Steam Next Fest October Edition + more: Peek at the Week (Oct 19-25)
it's over 8,000!!
Oh, is something happening in the world of game demos this week?
Just kidding, it is, of course, Steam Next Fest: October Edition this week!
Valve's quarterly celebration of upcoming games features an eye-watering 8,019 titles (at time of publication) this time around, and you can be certain that I'll have more thoughts on that in Wednesday's bonus newsletter (make sure to subscribe so you don't miss it!), as well as my picks of the best of the fest coming later this week. Let's get into what else is happening in gaming.
🎁 Giveaway
I've got five Steam keys of Nomori to give away thanks to the team at Enchanted Works! This whimsical puzzle game really encourages you to think outside the box by shifting gravity and playing with portals. Paid LFG Supporters (thank you ♥️) can enter by joining the giveaway in the #giveaways channel in the LFG Discord. If you're not a Supporter, hit the button below and join the community!
Giveaway ends Sunday October 25 at 1.30 PM PT. Good luck!
Releases
It's a quieter week for releases than usual, here are some games I've got my eye on.
🥶 Grab your pal and your walkie talkie for We Were Here Tomorrow (Oct 20), an asymmetric co-op puzzler where you're desperately trying to escape the icy tundras of Antarctica
🔫 Looking for a challenge in a beautiful 2D world? Platformer meets Metroidvania meets run 'n gunner A Sister's Journey (Oct 20) finally launches this week
🪱 Would you still love me If I Was A Worm? (Oct 21) This one has been renamed to WOIM, and it was one of my picks from last Next Fest. It's a fun little puzzler that Snake (the mobile game) fans will dig
✂️ Dressmaker for papercrafters? Cut, fold, and glue your own paper village together in Cutout Village (Early Access Oct 21). Best of all, you can print out the buildings you unlock in the game and make your own village IRL
🎃 Solve a murder at the local harvest festival in No Murders in Grimwick (Oct 23), a cozy mystery inspired by Over the Garden Wall and Bob's Burgers
🌳 If you fancy a survival game without the stress of combat, then Under Canopies (Early Access Oct 23) is the game for you. Build and furnish your cabin and enjoy nature in this cozy open-world sim
✨ Big releases of the week: Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 4 releases on Thursday, but somehow also released last week. There's also Nintendo Switch Sports Resort and FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE
Events
- As I mentioned up top, Next Fest October 2026 runs from today until October 26. There are new demos aplenty, so dig in and find some favorites. I'll have my round up of my picks at the end of the week
- The ID@Xbox Showcase returns on October 20 at 10am PT on IGN, featuring 18 games, including some gameplay from The Wolf Among Us Remastered and some Critical Reflex titles
Congrats to my friends Max Scoville, Brian Altano, and Seth Macy who launched their Patreon for X Button today! If you've been a fan of their work on IGN, give 'em a follow!
Thanks so much for reading! See you in a couple of days with my thoughts on Next Fest.