Steam Next Fest Demos: Wishlist & Follow Guide

Steam Next Fest is a recurring event where developers release playable demos of upcoming games. Adding these demos to your wishlist and following the developers ensures you get notified about launch dates, updates, and future events. This guide walks you through the process on both the Steam client and website, so you never miss a demo or a developer update again.

What You’ll Need

• A Steam account (free to create)
• The Steam client installed on your PC, or access to the Steam website in a browser
• The Steam Next Fest event page (usually accessible from the Steam home page during the event)

Step-by-Step

1. Open the Steam Next Fest page. During the event, the Steam store front page will feature a banner for Next Fest. Click it to enter the event hub. If you don’t see the banner, go to the Steam Store tab and look for the Next Fest section under “Featuredâ€� or “Events.â€�
2. Browse the demo list. The event hub displays all available demos. You can scroll through the main carousel or use the filters on the left to narrow by genre, tags, or price (most demos are free).
3. Open a demo’s store page. Click on any demo’s tile or title to go to its individual store page. This is where you’ll find the wishlist button and the developer’s information.
4. Add the demo to your wishlist. On the store page, look for a button that says “Add to your wishlist.� It’s usually located near the “Play Demo� or “Download� button. Click it. The button will change to “On Wishlist� to confirm. You can add as many demos as you like.
5. Follow the developer. Scroll down on the same store page to the “About This Game� section. Below the game description, you’ll see the developer and publisher names. Click the “Follow� button next to the developer’s name. This subscribes you to their announcements, which appear in your Steam activity feed and via email (if enabled).
6. Repeat for other demos. Go back to the event hub and repeat steps 3–5 for every demo you want to track. You can also use the “Wishlist� filter on the event page to see which demos you’ve already added.
7. Access your wishlist later. To view all your wishlisted demos, go to your Steam profile name in the top menu, select “Wishlist� from the dropdown. This list shows all games and demos you’ve added, including those from Next Fest.
8. Check developer updates. After following a developer, their updates appear in your Steam “Activity� tab (the icon that looks like a speech bubble in the top right). You can also click the developer’s name on the store page to see their full developer page, which lists all their games and recent announcements.

Common Mistakes

• Clicking “Play Demoâ€� instead of wishlisting. Playing the demo does not automatically add the game to your wishlist. You must click the wishlist button separately.
• Not following the developer. Wishlisting only notifies you about the game’s release, not about developer posts. Following is a separate action.
• Wishlisting the full game instead of the demo. Some demos have a separate store page from the full game. Make sure you’re on the demo’s page if that’s what you want to track. The full game page will say “Add to your wishlistâ€� for the full release.
• Assuming the demo is yours forever. Next Fest demos are temporary. After the event ends, the demo may be removed from the store, but it will remain in your library if you downloaded it. Wishlisting the full game ensures you can find it later.

Tips

• Use the “Wishlistâ€� filter on the event page. This shows only demos you’ve already added, so you can quickly see what you’ve covered.
• Follow the publisher too. If you like a demo, following both the developer and publisher can give you more updates about future projects.
• Enable email notifications. Go to Steam Settings > Notifications and make sure “Emailâ€� is checked for “Wishlistâ€� and “Followed Games.â€� This way you get updates even when you’re not on Steam.
• Sort your wishlist by “Release Date.â€� This helps you see which wishlisted demos are launching soon.
• Download demos early. Demos often have download limits during the event. Downloading early ensures you can play before the event ends.

Troubleshooting

• The “Add to Wishlistâ€� button is missing. This usually means the demo has been removed from the store (event ended or developer pulled it). Try searching for the full game instead and wishlist that.
• You clicked “Followâ€� but don’t see updates. Check your Activity feed. Sometimes updates are delayed. Also verify you clicked “Followâ€� on the developer, not just the game. The game’s follow button is separate.
• You can’t find the event page. If Next Fest isn’t showing, it may have ended. Check the Steam store’s “Eventsâ€� tab or search for “Next Festâ€� in the search bar. If it’s not there, the event is over.
• Wishlist items disappear. Demos that are removed from the store may vanish from your wishlist. The full game should remain. If not, you may have been logged out or the item was removed by the developer.
• You followed a developer but got no emails. Go to Steam Settings > Notifications and confirm that “Followed Gamesâ€� is set to “Emailâ€� and that your email address is verified in your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need to own the demo to wishlist it?
A: No. You can wishlist any demo on Steam without owning or downloading it. Wishlisting is just a bookmark.

Q: Will I be notified when the full game releases if I only wishlist the demo?
A: Yes, if the demo and full game share the same store page. If they are separate, wishlisting the demo may not notify you about the full game’s release. To be safe, wishlist both.

Q: Can I follow a developer without adding the demo to my wishlist?
A: Absolutely. The “Follow� button is independent of the wishlist button. You can follow any developer from their store page.

Q: How long do Next Fest demos stay available?
A: Demos are typically available for the duration of the event (about one week). After that, many are removed from the store, though some developers keep them up permanently.

Q: Is there a limit to how many demos I can wishlist?
A: No, Steam allows you to wishlist an unlimited number of items.

Q: What happens to my wishlisted demo after Next Fest ends?
A: If the demo is removed from the store, it may disappear from your wishlist. The full game, if wishlisted, will remain. You can still play any demo you downloaded before it was removed.

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