When is the next Steam sale? All the details you need to know

If you’re a PC gamer looking to expand your games library, you might be holding out for Steam’s next big sale. The sales offer the perfect opportunity to stock up on all the games you’ve had your eye on for less, but how long will you have to wait?

Steam sales are home to some of the platform’s biggest discounts and typically take place for a short window of time every few months.

While there are rumours we’ll see a Golden Week sale from April 30 to May 6, focussing on Japanese developers such as Capcom, Bandai Namco and Square Enix, as well as a Spring Cleaning event from May 21 to May 28 (via GameWatcher), the next major sale is likely to be the Steam Summer Sale.

When is the next Steam sale?

The next big Steam sale is expected to be the Steam Summer Sale. While Valve has yet to confirm any specific dates, the sale is likely to take place in June 2021 after the Steam Game Festival which takes place from June 16 to June 22 (via PC Gamer).

Steam wrapped up its February 3 to February 9 Game Festival with a Lunar New Year Sale that ran from February 11 to February 15, so it makes sense that the Summer Sale would follow the June festival.

So, what is the difference between the Steam Game Festivals and the Steam sales?

The festivals are events that allow gamers to try new games and interact with developers. Activities include game demos, in-depth developer interviews, developer livestreams and more. Developers can also benefit by getting early feedback on their games.

While there are perks to the festivals, such as limited-time demos, the sales are where gamers can really bag a discount and the Summer Sale is one of the biggest sales Steam holds every year.

For some of our favourite Steam offerings right now, check out our guide to the best PC games. You can also visit our guides to the best gaming CPUs, GPUs and gaming laptops if you’re looking to upgrade your gaming setup.