At a Glance
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Event | Steam Autumn Sale 2026 |
| Opens | October 1, 10:00 AM PDT |
| Closes | October 8, 10:00 AM PDT |
| Pricing | Fixed for the full seven days |
| Eligibility cutoff | Released on or before September 1, 2026 |
| Best price-check tool | SteamDB price history |
Valve confirmed the dates months ago and released an official trailer on September 30 previewing titles heading into the sale. According to the Steamworks documentation, the event is one of four annual storewide seasonal sales, placing it between the Summer Sale and the Winter Sale.
Sources: Aroged — Valve's official trailer coverage · Joytify — Steam Autumn Sale 2026 analysis
Confirmed and Expected Headliners
Valve's trailer named the following titles as part of the sale. Exact percentages go live on October 1, but participation is effectively confirmed.
| Title | Expected Discount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 | ~20–24% | First major seasonal cut for the 2026 breakout RPG |
| Palworld | TBA | Pocketpair survival hit with active update cycle |
| Dune: Awakening | TBA | Survival MMO set in the Dune universe |
| No Man's Sky | TBA | Hello Games perennial, likely steep discount on base |
| Baldur's Gate 3 | ~25–30% (~$42) | Larian's consistent floor; deeper cuts are not expected |
| Resident Evil 4 Remake | ~75% (~$10–15) | Capcom follows aggressive catalog pricing curves |
| Diablo IV | ~75% (~$12.49) | Blizzard discounts base game to drive seasonal play |
| DOOM: The Dark Ages | ~33% | Bethesda's standard discount playbook |
These ranges come from Joytify's price-curve analysis, which tracks historical Steam sale data across seasonal events. They are informed projections, not official figures.
The Great Deals Section Returns
Valve's trailer also confirmed the return of its curated Great Deals section. Titles named for this featured slot include Sifu, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, The Rules of Talos 2, and Iron Alliance 3.
The Great Deals section has historically spotlighted titles at steeper-than-usual discounts, though placement does not guarantee a record low.
Confirmed Publisher Discounts (Pre-announced)
Several studios published their discounts in advance of the sale's opening.
| Title | Confirmed Discount | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Whispers in the Moss | 80% | — |
| NAMAKORIUM | 50% (studio's deepest ever) | — |
| Fairy Knights | 80% | CFK |
| Monochrome World | 75% | CFK |
| Ninja Issen | 70% | CFK |
| Shikhondo: Youkai Rampage | 50% | CFK |
CFK's catalog runs October 2 through October 9, one day behind the main sale start. NAMAKORIUM is a co-op sea-creature RTS; its 50% cut is the lowest price the studio has ever offered.
What Won't Be Discounted (And Why)
Valve enforces a 30-day no-discount window after a game's release. Games that launched in September 2026 are locked out of the October 1 opening.
| Title | Release Date | Eligible Again |
|---|---|---|
| Onimusha: Way of the Sword | September 25, 2026 | ~October 25 |
| SILENT HILL: Townfall | September 24, 2026 | ~October 24 |
The practical impact: Silent Hill: Townfall hit its tracked all-time low of $34.75 on September 26 — two days after launch — thanks to a launch discount. That is the cheapest the game will be until late October. Waiting for the Autumn Sale will not improve on it.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword followed the opposite trajectory. Its lowest recorded price was $37.61, reached during a pre-order window in early September, three weeks before release. Post-launch, the price has not dropped below $41. Neither game is eligible on October 1.
Source: playze.io — Steam discount rules and September exclusions
How Valve's Discount Rules Work
Understanding three separate cooldowns helps you avoid frustrating surprises:
- 130-day post-release cooldown — No discounts within 30 days of launch. Applies to every sale, including storewide seasonal events.
- 230-day post-price-increase cooldown — If a publisher raised prices in any currency during September, those games are locked out too, regardless of region. No badge appears on the store page; SteamDB is the only way to check.
- 330-day post-discount cooldown — This one is waived for seasonal sales. A game discounted during the Programming Fest in mid-September can be discounted again on October 1.
Discount Tier Expectations
| Tier | Game Type | Expected Range | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Catalog | 3+ year old hits, staple indies | 70–90% | Best hourly value on the platform |
| Sophomore | 2025 releases, second seasonal sale | 25–50% | First substantial price drop |
| Evergreen Giants | Top sellers with active live content | 20–35% | Standard floor; rarely lower |
| Studio Showcases | Specific indie developer catalogs | 50–80% | Highest percentage cuts |
The 2025 class — Space Marine 2, Monster Hunter Wilds, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Helldivers 2 — is expected to land in the 20–40% range, putting them between $35 and $50.
How to Find Genuine Record Lows
A percentage banner tells you nothing without price history behind it. SteamDB tracks every price change across regions and sale events, letting you verify whether today's discount is actually the lowest a game has gone.
The two-step check: look up the game on SteamDB, then open the Price History tab. Compare the current sale price against the all-time low column. If the sale price matches or beats it, the deal is real. If the all-time low was deeper, the sale is not the bargain it appears.
Steam's own wishlist system sends email notifications when a game hits 20% off or more. Setting up the wishlist before October 1 means you receive alerts automatically rather than manually monitoring the store.
Buying Strategy Summary
| Scenario | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| September 2026 release you want | Buy now at launch discount — Autumn Sale won't help |
| 2025 AAA title | Check SteamDB; first significant cut is likely here |
| Classic catalog (pre-2023) | Wait for 50–90% tiers; this is the right sale for those |
| Confirmed wishlist title | Set email alert, buy on day one — prices don't change mid-sale |
| Unsure about a game | Wishlist it, skip the impulse, reassess at Winter Sale |
Prices are locked for all seven days, so there is no advantage to buying on day one versus day seven for the same game. The only exception is games whose mid-September discount cooldown expires partway through the event — those can "join late" at a developer-set custom discount.
The Steam Autumn Sale 2026 opens October 1 at 10:00 AM PDT and closes October 8 at 10:00 AM PDT.
Sources: Steamworks — 2026 Autumn Sale official schedule · Joytify — discount tier analysis and confirmed titles