Steam Winter Sale 2025: When It Starts & What’s On Sale

The Steam Winter Sale 2025 is going to be one of the biggest gaming events of the year. Every December, the platform drops its most aggressive discounts across AAA blockbusters, cult indies, and long-standing community favorites. If there’s one sale where you save your wallet for the ultimate digital explosion, it’s this one.

Valve’s Winter Sale historically lands during the final week of December and runs into early January. And while official dates for 2025 will appear on Steam later in the year, multiple reliable tracking patterns across past sales strongly point toward a December 18–January 3 window. Until Steam posts the countdown on the front page, this is the most accurate structure to expect.

If you’re planning a wishlist purge, a backlog expansion, or a “treat-yourself” run, the Winter Sale is where the real price drops happen. Let’s break down everything players should expect — dates, deal types, biggest discounts, buyer strategies, and how to prep for the rush.
Keep scrolling to see all the details!.

Steam Winter Sale 2025 – Predicted Dates & Schedule

Steam runs on patterns — and Winter is the most predictable of all major sale seasons.

Based on every yearly sale cycle from 2019 to 2024:

• Start: December 18, 2025
  
• End: January 2 or January 3, 2026
  
• Time: Usually 10 AM PST / 1 PM EST / 6 PM GMT

Steam’s Winter Sale is always long, always global, and always the one where the deepest discounts appear across nearly every genre.

If Valve adjusts anything, it’s no more than a 24–48 hour shift — but the structure remains the same.

See Also: The Secret Lair x Monster Hunter: Release Date and Other Details You Need to Know

Steam Winter Sale 2025 – What Makes It the Biggest Sale of the Year

The Winter Sale is the one where developers drop prices harder than any other event. Compared to Spring, Summer, and Autumn:

• AAA titles get their steepest cuts later into the sale cycle.
  
• Indies hit historically low prices.
  
• Bundles stack discounts far more aggressively.
  
• Older major titles often reach their lowest price since launch.

If you’re looking for “that one sale where everything goes on discount,” this is the one.

Best Genres to Watch During the Steam Winter Sale 2025

Different types of games behave differently during Winter Sale week. Here’s what typically gets the strongest deals:

RPGs & Open-World Games

These traditionally get the largest cuts late-year because they’ve already passed their launch window hype. Expect massive discounts on both Western RPGs and JRPGs.

Indie Hits

Indie titles often hit their lowest prices of the year during Winter Sale. Many devs use this window to reach new players before New Year traffic peaks.

Strategy & Tactics Games

Older strategy titles frequently go 60–90% off — and these discounts trend deeper during Winter Sale than Summer.

Co-op & Multiplayer Games

Holiday months push publishers to drop co-op titles harder due to higher player gatherings.

If you’re genre-hunting, Winter Sale is where the algorithm goes full “treat yourself.”

Holiday Gift Guide – Best Categories to Buy for Friends

Steam Winter Sale overlaps with the biggest gift-giving period of the year, so it’s the perfect time to give games to friends.

Here are categories that work well for gifting:

Co-Op & Party Games

Safe, universal, fun with friends.

Beloved Classics

Things everyone should experience at least once — often extremely cheap during Winter.

Story-Driven Titles

Games that don’t require multiplayer coordination or time zones.

DLC for Games They Already Own

One of the highest-value gifts you can give.

See Also: Sacred 2 Remaster – Everything New in the 2025 Edition

Steam Winter Sale 2025 – Trading Cards, Badges & Seasonal Extras

Every Winter Sale comes with an event layer beyond discounts, and 2025 is expected to continue that tradition. Steam’s seasonal structure usually includes:

• Winter trading cards
• Sale-exclusive badges
• Seasonal profile backgrounds, emoticons, and avatar frames
• Mini-events tied to storefront browsing
• Steam Awards voting rewards integrated into the sale

These extras don’t affect game prices, but they add a layer of fun that makes Winter Sale feel alive beyond the discounts.

Steam Winter Sale 2025 – Most Anticipated Discounts

While no exact discounts are confirmed until the sale begins, several major franchises and recent releases are heavily expected to headline Winter 2025 due to past sale behavior, price history trends, and publisher discount cycles.

You can expect strong cuts on:

• Popular open-world titles
• AAA sequels released earlier in 2025
• Indie hits that regularly push 40–75%
• Iconic franchises from publishers known for deep holiday discounts

This is the sale where big games finally become reasonable purchases.

Best Games Under $10 Expected in Steam Winter Sale 2025

Some of the best Winter Sale deals aren’t AAA blockbusters — they’re the insanely high-value titles that drop below $10 every single December. The following price ranges are based on previous Winter Sale lows, giving you a clear expectation of what these games usually hit when the holiday deals go live.

