10 Must Try Strategy Games Demos For The Steam Next Fest

Steam Next Fest: The Ultimate Strategy Game Demo Lineup

Get ready for the year’s biggest gaming demo event! Steam Next Fest is coming soon, and it’s expected to be huge. If you’re looking forward to new strategy games launching in 2025 and 2026, be sure to check it out from October 13th to 20th.

I’ve tried out a lot of strategy games, and I’ve put together a list of 10 demos you absolutely need to play. These are some of the most exciting strategy games coming in 2026, and these demos will likely keep you hooked until the full games come out! You’ll find everything from intricate turn-based games and massive city-building experiences to fast-paced, real-time challenges. Let’s dive in!

10 – Systemic War

Systemic War is a new strategy game aiming to combine the large-scale planning of games like Hearts of Iron and Europa Universalis with the fast-paced, tactical combat of titles like WARNO and Broken Arrow. Players will take control of a major world power between 2008 and 2025, overseeing everything from the economy and politics to military operations. The game boasts a realistic infrastructure based on actual rail and road networks, a detailed economic system, and a wide array of 150 different military units. If you enjoy the Wargame series or grand strategy games in general, this one is definitely worth checking out.

9 – Whiskerwood

Whiskerwood is a charming and detailed game where you build and manage a mouse colony living under the rule of cats. Developed by the creators of Railgrade, it’s launching on November 6th, 2025, and features complex systems for production, resource management, and building. Your ultimate goal is to liberate your community from the cats! You can try a free demo now as part of Steam Next Fest (October 13–20, 2025) and get a head start before the full Early Access release.

8 – Nova Patria

Nova Patria stands out with a truly unique concept I hadn’t considered before. Imagine an isometric Roman Steampunk game where the Roman Empire never collapsed, but instead continued to advance, eventually embracing steam power. You’d play as a colonial governor, building cities from humble beginnings into sprawling, industrial centers. What’s more exciting than a revitalized Roman Empire? Picture trains, blimps, and factories existing alongside classic Roman villas and aqueducts – a fascinating blend of old and new.

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2025-10-13 20:43