Steam October Triple Fest Cooldown Worksheet - Cooking Next Fest Scream 2026

If you searched steam fest discount cooldown in October 2026, you do not need three separate playbooks open at once and a Discord argument about whether Autumn “used up” your discount. You need one fill-in worksheet that covers the stacked calendar:

1. Steam Cooking Fest — October 12–19, 2026 (themed sale)
2. Steam Next Fest: October 2026 — October 19–26 (demo discovery week)
3. Steam Scream V — October 26 – November 2, 2026 (horror / Halloween themed sale)

This URL is that worksheet. It is the pillar for the October Steam stack: cite-worthy cooldown math outsiders can footnote. It is not the Cooking Fest eligibility playbook (cooking-primary honesty). It is not the Scream V horror playbook (horror-primary honesty). It is not the final nine days LIVE/OPT-OUT lock (demo ops). Those satellites link up here for cooldown truth.

Why this matters now

Upcoming Steam Events puts Cooking, October Next Fest, and Scream back-to-back. Steam Next Fest: October 2026 opens as Cooking closes. Scream starts the day Next Fest ends. Discounting still enforces a 30-day discount cooldown between discounts — with a critical exception: Seasonal Sales (Spring / Summer / Autumn / Winter) are exempt and do not create that cooldown. Themed sales do not get that exception.

Direct answer: Fill the worksheet below before you enter Discount Management for Cooking or Scream. If you take a Cooking discount ending ~Oct 19, you are almost certainly inside the 30-day window when Scream opens Oct 26 — so Scream must be no-discount or sit-out unless your prior discount was seasonal-exempt or never happened. Autumn Sale participation does not invent a blocker by itself.

Who fills this worksheet

Time: 35–45 minutes first pass; 10 minutes to update after each Discount Management save.
Honest limit: Valve can update event rows; always re-check Steamworks dates before submit. This worksheet models published October 2026 stacking and Steamworks discount rules — it does not replace partner permissions or eligibility reviews.

Non-repetition (pillar vs satellites)

Pair store ops with the Steam guide hub and festival metadata checklists at 15 free Next Fest October demo metadata resources. If Steam Input defaults blocked an upload, see demo upload rejected - missing Steam Input default config.

Steamworks rules you must quote (not invent)

From Discounting:

1. 30-day discount cooldown — a product cannot be discounted within 30 days of another discount.
2. Seasonal Sale exception — Seasonal Sales (including Autumn) do not have 30-day discount cooldowns and are exempt from the cooldowns of other discounts. You can discount near a seasonal before or after and still join the seasonal.
3. The exception is narrow — it applies to discounts created specifically for the Seasonal Sale rows in Discount Management. A custom discount around the same dates does not inherit the seasonal exception.
4. Release cooldown and price-increase cooldown are separate 30-day rules — seasonals do not waive those.
5. Themed sales (Cooking, Scream, etc.) follow ordinary discount cooldown — they are not seasonals.

Pasteable diligence line:

Autumn is seasonal-exempt. Cooking and Scream are themed — they create and obey the 30-day discount cooldown. Next Fest is demo discovery, not a seasonal sale exception.

October 2026 stack at a glance

Same-day handoffs matter for staffing, not for inventing cooldown math:

• Cooking ends Oct 19 as Next Fest opens Oct 19.
• Next Fest ends Oct 26 as Scream opens Oct 26.

Master worksheet (copy into your repo)

Save as docs/october_triple_fest_cooldown_worksheet_2026.md (or a Notion/Sheets twin). Fill every blank.

A — Identity

B — Prior discounts that matter

C — Triple window decisions

D — Cooldown math (the cite-worthy core)

Rule of thumb for October 2026: Cooking discount or Scream discount — rarely both — unless the first was seasonal-exempt or zero.

E — Forward Winter protection

Full Winter cliffs (Nov 17 release / price-increase lock, seasonal row, mid-sale join) live on the dedicated worksheet: Steam Winter Sale 2026 Prep Worksheet - Lock Before Dec 17.

Worked scenarios (fill blanks with your AppID)

These are patterns, not invented studio metrics.

Scenario 1 — Cooking discounter, horror-eligible

• Autumn: joined 20% (seasonal).
• Cooking: honest cooking game, joined 25%.
• Next Fest: demo LIVE.
• Scream: horror DLC or dual-identity debate.

