The Steam Winter Sale 2025 went live December 18 at 10 AM Pacific Time, bringing discounts across thousands of PC games that will run through January 5, 2026. Valve’s final seasonal sale of the year features deals on major 2025 releases like Kingdom Come: Deliverance II at 50 percent off, Baldur’s Gate 3 for 25 percent off its rarely-discounted price, and deep cuts on catalog titles like The Witcher 3 at 90 percent off. The sale coincides with Steam Awards voting where players choose winners across 11 categories, with results announced January 3 after the sale ends.
When the Sale Runs and How to Access It
The Steam Winter Sale started December 18, 2025 at 10 AM Pacific Time and continues until 10 AM Pacific on January 5, 2026. That translates to 1 PM Eastern, 6 PM GMT, 7 PM Central European Time, 3 AM JST December 19, and 5 AM AEDT December 19 for other major regions. Like every Steam seasonal sale, the entire catalog of discounted games becomes available simultaneously, with no flash sales or changing deals throughout the event. Whatever discount you see on day one remains through January 5.
Accessing the sale requires nothing beyond opening Steam on desktop, mobile, or through the Steam Deck interface. The front page immediately showcases featured deals, curated lists, and personalized recommendations based on your wishlist and playing history. Your Discovery Queue updates daily during the sale, letting you scroll through recommended titles while earning three Winter Sale stickers each time you complete it, up to three times daily for the entire sale duration.
The Steam Awards voting happens during the sale period, with players choosing winners across 11 categories from finalists selected during November nominations. Voting for each category earns you a Steam Awards sticker, with the winners announced January 3 at 10 AM Pacific, two days before the sale ends. Categories range from Game of the Year to Best Soundtrack, Outstanding Story, Most Innovative Gameplay, and the always entertaining Labor of Love award recognizing games that receive exceptional post-launch support.
Big 2025 Releases Already Discounted
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II launched in early February 2025 to massive acclaim as one of the year’s best RPGs, and it’s already 50 percent off during the Winter Sale. The medieval open-world adventure from Warhorse Studios takes you through 15th century Bohemia as blacksmith’s son Henry seeks revenge and gets caught up in kingdom-shaking events. The Standard Edition drops from $59.99 to $29.99, while the Gold Edition with future DLC access falls from $79.99 to $39.99.
Baldur’s Gate 3 rarely goes on sale, making the 25 percent discount significant for anyone who somehow hasn’t experienced Larian Studios’ masterpiece yet. At $44.99 down from $59.99, you’re getting over 100 hours of the best RPG released in the past decade, with branching narratives, deep character customization, tactical turn-based combat, and choices that genuinely matter. This matches the deepest discount Baldur’s Gate 3 has ever received on Steam.
Other major 2025 releases featured in the sale include Hades II in early access, the roguelike sequel that’s already garnering Game of the Year nominations despite not being finished. Elden Ring Nightreign, the standalone co-op expansion to FromSoftware’s 2022 masterpiece, shows up with discounts for players who want Soulsborne challenge with friends. Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Borderlands 4, and dozens of other big-budget releases from throughout the year all participate with varying discount percentages.
Deep Discounts on Catalog Titles You’ve Been Sleeping On
The real value in Steam sales has always been catching up on older releases you missed at launch. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition, still one of the best open-world RPGs ever made, costs just $3.99 at 90 percent off. That’s the game plus both massive expansion packs for less than a coffee. God of War: Ragnarok hits a historical low price of $40.19 at 33 percent off, bringing Sony’s Norse mythology conclusion to PC players at a reasonable price point.
Elden Ring from 2022 sits at $38.99 with 35 percent off, perfect for anyone intimidated by FromSoftware difficulty who wants to finally understand what the hype was about. Divinity: Original Sin 2, Larian’s previous masterpiece before Baldur’s Gate 3, drops to $11.24 at 75 percent off. Dishonored 2 costs just $5.99 at 80 percent off, offering Arkane Studios’ immersive sim gameplay for pocket change. Valheim, the Viking survival game that dominated 2021, runs $9.99 at 50 percent off.
PC Gamer’s 2025 Game of the Year winners see significant discounts. Old Skies at $15.99 with 20 percent off, Skin Deep at $12.99 with 35 percent off, and Labyrinth of Galleria at various price points depending on edition. Games scoring 90 percent or higher in reviews like The Alters, Escape From Tarkov, Keep Driving, Monster Train 2, and Stellar Blade all participate with discounts ranging from 20 to 50 percent off.
Sony’s PC Ports Finally Get Reasonable Prices
Sony’s aggressive push into PC gaming over the past few years means the Winter Sale features multiple PlayStation exclusives that eventually migrated to Steam. The Last of Us Part I Remastered, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West, and other former PlayStation-only titles all participate with varying discounts. This represents one of the best opportunities for PC-only players to catch up on Sony’s critically acclaimed single-player experiences without buying a PlayStation 5.
