This Steam Next Fest was dominated by two massive strategy games, and that feels weird for an event all about discoverability

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Frost Giant Studios) Steam Next Fest splits its charts into three, to give different measurements of a game’s popularity. The ‘Trending Upcoming’ chart borrows from Steam’s nebulous ranking systems, while the ‘Most Wishlists’ and ‘Active Daily Players’ charts speak for themselves. That gives different kinds of games different ways to succeed, and helps show where other players' are spending their time and (theoretically) their money. Those charts all shift organically over the week thanks to word of mouth or players simply finishing up what’s on offer, but they remain the best way of finding the best demos in the show. Getting an early lead at the top of any of them can extrapolate outwards into a lot of extra attention –Enshrouded, one of last month’s survival hits, dominated the October 2023 Fest, and has …