If you're looking for a fresh batch of indie video games to dive into, Steam Next Fest is the perfect place to start. The limited-time event (running until March 3) showcases a massive selection of upcoming games, giving players the chance to try out free demos before the games officially launch.

The Steam Deck marked its third anniversary on Tuesday, a milestone met alongside reports that estimate Valve has shipped over 3.7 units as of the end of 2024, accounting for 48% of all handheld gaming PC hardware sold that year.

If you head over to the Steam Next Fest charts right now, Valve will offer you a glimpse of the 2,228 games offering free downloadable demos as part of the event through Sunday, March 3. That is way too many games to effectively evaluate in such a short time, even with the massive resources of the Ars Orbiting HQ.

Credit: Nopopo, Future Friends Games, Outersloth When I pitched PC Gamer a list of the top five deckbuilder demos of Steam Next Fest, I probably should have checked that there weren’t 4 billion of the bloody things.

"You will also be able to take advantage of the Steam Cloud Save functionality, meaning you can play on your PC, save and close the game, then carry on where you left off on your

Dredge is a popular fishing game, winning multiple GOTY awards, now available on Android with touch controls and controller support. The game offers a unique mix of fishing, inventory management, and crafting elements,