Game Hype Radar · 2026-08-21

Event Radar

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Showcases, sales and demo windows

When new information arrives

Timing is a discovery signal on its own. A dated storewide sale is a reason to wait; a dated showcase is a reason to expect news. Every row below carries its source, and events with no announced date never get a countdown.

Dated ahead 23

gamescom Opening Night Live 2026

Within 30 days 13

Next up

Awaiting a date 3

No date

ended 2026-08-17 – 2026-08-20
Genre fest Confirmed

Steam Pins & Pegs Fest

Valve

Ended. Kept for one cycle so the timeline shows what just passed.

Source
TODAY2026-08-21
in 4 days 2026-08-25 (Tue) 2026-08-25T18:00:00Z
Showcase Confirmed

gamescom Opening Night Live 2026

gamescom / Geoff Keighley

The single biggest announcement block of the second half of the year. Main show 20:00 CEST, 30-minute pre-show from 19:30 CEST. Hosted by Geoff Keighley with Eefje 'sjokz' Depoortere.

Reported to appear

  • Final Fantasy VII Revelation Tracked here Square Enix Steam Source
  • The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past CD Projekt Red Steam Source
  • Game of Thrones: War for Westeros PlaySide Studios Steam Source
Watch · YouTube Watch · TwitchSource
in 5 days 2026-08-26 (Wed) 2026-08-26T17:00:00Z
Showcase Confirmed

Future Games Show at gamescom 2026

Future

Indie- and mid-size-heavy showcase. A 'Best of gamescom' recap follows on 30 August.

Source
in 5 days 2026-08-26 – 2026-08-30
Expo Confirmed

gamescom 2026 (Cologne)

Koelnmesse / game

Show floor days. Expect a week of daily broadcasts, playable demos and date reveals rather than one big moment.

Watch · gamescomSource
in 5 days 2026-08-26 – 2026-08-27 2026-08-26T14:00:00Z
Showcase Confirmed

Xbox @ gamescom 2026 Broadcast

Microsoft Gaming

Two broadcast days, both 16:00 CEST.

Watch · YouTubeSource
in 6 days 2026-08-27 (Thu) 2026-08-27T18:00:00Z
Showcase Confirmed

gamescom awesome indies show 2026

gamescom / IGN

Official gamescom indie block, 20:00 CEST, roughly 60-75 minutes in English. The likeliest place in the week for a small narrative title to surface.

Source
in 7 days 2026-08-28 (Fri)
Awards Confirmed

gamescom award 2026

gamescom

Winners announced live. Useful as a shortlist of what the show floor actually rated well.

Source
in 7 days 2026-08-28 – 2026-08-30
Showcase Confirmed

gamescom GDQ 2026

Games Done Quick

Speedrun marathon on the gamescom floor, roughly 10:00-20:00 CEST daily.

Watch · TwitchSource
in 10 days 2026-08-31 – 2026-09-07
Genre fest Confirmed

Steam PvE Survival Crafting Fest

Valve

Source
in 14 days 2026-09-04 – 2026-09-07
Expo Confirmed

PAX West 2026

Penny Arcade / ReedPop

Strong indie demo showing; usually generates Steam demo pushes.

Source
in 20 days 2026-09-10 – 2026-09-14
Genre fest Confirmed

Steam Programming Fest

Valve

Source
in 24 days 2026-09-14 – 2026-09-21
Genre fest Confirmed

Steam Party-Based RPG Fest

Valve

The single most taste-relevant fest of this cycle - party RPGs and turn-based JRPGs.

Source
in 27 days 2026-09-17 – 2026-09-21
Expo Confirmed

Tokyo Game Show 2026

CESA

30th anniversary and the longest TGS ever at five days. Business 17-18 Sep, public 19-21 Sep, Makuhari Messe. The most relevant show of the year for Japanese narrative and JRPG titles.

Watch · TGSSource
in 30 days 2026-09-20 (Sun) 2026-09-20T19:00:00Z
Showcase Confirmed

PC Gaming Show: Tokyo Direct 2026

PC Gamer / Future

Japan-focused PC showcase timed to TGS week.

Watch · PC Gaming ShowSource
in 41 days 2026-10-01 – 2026-10-08
Storewide sale Confirmed

Steam Autumn Sale 2026

Valve

Storewide. Valve publishes calendar days only, no clock time.

Source
in 52 days 2026-10-12 – 2026-10-19
Genre fest Confirmed

Steam Cooking Fest

Valve

Source
in 59 days 2026-10-19 – 2026-10-26 2026-10-19T17:00:00Z
Demo fest Confirmed

Steam Next Fest: October 2026

Valve

Demo week. The cheapest possible way to test an unreleased pick before committing.

Watch · SteamSource
in 66 days 2026-10-26 – 2026-11-02
Genre fest Confirmed

Steam Scream V (Halloween)

Valve

Horror and Halloween-centric titles.

Source
in 87 days 2026-11-16 – 2026-11-23
Genre fest Confirmed

Steam Auto Battler RPG Fest

Valve

Source
in 111 days 2026-12-10 (Thu) 2026-12-11T00:30:00Z
Awards Confirmed

The Game Awards 2026

Geoff Keighley

Peacock Theater, Los Angeles. Opening act 19:30 ET on 10 December. Historically the year's densest block of world premieres and shadow drops.

Watch · YouTube Watch · TwitchSource
in 118 days 2026-12-17 – 2027-01-04
Storewide sale Confirmed

Steam Winter Sale 2026

Valve

The longest storewide sale of the year and usually the best time to clear a wishlist.

Source
in 135 days 2027-01-03 – 2027-01-10
Showcase Reported

Awesome Games Done Quick 2027

Games Done Quick

Dates from GDQ's own social bio rather than a schedule page - treated as reported, not confirmed.

Watch · TwitchSource
in 185 days 2027-02-22 – 2027-03-01 2027-02-22T18:00:00Z
Demo fest Confirmed

Steam Next Fest: February 2027

Valve

Watch · SteamSource
in 209 days 2027-03-18 – 2027-03-25
Storewide sale Confirmed

Steam Spring Sale 2027

Valve

Source

Announced, not dated

These recur most years. No date has been published, so no countdown is shown.

No date No date
Showcase No date

Nintendo Direct (next)

Nintendo

No date announced. A September Direct is the usual pattern but the archive lists nothing upcoming, so no date is asserted here.

Source
No date No date
Showcase No date

PlayStation State of Play (next)

Sony Interactive Entertainment

No date announced. Latest broadcast on the official page is 2026-06-02.

Source
No date No date
Showcase No date

Summer Game Fest 2027

Geoff Keighley

Announced as returning in 2027 with no calendar day published. Third-party 'June 2027' dates trace back to leftover 2026 artwork and are not used.

Source