After your next big Steam game but don’t really know where to start? I understand. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s been a strong start to the year on Steam, with tons of new free releases and a handful of indie titles that might have flown under your radar.
We all know 2026 is going to be a juggernaut of a year for AAA releases, but before those games really start to trickle in over the next few months, you should probably take a look at some smaller games while you can. That’s where Steam’s latest promotional event comes in particularly handy.
Steam Board Game Fest Is Live Now
You certainly won’t be board
Steam Board Game Fest is currently live from now until February 2, meaning you have a very limited time to get your hands on a bunch of deep discounts for games that are either based on or inspired by board games. These are the kinds of games you can lose hours to in the blink of an eye, so just be aware of that before you dive too deep.
But the discounts are just one part of it. There are also 24 free demos you can download and check out as part of the fest. Well, there are actually 157 free demos, but it would be madness to expect you to check them all out, and Valve knows it. That’s why they’ve highlighted 24 that’ll probably be the most interesting to you.
Those demos are:
- VIractal: World of Viractalia – A Zelda-esque fantasy RPG that looks genuinely delightful.
- Gold And Wars – For medieval strategy lovers.
- Conquest Tactics : Realm of Sin – A dark fantasy roguelike.
- Hex Of Steel – One for WWII fans. Or enthusiasts, I guess I should say?
- Scared Crow – A very cute looking roguelike.
- Passant: A Chess Roguelike Demo – It’s chess, but roguelike. There are a lot of roguelikes here.
- Cropdeck – A farming deck-building roguelite.
- One Less Choice – A Russian Roulette-style horror thriller.
- Odds Chronicles – Another tactical roguelite fantasy RPG, if you can believe it.
- The Horror At Highrook – An excellent murder mystery.
- Lost For Swords – Another roguelike deckbuilder. Shocker.
- Dicealot – You’ll never guess what kind of game this is.
- Talespire – Create your own Dungeons & Dragons levels!
- 100% Orange Juice – A digital multiplayer board game.
- Talisman: Digital 5th Edition – “The definitive, most customisable version of Talisman, ever.”
- Dice A Million – Roll some dice, have some fun.
- Zoominoes – Another roguelike deckbuilder! You sickos are eating well.
- Game With Friends – An incredibly sweet MMO that basically lets you hang out in the park and play various games with your friends.
- Board Game Soceity – A turn-based horror RPG.
- Die For The Lich – A turn-based dungeon crawler.
- Don’t Freeze – A survival game with a genuinely interesting twist.
- DOKAPON! Sword of Fury – A board game with a classic 90’s JRPG aesthetic.
- Beacon Patrol – A relaxing game about exploration.
- Arsonate – A dark first-person horror.
That’s Just The Tip Of The Iceberg
So many other games, so little time
There are dozens upon dozens of other demos currently available as part of this Steam fest, so if you don’t like any of the ones you’re seeing above, be sure to dive in and give the rest a proper look when you get a chance!