Steam Next Fest has started, with publishers releasing thousands of free game demos via the PC storefront. These demos will be available all week, and it gives you the chance to try out a bunch of games that are in development.

Kicking off today, Steam Next Fest will run from June 15 to June 22. The announcement features a bunch of demos you can try out right now, all for free.

Steam Next Fest Starts Now, Runs Until Next Monday

As the name suggests, Steam Next Fest is all about putting the spotlight on games that haven't launched yet. So, it's an opportunity for devs to get some eyes on their projects before they launch, hopefully boosting wishlist numbers as development continues. And with Steam packed with new releases as ever, many will be hoping that their demos rise to the top.

Having refreshed the announcement page a few times to see what's on offer, it's great news for players always on the lookout for a new indie to get stuck into. A bunch of platformers, shooters, and visual novels led by smaller teams are on offer. Steam will also recommend demos based on the games you already have in your library, if you're unsure what to go with.

The only downside is that if you're someone who avoids games that use generative AI, you'll have to be careful which demos you try out here. Taking a quick flick through, it's clear that many titles are using generative AI in their promotional images, so it's likely that it's being used for in-game assets as well. But Steam being full of AI games is nothing new, so I imagine many of you are already alert for it.

By my count, there are around 7,000 demos to choose from right now. With any luck, Steam Next Fest will get some eyes on the next indie hit and make it easier for devs to break through all the noise.

We're seeing that right now with Task Bar Hero, although that isn't exactly for the most wholesome reason. Many are monetising the time they spend with this idle game, selling loot on Steam Marketplace. This saw Task Bar Hero reach a concurrent player count of more than 500,000 over the weekend, and it's stayed around this level ever since.

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