Worksheet outcome: Scream discount blocked by Cooking’s 30-day cooldown. Choices: Scream no-discount presence, Scream sit-out, or skip Cooking discount next year if Scream is the real lever.

Scenario 2 — Horror primary, cooking wallpaper temptation

• Autumn: joined.
• Cooking: capsule has a kitchen — not cooking-primary.
• Scream: honest horror.

Worksheet outcome: Cooking = sit-out (eligibility). Scream discount likely clear on discount-cooldown if no themed/custom discount intervened. Do not “join Cooking at 10% for visibility” and burn Scream.

Scenario 3 — Demo-only studio, no full-game sale

• Cooking / Scream: not discounting the full game.
• Next Fest: demo LIVE.

Worksheet outcome: Cooldown rows mostly n/a for full-game % — still file the sheet so leadership does not schedule a surprise custom discount during Next Fest week that poisons Scream.

Scenario 4 — Custom anniversary discount Oct 5

• Custom 30% Oct 5–11 (not the Autumn seasonal row).
• Cooking starts Oct 12.

Worksheet outcome: Custom discount creates cooldown. Cooking discount blocked until ~Nov 4–10 depending on end date. Autumn seasonal exception does not apply to your custom row — Discounting says so explicitly.

Scenario 5 — Price increase Oct 1

• Base price raised Oct 1.
• Autumn seasonal invitation looks tempting.

Worksheet outcome: Price-increase cooldown can block discounts even when seasonal discount-cooldown exception exists. Seasonals do not waive release/price-increase cooldowns. Hold until clear.

Beginner path — 40 minutes Monday

1. Open Upcoming Steam Events and write the three date rows into section C.
2. Open Discount Management history; fill section B with real end dates.
3. Mark Autumn as seasonal-exempt in B (do not invent a block).
4. If Cooking discount end is within 30 days of Oct 26, mark Scream discount blocked.
5. Choose one primary paid lever for October: Cooking or Scream (unless no-discount strategy).
6. Link eligibility playbooks for honesty — do not use this sheet as a wallpaper pass.
7. Paste the Discord block below.
8. File the JSON receipt.

Common beginner mistakes:

• Treating Autumn as a cooldown poison pill.
• Assuming themed fests waive cooldown.
• Scheduling Cooking and Scream discounts seven days apart.
• Confusing Next Fest demo LIVE with a seasonal sale exception.
• Editing % after a discount has started (Steamworks: edits only until start).

Developer path — gates T1–T6

Fail closed: if T4 is “unknown,” do not submit Scream % until dates are written.

Decision matrix — what to optimize for

Same-day handoff staffing (not cooldown)

Cooldown is calendar math. Handoffs are human math.

If you need the ops lock list, use final nine days. If you need cooking-loop honesty, use the Cooking playbook — and the forthcoming Stop-doing-X opinion on wallpaper Cooking tags when that ships.

CapEx four-liner

1. Asset at risk: October revenue + wishlist trust across three stacked Steam windows.
2. Change proposed: Themed discounts on Cooking and/or Scream without a written cooldown model.
3. Cost if wrong: Blocked Scream %, player confusion, Winter staircase damage, Discount Management rework under traffic.
4. Decision owner: Pricing permission holder; default = one primary themed discount in October.

Discord / Slack paste

October triple-fest cooldown (Cooking → Next Fest → Scream)
Autumn seasonal: does NOT create discount cooldown.
Cooking themed (Oct 12–19): discount? Y/N @ ___% end ____ → clears ____
Next Fest (Oct 19–26): LIVE / OPT-OUT / ALREADY-OUT (demo ops)
Scream themed (Oct 26–Nov 2): discount? Y/N — blocked by Cooking? Y/N
Owner: ____
Receipt: docs/october_triple_fest_cooldown_receipt_v1.json
Rule: Cooking % XOR Scream % unless math proves both clear.

