This is my Steam Deck Next Fest shortlist so far. Steam Next Fest runs from 19 to 26 October 2026, and we’re only a couple of days in, so treat this as the best of what I’ve found so far rather than a final verdict. I’ve picked 12 demos and ranked them for Steam Deck and Steam Machine players, with the controller support, minimum specs and Linux status Steam lists for each one, so you can decide what’s worth the download before the festival wraps up.
Table of Contents
How I ranked this Steam Deck Next Fest list
Every pick here has a free demo on Steam right now. I’ve ranked them on how well they should suit the Deck and the Steam Machine: proper controller support, sensible minimum specs, and whether there’s a native Linux build. One thing to be clear about up front: none of these games has a Valve Steam Deck rating yet, so every Deck verdict below is my read of the store page, not an official badge. Where a demo has enough user reviews, I’ve included its score. Everything else comes straight from the Steam listings.
1. Haunted Paws
Haunted Paws is a cosy and spooky co-op adventure where you and a friend play as two puppies trying to rescue your owner, who’s been kidnapped and locked away in a haunted mansion. You dig, sniff and bark your way through puzzles, run from creepy creatures and uncover the dark pasts of the things haunting the house. You can even build a pup that looks like your own dog, picking the breed, fur colour and accessories.
It tops my list because players clearly love the demo. It sits at Very Positive on Steam, with 260 of 275 reviews positive. It’s also one of the easiest co-op picks of the festival: it supports local split-screen, online co-op and Remote Play Together, and your friend can join for free with the Friend’s Pass. There’s no release date yet.
Steam Deck and Steam Machine verdict: this is the best fit on the list. Steam lists full controller support and Steam Input API support, and the minimum specs are very light (Intel Core i5-2300, 8 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 650 Ti). It’s a Windows-only build, so the Deck will run it through Proton. On the Steam Machine, split-screen with two pads on the sofa is exactly what this game is built for.
Store page: Haunted Paws on Steam | Haunted Paws game page
2. DERELIKT
DERELIKT is a narrative retro FPS for anyone who misses claustrophobic PS1-era sci-fi horror. It comes from developer Visuwyg and publisher Hyperstrange. You creep through the dark, cramped corridors of a ship in deep space with a chunky low-poly look straight out of the late 90s, blasting abominations, juggling a tight grid inventory and talking to the odd jumpy survivor you find on board.
It’s one of the strongest Deck demos I’ve found this Next Fest. Players agree, too: the demo is Very Positive on Steam, with 90 of its 96 reviews positive. The full game launches on 13 November 2026.
Steam Deck and Steam Machine verdict: excellent on the Deck and good on the Steam Machine. Steam lists full controller support for both the game and the demo, it’s a small Unity build, and the system requirements just say “Toaster Spec”. Players are reporting around 90fps on the Deck. It’s Windows only, so it runs through Proton. There are a few rough edges: text gets small in the low-res mode, there’s some stutter when new rooms load, and some players find the gamepad camera deadzone too big, so it’s worth tweaking the stick settings. On a TV with the Steam Machine, it should be a great late-night horror pick.
Store page: DERELIKT on Steam | DERELIKT game page
3. Emberville
Emberville is a pixel-art action RPG where you wake up with no memories inside the Vitromotus, an underground prison where death doesn’t last. You fight your way through its depths, rescue the townsfolk trapped down there and rebuild the ruined town of Emberville with their help, with gathering, crafting and quests along the way. I’ve already covered Emberville and its Prologue demo in more detail.
It’s high on the list because the timing is perfect. The demo went live on 19 October for Next Fest, and the full game arrives in Early Access on 27 October, the day after the festival ends. So if the demo hooks you, you won’t be waiting long.
Steam Deck and Steam Machine verdict: promising, with a caveat. The specs are low (Intel Core i5 at 3.2 GHz, 4 GB RAM and a DirectX 10 card), but the full game only lists partial controller support, and the demo page doesn’t list controller support at all. It’s Windows only. I’ll be testing it on the Deck when Early Access lands. For now, try the demo with a pad before you count on couch play on the Steam Machine.
