Steam Next Fest has wrapped up once again, giving players a chance to try out a huge selection of upcoming games before release. The week-long event, which ran from Feb. 24 to March 3, let players download and test demos to get a taste of what’s coming next in the world of PC gaming.
Now that it’s over, Valve has revealed the 50 most-played demos, and the results are a mix of surprises, breakout hits, and a few controversial entries. To highlight the best ones, I hunted down the top 10 entries, checking the data on SteamDB to find out which games actually had high player counts.
The demo that attracted the most attention was Mecha BREAK, with a staggering peak of over 300,000 players logging in to play this mech pilot game. But it wasn’t all positive—of the 13,600 reviews left on Steam, more than 8,800 are negative. Despite the high player count, the reviews suggest that not everyone was thrilled with the experience.
Coming in second was Fellowship, which saw 16,721 players jump into its online multiplayer dungeon adventure. Taking a classic MMO-style approach, Fellowship emphasizes teamwork, requiring players to form parties with tanks, healers, and damage dealers to tackle endless dungeon runs.
RoadCraft took the third spot with over 12,000 players testing out its disaster recovery mechanics. The game lets you control construction machinery to clear debris, repair roads, and restore local infrastructure after natural disasters. While it found an audience, its reviews were mixed, with some players expressing disappointment that it wasn’t more like SnowRunner.
In fourth place was Among Us 3D, bringing the familiar betrayal-based multiplayer game into an immersive 3D environment. With over 11,000 players jumping in, it’s clear that the concept has strong appeal.
The Gothic 1 Remake prologue also saw strong interest, with over 10,000 players trying out the reimagined world of the Valley of the Mines. Set before the events of the original game, this standalone prologue introduces players to the colony through the eyes of Nyras. Built in Unreal Engine 5, the demo has earned 78 percent positive reviews, but several players weren’t jazzed with the graphics.
Nearly edging out RoadCraft for third place was Schedule I: Free Sample, which finished Next Fest with 9,243 players but has since grown to over 12,200. Schedule I puts players in the shoes of a small-time drug dealer looking to build an empire. It was one of the best-reviewed demos, with a 98 percent positive rating.
Next up was Shape of Dreams, a hybrid of action roguelite and MOBA gameplay that saw 7,958 players diving into its dreamlike world. With 96 percent positive reviews, players enjoyed it, though some found the controls to be a bit clunky.
Following that was The First Berserker: Khazan, a hardcore action RPG with 4,439 players stepping into the boots of Khazan, a fallen general seeking vengeance. It earned a strong 90 percent positive rating, with players praising its challenging combat and dark narrative.
One of the more unique games in the top 10 was Solarpunk, a survival game set in a world of floating islands where players construct buildings, farm, and explore by airship. With 3,728 players, it performed well for a new indie title. While only offering a couple of hours of gameplay in the demo, the game has continued to gain traction. This was my personal favorite of the event and one I mentioned in 10 game demos you need to try during Steam Next Fest 2025.
Rounding out the list is the Bongo Cat demo, which proved that meme culture is alive and well. With just over 3,200 players, this quirky game lets you make Bongo Cat punch your taskbar as you type and click your way to unlocking new hats. It’s a simple, goofy concept, but apparently, plenty of people (including me—I’ll admit I have a Bongo Cat sticker on my car) couldn’t resist trying it.
Steam Next Fest always offers a fascinating snapshot of what games are generating the most interest before launch. Now, the wait begins to see how these games will fare when they launch for real.
