The Steam Next Fest February 2026 edition, which kicked off on the 24th, has unveiled the top 50 most-played demos.

Valve released the list on the 3rd, showcasing the 50 most-played demos from the February 2026 iteration of Steam Next Fest. The event is a digital showcase where players can experience a variety of upcoming titles before they officially launch. The ranking is based on the number of individual players who engaged with these demos during the event period.

Taking the top spot is Marathon. Launching on the 6th, this PvPvE extraction shooter from Bungie—the studio behind Halo and Destiny—has garnered significant attention. It is noted for the high-stakes tension characteristic of extraction shooters, its sci-fi aesthetic, and high-quality gunplay. It appears that many gamers were drawn to the title due to the 'Server Slam' test held during the festival, which offered various rewards, as well as the anticipation surrounding Bungie's new shooter. The test recorded a peak of 140,000 concurrent players on Steam.

In second place is the co-op game Burglin' Gnomes. Players take on the role of a mischievous gnome wreaking havoc in a house, and the chaotic situations that arise when failing missions or getting caught by the homeowner have drawn much interest. Third place went to Windrose, an open-world game set in the age of pirates. It has emerged as a highly anticipated title, combining sandbox survival-crafting gameplay with ship-to-ship combat.

Rounding out the top five, Vampire Crawler, a deck-building roguelike sequel to Vampire Survivors, took fourth place, while Far Far West, a co-op action FPS featuring bounty-hunting robot cowboys, placed fifth. Other notable titles in the top ranks include the 4-player co-op healing adventure Outbound, the action roguelike Wanderburg, which features a mobile castle as a battlefield, and John Carpenter's Toxic Commando, a co-op zombie action game described as a casual take on Left 4 Dead.

Meanwhile, Valve emphasized that while some games are currently available for pre-purchase, most of the demos remain playable, allowing users to continue exploring various upcoming titles even after the conclusion of the festival.