Store page: Emberville on Steam
4. Gate Guard Simulator
Gate Guard Simulator puts you in the boots of a medieval castle guard. Everyone who wants in has to show their papers, so you check seals for forgeries, search carts for stolen goods, use a plague mask to spot the sick, and maybe sprinkle some holy water on that suspicious coffin. Uphold the law or take a bribe: your choices decide your pay, and maybe the fate of the kingdom.
It’s been getting a lot of attention this Next Fest, and players are enjoying it, with 21 of its 23 Steam reviews positive. The full game is due in 2027.
Steam Deck and Steam Machine verdict: good on the Steam Machine, and a question mark on the Deck. Steam lists full controller support, but the minimum GPU is a GeForce GTX 1650 or Radeon RX 570, with 8 GB RAM and an SSD recommended. That’s a step above what the Deck handles comfortably, so expect reduced settings there. It’s a Windows-only build.
Store page: Gate Guard Simulator on Steam
5. Prospice: Anomalous Logistics
Prospice: Anomalous Logistics has you hauling cursed cargo across a haunted island where the terrain itself can kill you. You plot river crossings, work your way through bogs and rocky slopes, manage fuel and upgrade your truck. Then you climb out on foot to recover and document strange artefacts in a hand-crafted open world.
The demo has one of the best scores of the festival, with 123 of 124 reviews positive, which is Very Positive on Steam. If you like slow, tense driving games with a horror twist, this is the one I’d grab first. The full release is listed for 2027.
Steam Deck and Steam Machine verdict: risky on the Deck, much better on the Steam Machine. There’s full controller support, but the minimum specs list a GeForce GTX 1080 or Radeon RX 580 alongside an Intel Core i5-8400 and 8 GB RAM, and the developer notes a 60+ fps target. That’s a lot to ask of the Deck, so a TV and the extra headroom of the Steam Machine is the safer way to play. It’s Windows only.
Store page: Prospice: Anomalous Logistics on Steam
6. There Are No Ghosts at the Grand
There Are No Ghosts at the Grand is a musical mystery where you inherit a crumbling English hotel and have 30 days and 30 nights to restore it. By day, talking power tools help you strip, paint and rebuild. By night, the same tools become weapons against the ghosts. I wrote a full piece on There Are No Ghosts at the Grand earlier this week.
Its demo has been extended for Next Fest, and with 449 of 488 reviews positive it sits at Very Positive. That’s a lot of players coming away happy. Early Access is set for December 2026.
Steam Deck and Steam Machine verdict: this one is a Steam Machine pick. Steam lists full controller support and it’s a single-player story game, which suits the sofa. But the minimum specs are the heaviest here: an RTX 2060 Super or Radeon RX 6600, 16 GB RAM and an Intel Core i5 8600 or Ryzen 5 3600. I’d expect it to struggle on the Deck. It’s a Windows-only build.
Store page: There Are No Ghosts at the Grand on Steam
7. Aeterna Lucis
Aeterna Lucis is the sequel to Aeterna Noctis. This time you play as the Queen of Light in a Metroidvania built around fast-paced combat, a large interconnected map, secret hunting and optional challenges. The story picks up after the first game’s ending, with the balance between Light and Darkness broken and the end of all things on the way.
The demo is Very Positive on Steam, with 42 of 51 reviews positive. The full game launches on 3 December 2026, so you won’t be waiting long after Next Fest.
Steam Deck and Steam Machine verdict: a strong pick for both. Steam lists full controller support and marks it as Gamepad Recommended, and the minimum specs are low (GeForce GTX 750 or Radeon HD 7770, Intel i5-7400, 8 GB RAM). It’s a good sign that the first game, Aeterna Noctis, is Steam Deck Verified, though that badge doesn’t carry over to the sequel. Windows only, so Proton on the Deck.
Store page: Aeterna Lucis on Steam | Aeterna Lucis game page
8. Voivod: The Nuclear Warrior
Voivod: The Nuclear Warrior is a brutal pixel-art Metroidvania based on the universe of the metal band Voivod. You run, gun and slash through biomechanical mutants and big boss fights in a collapsing post-apocalyptic world, collecting fragments of your lost mind. The band is involved, and the soundtrack reworks Voivod tracks to fit the 90s action-platformer style.
The demo only arrived on 18 October, so it doesn’t have a review score yet. The full release is planned for Q1 2027.
