb Raider IV-VI is in the November PS Plus lineup, so you may not need the Steam copy. No Man’s Sky is a good one for anyone who wants a big, calm game to sink into over winter. Its Forsaken update arrived this week.
How to catch Steam deals before the Winter Sale
- Wishlist the games you want. Steam emails you when a wishlisted game goes on sale, so you won’t miss a discount from a publisher outside the big sales.
- Check your Personal Calendar. It left Steam Labs and became a full store feature on October 23. It shows recommended new and upcoming games over an 8-week window, based on what you play most.
- Clear your Discovery Queue during seasonal sales. At the Autumn and Winter Sales, Valve hands out free stickers for going through it.
- Look for free games as well. Our Free Games This Week page tracks Epic, Prime Gaming and Steam free-to-keep offers every week.
The Steam Personal Calendar became a full store feature on October 23, 2026. Image: Valve
FAQ
Will there be a Steam Autumn Sale in November 2026?
No. The 2026 Autumn Sale ran from October 1 to 8, and Valve’s calendar has no other store-wide sale before the Winter Sale on December 17.
When is the Steam Winter Sale 2026?
December 17, 2026 to January 4, 2027. It starts and ends at 10 a.m. Pacific (18:00 UTC).
When do Steam Awards 2026 nominations open?
Valve hasn’t announced it yet. Last year nominations ran from November 24 to December 1, and voting started with the Winter Sale on December 18, 2025.
Sources: Valve’s Steam News announcements (Autumn Sale 2021-2026, Scream V, Personal Calendar, Steam Awards 2025), the Steamworks upcoming events and Winter Sale 2026 pages, and Steam store data for prices and discount end times (checked October 29, 2026, 08:25 UTC).
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Featured image: Valve