Hades

Typical Price: ~$24.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $9.99 – $12.49
Supergiant’s award-winning roguelike almost always dips close to $10 during Winter.

Hollow Knight

Typical Price: ~$14.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $7.49 – $9.99
Consistently one of the best-value deals each Winter Sale.

Celeste

Typical Price: ~$19.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $4.99 – $7.99
A critically acclaimed platformer that shelves under $10 almost every year.

Dead Cells

Typical Price: ~$24.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $9.99 – $12.49
Frequently rides the $10 line during December sales.

Undertale

Typical Price: ~$9.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $4.99 – $7.49
A must-own classic that remains cheap and highly replayable.

Stardew Valley

Typical Price: ~$14.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $8.99 – $10.49
Winter Sale usually offers the best price of the year.

Slay the Spire

Typical Price: ~$24.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $8.74 – $12.49
The king of deckbuilders — often under $10-$12.

Terraria

Typical Price: ~$9.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $4.99 – $7.49
One of the best cheap pickups on Steam. Ever.

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

Typical Price: ~$14.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $4.99 – $7.49
A staple of Winter Sale’s under-$10 list.

Cuphead

Typical Price: ~$19.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $9.99 – $13.99
Often dances around the $10 mark depending on the year.

Inside + Limbo Bundle

Typical Price: ~$29.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $2.99 – $4.99
One of the most absurd-value bundles during Winter Sale.

Best AAA Games Under $20 Expected in Steam Winter Sale 2025

AAA games don’t always fall below $20 — but when they do, it almost always happens during the Winter Sale. These titles historically land in the sub-$20 range and are fan favorites for shoppers looking to maximize value.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition

Typical Price: ~$49.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $9.99 – $14.99
A legendary price drop every Winter. Often hits its lowest annual price.

Dark Souls III

Typical Price: ~$59.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $14.99 – $19.99
A FromSoftware classic that Winter Sale consistently softens.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey / Origins

Typical Price: ~$59.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $11.99 – $17.99
Ubisoft frequently drops AC franchise prices to aggressively low ranges.

Resident Evil 2 / 3 Remake

Typical Price: ~$39.99–$59.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $9.99 – $19.99
Capcom’s RE remakes nearly always fall below $20 in December.

Horizon Zero Dawn – Complete Edition

Typical Price: ~$49.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $14.99 – $19.99
PlayStation titles go moderate, but Winter tends to push them below $20.

Mortal Kombat 11

Typical Price: ~$49.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $9.99 – $14.99
Fighting game fans expect this price bracket every Winter.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Typical Price: ~$59.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $8.99 – $14.99
An annual discount legend. Almost guaranteed to go cheap.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Typical Price: ~$29.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $5.99 – $8.99
A classic that always hits unbelievable lows.

Far Cry 5

Typical Price: ~$59.99
Historical Winter Sale Range: $11.99 – $17.99
Another Ubisoft franchise that discounts aggressively.

Dragon Ball FighterZ

Typical Price: ~$59.99
Historical Winter Sale Range:$8.99 – $14.99
Fighting game staple with reliable under-$20 Winter pricing.

Steam Winter Sale 2025 Frequently Asked Questions

When does the Steam Winter Sale start?

Historically around December 18.

How long is the Steam Winter Sale?

Usually two full weeks, ending early January.

Are Winter Sale discounts bigger than Summer Sale?

Yes — the Steam Winter Sale has the biggest discounts across most genres.

Do brand-new games get discounted?

Some do, often around 10–30% depending on release timing and publisher strategy.

Will all games be discounted?

Not all, but the overwhelming majority.

How to Prepare for Steam Winter Sale 2025

A few simple steps make the sale smoother:

• Clean your wishlist
• Set a soft spending limit
• Redeem any Steam Wallet funds or gift cards
• Clear your storage
• Organize your backlog

Even minimal prep helps you avoid panic-buying and overspending.

See Also: Half-Life 3 Release Date and Leaks You Need to Know

The Steam Winter Sale 2025 will undoubtedly be one of the biggest digital storefront events of the year. Whether you’re hunting AAA blockbusters, indie gems, or genre staples, this sale traditionally brings the deepest discounts across the entire platform.

Make your wishlist early, watch your budget, and position yourself for the cleanest, smartest haul possible.

And don’t forget you can top up Steam Gift Cards on Joytify to prepare for the Steam Winter Sale 2025 and stack your account before the biggest discount wave of the year hits.