The first Steam Next Fest of 2026 is absolutely filled to the rafters with demos for some of the most exciting upcoming indie games. In fact, there are so many fantastic future releases included in Valve's February demo fest, that I've frankly been spoiled for choice. But as the resident wrangler of the Indie Spotlight series here at GamesRadar+, I consider it my duty – nay, my honor – to dive into the event with reckless abandon and try out some new games ahead of release.
Of course, I'm not the only one here that loves the event, and many of my fellow writers have been tucking into demos and rightly shouting about them. So, if you're looking to get stuck into some demo goodness over the weekend for some very promising new indie games, then I'm here to shine a light on the 10 best Steam Next Fest demos you absolutely need to try while they're around. From my own personal picks, to my fellow writers' favorites, now's the time to get Steam open and ready as I take you through the demos worth downloading.
