Valve is planning a major overhaul to how promotions appear on Steam, announcing it will retire its manually curated deal calendar in early 2027 in favor of a dynamic, personalized system tailored to each player’s gaming interests.
For years, prime storefront visibility in Steam’s Discounts & Events section—such as Daily, Midweek, and Weekend Deals—relied on a limited number of fixed slots scheduled by Valve or select partners. Under the upcoming model, these spots will be replaced by recommendation algorithms designed show sales based on a player’s gaming history and wishlist.
In recent trials, Valve reported showing ten times more discounted titles daily, yielding increases in store page visits, wishlist additions, and completed purchases, proving that fixed calendars no longer suit Steam’s diverse user base.
Crucially, Valve’s shift to algorithmic recommendations does not mean the platform is adopting dynamic pricing—a controversial tactic where game costs fluctuate based on individual demand or willingness to pay. Steam’s discounts and sale prices will remain identical for every user; the system simply personalizes which active sales are featured on a player’s homepage rather than changing the price tag itself.
Valve has paused all new bookings for featured promotions, though existing deals will be honored. Updated tools will be rolled out soon, allowing studios to manage discounts without pitching Valve representatives for homepage visibility. Valve expects to refine the system and finalize launch timing in the coming weeks.
