When are the next Steam sales? Calendar 2026-2027 (and what about Black Friday)

The next major Steam sale is the winter sale: from Thursday, December 17, 2026, to Monday, January 4, 2027. If you were waiting for Black Friday, bad news: this year's autumn sale already took place from October 1 to 8, so Steam won't have a major sale at the end of November. We'll tell you all about the calendar and how to make the most of it.

Are there Steam sales on Black Friday 2026?

There won't be a general sale across the entire store. In previous years, the autumn sale coincided with Black Friday, but in 2026, Valve moved it to October. Black Friday falls on Friday, November 27, 2026, and Cyber Monday on Monday, November 30.

That doesn't mean there won't be discounts: many publishers offer their own deals on those days, and Steam always has weekly and weekend promotions. But the big event with thousands of games discounted at the same time arrives in December.

Steam sale and event calendar

In between, there are themed festivals (racing, strategy, rhythm...) with discounts on games from a specific genre. Valve may change some of them, so it's a good idea to check the store itself.

What time do the winter sales start?

The big Steam sales start at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. On December 17, that's:

They end at the same time on the last day, January 4.

6 tips for buying cheaper on Steam

1. Fill your wishlist now. Steam notifies you by email and in the app when a game on your list goes on sale.
2. Check the price history. On websites like SteamDB, you can see the lowest price a game has had and know if the offer is really good or if it's been cheaper before.
3. Don't buy right before a sale. If a game you want isn't urgent, wait until December 17: it's likely to go on sale.
4. Take advantage of refunds. Steam refunds your money if you request it within 14 days of purchase and have played less than 2 hours. If you make a mistake with a game on sale, you can return it.
5. Look for bundles and complete editions. Often, the complete edition with all DLCs on sale costs almost the same as the base game without a discount.
6. Try before with Next Fest demos. In February and June, you can try hundreds of games that haven't been released yet for free and add the ones you like to your list.

Frequently asked questions

When are the next Steam sales? The winter sales, from December 17, 2026, to January 4, 2027.

Does Steam have Black Friday sales in 2026? There are no general sales: the autumn sales already took place from October 1 to 8. Some publishers will have individual deals.

What time do the winter sales start in Spain? At 7:00 p.m. (mainland Spain) on Thursday, December 17.

When are the Steam summer sales in 2027? From June 24 to July 8, 2027.

Sources: Steamworks event calendar (Valve) compiled by SteamDB, Yahoo Tech, Digital Citizen, and GamesHub; Steam refund policy.