The discounts on Sony ports tend to be less aggressive than older Steam catalog titles since many launched on PC recently. However, cutting $10 to $20 off $60 or $70 releases from 2024 and 2025 creates more palatable entry points, especially for players hesitant about paying full price for games they could have played on console years ago. Spider-Man 2 launched on PC in late 2025 and already sees 20 percent off, suggesting Sony learned from community backlash about overpriced PC ports with minimal discounts.
Indie Gems That Deserve Attention
Steam’s seasonal sales have always been where indie games shine, with small teams finally getting visibility alongside AAA blockbusters. Balatro, the poker-inspired roguelike that became 2024’s surprise hit, sits at $12.74 with 15 percent off. The game rarely discounts because it sells incredibly well at full price, so any discount represents good value. Noita, the pixel-art roguelike with insane physics simulation, drops to $7.99 at 60 percent off, offering hundreds of hours of chaotic magic experimentation.
Liar’s Bar, the social deduction game that went viral on Twitch in late 2024, costs just $3.49 at 50 percent off. Perfect for friend groups looking for lying, bluffing, and betrayal mechanics wrapped in a grungy bar aesthetic. Risk of Rain 2, the third-person roguelike that defined the extraction shooter adjacent genre, runs $8.24 at 67 percent off. Sons of the Forest, the survival horror sequel, drops to $9.29 at 69 percent off despite launching less than two years ago.
Core Keeper, the mining and crafting roguelike with Terraria vibes, participates with discounts alongside TCG Card Shop Simulator, the cozy management game about running a trading card store. Metal Slug Tactics brings the classic run-and-gun franchise to turn-based strategy at reduced prices. Bloons TD 6, the tower defense game that refuses to die, hits a two-year low price of $4.19 at 70 percent off, representing insane value for hundreds of hours of content.
How to Navigate the Sale Without Overspending
Steam sales create FOMO pressure where seeing thousands of games at 50 to 90 percent off triggers impulse purchases on titles you’ll never actually play. Setting a hard budget before opening Steam prevents the classic mistake of spending $200 on games that sit unplayed in your library for years. Clean up your wishlist beforehand, removing games you added on a whim but don’t genuinely want, so you’re not scrolling through 200 random visual novels trying to decide what actually interests you.
Use the Discovery Queue strategically. Going through it three times daily earns stickers, but more importantly, it surfaces games matching your interests based on what you’ve played. Steam’s recommendation algorithm has improved dramatically over the years, and the personalized curation during sales genuinely helps find hidden gems. Filter by tags you enjoy, read user reviews focusing on recent feedback rather than all-time, and check playtime statistics to gauge whether games respect your time or demand hundreds of hours to see meaningful content.
Consider waiting on games you’re uncertain about. The Winter Sale runs until January 5, giving you time to research, watch gameplay videos, read reviews, and decide if you actually want something versus just wanting a deal. Steam’s refund policy allows returns on games played less than two hours within two weeks of purchase, so buying something during the sale to try it carries minimal risk. Just remember to actually play it and request refunds before January 19 if you’re dissatisfied.
Steam Awards Categories and Voting
The 2025 Steam Awards feature 11 categories where players vote on finalists selected during November nominations. Game of the Year represents the big one, with finalists likely including Baldur’s Gate 3, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Elden Ring Nightreign, and other major 2025 releases. Best Soundtrack recognizes games with exceptional music, while Outstanding Story highlights narrative achievements. Most Innovative Gameplay rewards creative mechanics that push boundaries.
Labor of Love recognizes developers who continue supporting older games with meaningful updates years after launch. This category consistently generates discussion because it rewards live service games and passion projects equally. Outstanding Visual Style celebrates artistic direction over raw graphical fidelity, often highlighting indie games with unique aesthetics. Best Game You Suck At rewards punishingly difficult games that players love despite constantly dying.
Voting for each category earns a Steam Awards sticker, incentivizing participation beyond just recognizing good games. Winners get announced January 3 at 10 AM Pacific, two days before the Winter Sale ends. The awards generate discussion across gaming communities as players debate whether winners truly deserved recognition or if popularity contests favor big-budget releases over deserving indies.
Technical Performance and Store Stability
Steam’s servers traditionally struggle during the first hour of major sales as millions of users simultaneously refresh the store page, add items to carts, and process transactions. The Winter Sale launch on December 18 saw typical slowdowns where pages loaded sluggishly and some users experienced timeouts adding games to their libraries. These issues usually resolve within 30 to 60 minutes as Valve’s infrastructure catches up with demand.
If you encounter errors during purchase attempts, wait a few minutes before retrying rather than spam-clicking the buy button. Check your email and Steam library to confirm whether transactions actually completed before assuming they failed and purchasing again. Valve’s payment processing is reliable but can show confusing error messages during high-traffic periods that make purchases appear failed when they actually succeeded.
Steam Deck owners benefit from the Winter Sale through the portable PC’s integration with the Steam ecosystem. Discounted games purchased during the sale automatically appear in your Steam Deck library, and the handheld’s hardware can run most indie and AA titles at reasonable settings. Just verify games are Steam Deck Verified or Playable before purchasing if you intend to primarily play on the portable device rather than desktop.
