Valve sees developer wishlist spike via Steam Next Fest

Valve has revealed that developers who participated in Steam Next Fest received a ‘substantial bump’ in daily wishlists and sales. 

The company released a number of stats ahead of the October edition of Steam Next Fest – which first launched in the summer of 2020 in the absence of physical events like E3. Valve has since run three more editions since its inception which has generated a 400% increase in wishlists among participating games. 

“Among 2020 Next Fest participants, the median game saw daily wishlist additions jump 421 percent during the fest, compared to the two weeks leading up to the event,” explained a Valve spokesperson.

“Wishlisting rates were higher than 421% for half of participating games, while 45% saw a smaller increase, and 5% experienced a decrease in their rate of wishlist additions.”

The firm added that the rate of wishlisting remained elevated for the majority of titles, even after Next Fest had ended, with the median game seeing a 15% increase in daily wishlist additions during the three weeks after Next Fest compared with the two weeks prior to the event. 

Valve also noted that Next Fest participation seemed to have a direct impact on sales, with those Next Fest wishlist additions being ‘more likely to convert into sales’. 

“The median released game saw an increase of 292% in ‘converting wishlists’ made during Next Fest compared to converting wishlist additions made in the two weeks leading to Next Fest,” the company added.

Developers eager to participate in Steam Next Fest October have until August 15 to register their interest.