Steam Next Fest has commenced and the initial demo hits have already surfaced. Nevertheless, the most popular title doesn’t merely stand out due to its download count.
The second Steam Next Fest 2025 has kicked off, granting you until June 16 at 7 p.m. to explore over 2,000 upcoming games for free. While some demo versions will still be available after the event, others will vanish within days.
The first game fans have already navigated through the event and sampled a few titles. It has also become apparent which demos players deem particularly captivating. Furthermore, the top-ranked title illustrates why the event is so significant for enthusiasts.
We’ve highlighted the 15 most popular titles from Steam Next Fest. A comprehensive list of all 2,000 demos can be found on Steam.
1st place – Vindictus: Defying Fate
– Genre: Action/Role-playing
– Developer: Nexon
– Publisher: Nexon
Vindictus: Defying Fate is an action-driven role-playing game where you must refine your combat skills against formidable boss foes in classic Souls fashion to conquer the battlefield. You can select from various characters with unique abilities that can be utilized to traverse a merciless fantasy realm and follow a traditional role-playing narrative.
Mixed reactions: The demo of Vindictus: Defying Fate appears highly intriguing to many players, with over 40,000 concurrently playing on Steam at certain points. However, it only succeeded in winning over half of them. Just 46 percent of reviews are favorable, highlighting once again the importance of being able to sample games.
The criticisms are hard to pinpoint down to specific aspects. These include technical issues, outdated controls, distracting visual effects, and dubious privacy policies. On the flip side, the engaging and stylishly designed enemies have received much acclaim. Views are starkly divided concerning the combat system.
The most played demos at a glance:
2nd place: Jump Ship (Genre: Hybrid of first-person and space shooter for co-op enthusiasts – Developer: Keepsake Games – Simultaneous players: 9,843)
3rd place: Pioner (Genre: Action MMO role-playing game reminiscent of Fallout and Stalker – Developer: GFAGAMES – Simultaneous players: 9,661)
4th place: Half Sword (Genre: Comedic medieval sword fighting simulation – Developer: Half Sword Games – Simultaneous players: 7,870)
5th place: Stellar Blade (Genre: High-quality sci-fi soulslike initially launched exclusively on PS5 – Developer: Shift Up Corporation – Simultaneous players: 5,568)
6th place: UFL (Genre: Free soccer simulation featuring licensed players – Developer: XTEN Limited – Simultaneous players: 5,058)
7th place: Escape from Duckov (Genre: Top-down extraction shooter – involving ducks – Developer: Team Soda – Simultaneous players: 4,164)
8th place: Warborne Above Ashes (Genre: Vivid sci-fi blend of MMORPG and MOBA – Developer: Pumpkin Studio – Simultaneous players: 3,515)
9th place: Star Birds (Genre: Laid-back resource management game from the creators of Village Romantic – Developer: Toukana Interactive – Simultaneous players: 3,038)
10th place: Deltarune Chapter 1 & 2 (Genre: Pixelated role-playing game with a complex narrative and unique combat mechanics – Developer: tobyfox – Simultaneous players: 2,545)
11th place: Dead As Disco (Genre: Chic rhythm combat game set in a vibrant disco – Developer: Brain Jar Games – Simultaneous players: 2,476)
12th place: Quarantine Zone: The Last Check (Genre: Simulation where you oversee your own quarantine area during a zombie apocalypse – Developer: Brigada Games – Simultaneous players: 2,424)
13th place: Ratatan (Genre: Trendy rhythm roguelike with diverse combat and numerous characters – Developer: TVT Co. Ltd./Ratata Arts – Simultaneous players: 1,789)
14th place: Ball X Pit (Genre: In a dark fantasy universe, you battle adversaries with bouncing balls in this action roguelite – Developer: Kenny Sun – Simultaneous players: 1,659)
15th place: Mimesis (Genre: Co-op survival horror where your foes mimic your teammates – Developer: ReLU Games – Simultaneous players: 1,601)
The 15 titles listed above are merely a brief snapshot of what awaits you at Steam Next Fest. Last weekend also featured the Summer Game Fest, a significant industry event during which the new Call of Duty was unveiled, among other highlights.