Steam Deck: These titles are especially popular ahead of the 2026 Summer Sale

The 2026 Steam Summer Sale is approaching, and Steam Deck users on Reddit are already discussing which games they are hoping to pick up. This could be especially interesting for new owners of Valve’s handheld, who may discover titles they had not previously considered.

Many users apparently do not want to buy at random, but are mainly looking for steep price cuts. Discounts of 75, 80 or even 90% are mentioned repeatedly. Older games priced under $10 seem to be particularly appealing, since they usually run well on the Steam Deck and offer plenty of playtime for comparatively little money. Recent releases such as Forza Horizon 6 or 007: First Light, which may only receive smaller discounts during the Summer Sale, appear to be less relevant for much of the Steam Deck community.

Older AAA titles are mentioned far more often, including The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Batman Arkham Collection, God of War, Spider-Man, Tomb Raider, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor. Unsurprisingly, handheld gamers are also interested in smaller indie games. Frequently mentioned examples include Dave the Diver, Dredge, Hades, Hollow Knight, Slay the Spire, Balatro and Vampire Survivors.

What is particularly striking is the apparent interest in strategy games. Many Steam Deck users seem to be hoping for discounts on titles such as Command & Conquer, Hearts of Iron IV and Age of Wonders IV. This supports our own observation that strategy games can be surprisingly comfortable to play on the Steam Deck. Among JRPGs and role-playing games, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Final Fantasy X, Octopath Traveler, Kingdom Hearts and Baldur’s Gate 3 are among the titles attracting attention.

It is also worth noting that many Reddit users are advising restraint ahead of the 2026 Summer Sale. After all, many Steam libraries are already full of unplayed games. Anyone who wants to avoid unnecessary spending should consider in advance which titles are genuinely interesting and perhaps set a fixed budget before the sale begins.