Steam Deck and Steam Machine verdict: very promising. Steam lists full controller support and Gamepad Recommended, and there’s a native Linux build alongside Windows and Mac. The minimum specs are still listed as TBA, but chunky retro pixel art is usually kind to handhelds. It should feel right at home on a TV with the Steam Machine too.
Store page: Voivod: The Nuclear Warrior on Steam
9. Littlelands
Littlelands is a gentle adventure where you play a big-headed little youngster living life at your own pace. You grow berries, fish, catch insects, dig for treasure and help the region’s quirky locals. The more dangerous lands of the looting goblins are there if you want a challenge. I covered it in my Littlelands Early Access article.
It’s a lovely-looking cosy game, and it hits Early Access on 16 November 2026.
Steam Deck and Steam Machine verdict: likely fine, but test it with a pad. The minimum specs are tiny (Intel Core i3, 4 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 560). The full game’s store page lists full controller support and Gamepad Recommended, but the demo’s page doesn’t list any controller support. So give the demo a go with a controller before you take that for granted. It’s Windows only.
Store page: Littlelands on Steam
10. JOHN GLEEP
JOHN GLEEP is about a tiny alien with a big problem: his casino is failing and he owes the mob a galaxy. You fly from planet to planet abducting gamblers to fill your bouncy casino, while defusing bombs, squashing bugs, upgrading with pegs from a gacha machine and dodging Captain Missile. It’s an action-roguelike mashup that’s every bit as chaotic as it sounds.
The demo has a perfect record so far, with all 28 Steam reviews positive. The full game launches on 11 November 2026.
Steam Deck and Steam Machine verdict: good, with a little caution on the Deck. There’s full controller support, adjustable text size and a native Linux build. The minimum GPU is a GTX 1060 6GB or RX 580, though, which is more than the Deck usually wants, so expect to trim settings. On the Steam Machine it should be no trouble.
Store page: JOHN GLEEP on Steam
11. Gear Up Einstein!
Gear Up Einstein! is a strategic roguelite auto-battler for one to three players. You travel through time to recruit historical figures, kit them out with gear for ridiculous combos and then watch the battles play out on their own. Between missions you upgrade your HQ, and you can play solo or in online co-op with up to two friends.
The demo is a clean sweep so far, with 41 of 41 reviews positive. The game enters Early Access on 6 November 2026.
Steam Deck and Steam Machine verdict: one of the best handheld fits here. You plan your setup and then let the fight run, so there’s no twitchy input to worry about. Steam lists full controller support, a touch-only option and very low specs (2 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 960), and its native Linux build lists SteamOS 3.0 in the requirements. It’ll work on the Steam Machine too, but this feels made for the Deck.
Store page: Gear Up Einstein! on Steam
12. Vena
Vena mixes the depth of an automation game with self-contained roguelike runs of 15 to 50 minutes. You place hexagonal tiles to feed a central Nexus as resource demands rise, roll dice in the shop for new tiles and pick from 92-plus perks to try to break the economy. I went into it properly in my Vena on Steam Deck article.
It’s the quietest game on this list, but the demo is doing well, with 29 of 32 reviews positive. The full game is out on 9 November 2026.
Steam Deck and Steam Machine verdict: an excellent Deck candidate. Steam lists full controller support, a touch-only option and adjustable text size, there’s a native Linux build, and the specs are tiny (4 GB RAM and a GTX 750 Ti or even Intel UHD Graphics 730). Short runs make it perfect for quick handheld sessions. It’s fine on the Steam Machine, but the Deck is where I’d play it.
Store page: Vena on Steam
More Next Fest picks before 26 October
That’s my Steam Deck Next Fest list for now, and it’s very much a best-so-far roundup. If you only try a few, start with Haunted Paws if you’ve got a co-op partner, DERELIKT if you want a horror shooter that flies on the Deck, Gear Up Einstein! or Vena for quick Deck sessions, and Prospice or There Are No Ghosts at the Grand if you’re playing on a Steam Machine. There’s still time left in the festival, so I’ll be playing more demos and may add more picks before Next Fest ends on 26 October. Remember that none of these has a Valve Deck rating yet, so it’s worth trying the demos now while they’re free.
