Welcome to the fifth edition of Steam Scream! We've narrowed our focus, and now this event is specifically for Horror titles to better match with the name of the event.

In honor of Halloween, we are also allowing games that are specifically about Halloween regardless of genre. However, the base game itself must be about Halloween - themed DLC or in-game events do not qualify.

This event runs October 26 @ 10:00am PDT to November 2 @ 10:00am PDT and will include eligible titles with sections for discounted titles, unreleased titles in Coming Soon mode, games with demos, and more.

Table of Contents

• Important Dates
  
• Eligibility
  
• Registration
  
• Asset Kit
  
• Frequently Asked Questions
  
• Need Help?

Important Dates

• October 22 - The trailer announcing the event launches on this day. At this point, you're welcome to share your participation in the event. Assets for this purpose will be available in the Asset Kit below.
  
• October 26 @ 10:00am PDT - The event starts. This is the deadline for entering a discount, and opting out if you no longer want to participate.

Eligibility

Games must be in the horror genre to be eligible. This includes topics like:

• Classic horror
  
• Psychological horror
  
• Body horror
  
• Jump scares
  
• Supernatural / anomalous / uncanny valley

Games that are about monsters (zombies, vampires, ghosts) are not automatically eligible if they are not horror-themed. Similarly, lots of gore and/or blood does not make a game automatically eligible.

Some ways to think about it: would this give a sensitive person nightmares after playing? Would it be crazy for someone to scream while playing this game? Would playing this give someone nervous sweats? Is playing the game in a dark room with headphones the superior way to experience the game?

Games with sort of a power fantasy (regardless of whether the games' atmosphere is dark/moody) are generally not eligible.

One type of game is allowed regardless of all the above though: games that are specifically about Halloween! Your game will involve "Halloween" in the title, have trick-or-treat as a game feature, or have a costume parade or the like. Please note that this is only for base games - Halloween-themed DLC or in-game events are not sufficient.

Check your list of eligible games here: https://partner.steamgames.com/optin/sale/horror_2026

Registration

Click below to register your interest in participating in this event. To participate with a discount, you will also need to enter a discount for your game before October 26 @ 10:00am PDT.

https://partner.steamgames.com/optin/sale/horror_2026

Asset Kit

We’ve created an asset kit of images and templates for you to use on your own social media channels when telling your fans about your participation in this event. These assets are designed to work well on various platforms and you're welcome to use them to let players know you'll be participating. Our official event trailer will typically launch around 4 days prior to the event; we recommend the same timing for utilizing these assets to promote your participation on your own channels. (please reference Important Dates above).

Download here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/9zil6nrs25czij474d2nu/AK0gJYCEb7YSbmGMpt7xp-o?rlkey=69atpgu3b47su5l8zuyansuwn&st=xvh5jyna&dl=0

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. I haven't received an email invitation and have a game I believe fits the eligibility criteria described above. How can I confirm whether my game has been invited and request an invitation if it has not been invited?
A. If you haven't received an email invitation and believe you have a game that fits the eligibility criteria described above, please check:

• Your list of eligible games here: https://partner.steamgames.com/optin/sale/horror_2026
  
• The registration page for your game by appending your appID here: https://partner.steamgames.com/optin/sale/horror_2026/
  
• Your base game's App Admin page (in the Marketing Tools & Data section) for the opt-in by appending your appID here: https://partner.steamgames.com/apps/landing/

If your game is not found via the paths above and you believe it meets the eligibility criteria, please use the appeals process available at the bottom of the registration page.

If your game was found via the paths above but you didn't receive an email, please check your Steamworks communication preferences (instructions available in the Steam Themed Sale Events parent documentation page).

Q. Do I need to register my game before entering a discount?
A. Yes, you need to do the following things in order:

1. Follow the link in the invitation email, or click this link to see your eligible games and register each: https://partner.steamgames.com/optin/sale/horror_2026
   
2. Once a game is registered, you can then enter discounts on the Discount Management page: https://partner.steamgames.com/promotion/discounts/dashboard/?15224

Q. Will there be livestreaming as part of this event?
A. Livestreaming will not be featured on the sale page, but you're welcome to livestream on your own game's store page as you wish.

Q. I've changed my plans. How do I cancel my registration?
A. Just return to the registration page for your game by inserting your appID at the end of this URL https://partner.steamgames.com/optin/sale/horror_2026/<appid> and deselect the checkbox at the very bottom of the page to remove your game from the event.

Q. Can I promote our participation in the event on our own channels before the trailer goes live?
A. Technically yes; you can publish once the Asset Kit is available for download, but we recommend waiting until the event trailer is live (again, roughly 4 days prior to the event) as a more effective communications beat with your audience.

Need Help?

Contact us here if you have questions regarding this event.