FAQs
When does the Steam Winter Sale 2025 end?
The Steam Winter Sale 2025 runs through January 5, 2026 at 10 AM Pacific Time, which equals 1 PM Eastern Time and 6 PM GMT. Unlike older Steam sales with flash deals, all discounts remain active for the entire duration with no daily or hourly changes.
What is the biggest discount in the Steam Winter Sale?
Multiple catalog titles feature 90 percent discounts, including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt at $3.99, Dishonored 2 at $5.99, and For Honor at $1.49. These represent the deepest cuts available, though not necessarily the best value depending on your interests.
Is Baldur’s Gate 3 on sale during Steam Winter Sale?
Yes, Baldur’s Gate 3 is 25 percent off at $44.99 down from $59.99. This matches the deepest discount the game has ever received on Steam since Larian Studios rarely puts it on sale due to consistent full-price sales.
How do I vote in the Steam Awards 2025?
Open Steam during the Winter Sale and navigate to the Steam Awards section on the front page. Vote for finalists in each of the 11 categories to earn Steam Awards stickers. Voting closes December 31, with winners announced January 3, 2026.
Can I refund games bought during the Steam Winter Sale?
Yes, Steam’s standard refund policy applies. You can request refunds on games played less than two hours within 14 days of purchase. Just remember that games bought during the sale must be refunded by January 19 to fall within the two-week window.
Does the Steam Winter Sale include DLC and expansions?
Yes, DLC, expansions, season passes, and complete editions participate in the Winter Sale with discounts. Check individual game pages to see whether buying the complete edition offers better value than purchasing the base game and DLC separately.
What time does the Steam Winter Sale start in my timezone?
The sale started December 18, 2025 at 10 AM Pacific Time. Convert that to your timezone: 1 PM Eastern, 6 PM GMT, 7 PM CET, 3 AM JST December 19, or 5 AM AEDT December 19. The sale is already live globally regardless of your location.
Are new releases included in the Steam Winter Sale?
Yes, many 2025 releases participate with varying discounts. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II at 50 percent off, Hades II in early access, Elden Ring Nightreign, and dozens of other recent releases feature discounts ranging from 15 to 50 percent off launch prices.
Conclusion
The Steam Winter Sale 2025 delivers Valve’s final seasonal blowout with discounts across thousands of games running through January 5, giving players two and a half weeks to clean out wishlists, catch up on backlog titles, and discover new favorites. The combination of major 2025 releases already seeing significant cuts, catalog titles at historical lows, and indie gems finally getting visibility creates the perfect storm for overspending if you’re not careful.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II at 50 percent off represents exceptional value for one of 2025’s best RPGs less than a year after launch. Baldur’s Gate 3 at 25 percent off is as good as that game gets since Larian rarely discounts it. The Witcher 3 at 90 percent off, God of War: Ragnarok at a historical low, and dozens of other catalog classics priced like impulse purchases make this the ideal time to catch up on experiences you missed.
What separates great Steam sales from wallet-draining disasters is discipline. Set a budget before opening the store, clean up your wishlist so you’re only looking at games you genuinely want, and resist the urge to buy everything at 70 percent off just because it seems like a deal. The winter sale runs until January 5, giving you plenty of time to research purchases rather than panic-buying on day one.
The Steam Awards voting adds entertainment value beyond just shopping for deals. Arguing with friends about which games deserve recognition, discovering what the community collectively values, and seeing if your favorites get acknowledged creates engagement that typical sales lack. Winners announced January 3 will generate discussion and potentially drive sales spikes for recognized games as players who overlooked them reconsider based on community validation.
For anyone building a Steam library from scratch, maybe you just got a Steam Deck or built your first gaming PC, this sale represents the best opportunity of the year to acquire dozens of quality games for the price of two or three full-price releases. Focus on highly-rated catalog titles at 75 to 90 percent off rather than chasing day-one releases at 20 percent discounts. You’ll build a better library spending $100 on ten excellent older games than $100 on two recent releases you’re uncertain about.
The sale ending January 5 means you’ve got the entire holiday period to play purchases before returning to work or school. This timing makes the Winter Sale perfect for stocking up on experiences to enjoy during time off, especially single-player narrative games you can complete in 20 to 40 hours. Just remember that buying 50 games at massive discounts doesn’t magically create time to play them all. Be realistic about what you’ll actually boot up versus what sounds interesting but will sit unplayed for years.
Steam’s infrastructure handled the launch better than some previous years, with only minor slowdowns during the first hour before stabilizing. If you experienced purchase errors or timeout messages, check your library and email before assuming transactions failed. The store remains stable now, so you can browse and purchase without worrying about technical issues disrupting the experience. The next two and a half weeks represent your final chance at seasonal Steam discounts until the Lunar New Year Sale in late January or the Spring Sale in March. Make the most of it, but make smart choices that respect both your budget and your actual gaming time.