Receipt — october_triple_fest_cooldown_receipt_v1.json

{
  "receipt_type": "october_triple_fest_cooldown_receipt_v1",
  "app_id": "REPLACE",
  "package_ids": ["REPLACE"],
  "verified_steamworks_utc": "2026-10-10T00:00:00Z",
  "windows": {
    "autumn": { "joined": false, "discount_pct": 0, "seasonal_exempt": true },
    "cooking": {
      "dates": "2026-10-12/2026-10-19",
      "eligible_honest": false,
      "join": false,
      "discount_pct_or_none": "none",
      "discount_end_utc": null
    },
    "next_fest": {
      "dates": "2026-10-19/2026-10-26",
      "verb": "LIVE|OPT-OUT|ALREADY-OUT"
    },
    "scream": {
      "dates": "2026-10-26/2026-11-02",
      "eligible_honest": false,
      "join": false,
      "discount_pct_or_none": "none",
      "blocked_by_cooking_cooldown": false
    }
  },
  "cooldown_clears_utc": null,
  "winter_forward_note": "REPLACE",
  "owner": "REPLACE",
  "gates": {
    "T1_calendar": true,
    "T2_ledger": true,
    "T3_seasonal_vs_themed": true,
    "T4_scream_block": true,
    "T5_release_price": true,
    "T6_receipt": true
  },
  "outbound_refs": [
    "https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/marketing/upcoming_events",
    "https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/marketing/discounts",
    "https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/marketing/upcoming_events/nextfest/2026october"
  ]
}

Company diligence checklist

Partners should hear: “We model themed cooldowns; we do not treat Autumn as a poison pill; we pick one October themed lever when percentages conflict.”

Creator Monday checklist

• [ ] Fill section A–E once.
• [ ] Open Cooking and Scream playbooks only for eligibility, not to re-derive cooldown.
• [ ] Paste Discord block.
• [ ] If Cooking % is set, mark Scream % blocked until math says otherwise.
• [ ] Keep Next Fest demo work on the final nine days list — separate owner if possible.
• [ ] Measure wishlists with free tools — do not “fix cooldowns” by guessing.

Failure modes

CSV twin (optional embed)

For Sheets/Notion import:

window,start,end,type,join,discount_pct,discount_end,creates_cooldown,blocks_scream,owner_note
autumn,2026-10-01,2026-10-08,seasonal,,,,no,no,
cooking,2026-10-12,2026-10-19,themed,,,,,
next_fest,2026-10-19,2026-10-26,demo_fest,LIVE_OR_OPT_OUT,,,,
scream,2026-10-26,2026-11-02,themed,,,,,

Fill join, discount_pct, and discount_end, then compute blocks_scream as: cooking discounted AND scream_start < cooking_discount_end + 30 days.

What this worksheet is not

Key takeaways

1. October 2026 stacks Cooking → Next Fest → Scream — one worksheet beats three folklore threads.
2. Primary keyword job: model steam fest discount cooldown with Steamworks-accurate seasonal vs themed rules.
3. Autumn is seasonal-exempt and does not create discount cooldown.
4. Cooking and Scream are themed — they create and obey the 30-day discount cooldown.
5. A Cooking discount ending ~Oct 19 typically blocks a Scream discount starting Oct 26.
6. Custom discounts near Autumn dates do not inherit the seasonal exception.
7. Next Fest is demo ops — link final nine days; do not confuse it with seasonal exemption.
8. Use gates T1–T6 and october_triple_fest_cooldown_receipt_v1.json.
9. Prefer one primary themed paid lever in October when percentages conflict.
10. Cite Upcoming Events, Discounting, and October Next Fest next to claims.

FAQ

What is a steam fest discount cooldown?

Steam’s rule that a product generally cannot be discounted again within 30 days of another discount. Seasonal Sales are the documented exception. See Discounting.

Does Autumn Sale block Cooking Fest or Scream V via discount cooldown?

No — not via the 30-day discount cooldown. Seasonals are exempt and do not create that cooldown. Still check release and price-increase cooldowns.

Does a Cooking Fest discount block Scream V?

Usually yes if you took a real Cooking discount ending in mid/late October — Oct 26 is inside 30 days of an Oct 19 end. Join Scream at no-discount or sit out, or skip Cooking % if Scream is the priority.

Is Next Fest part of discount cooldown?

Next Fest is a demo discovery event. If you also set a full-game discount around those dates, ordinary Discounting rules still apply. The demo LIVE/OPT-OUT decision is separate — see final nine days.

Can I join Cooking and Scream without discounting?

Often yes when eligible — presence and tags differ from %. This worksheet still wants join/sit-out recorded so nobody “adds 30% later” without math.

Do themed sales waive the 30-day discount cooldown?

No. Only Seasonal Sales have that special exception.

What if my custom discount overlapped Autumn dates?

It does not automatically get seasonal exceptions. Only the Seasonal Sale discount rows do.

Where do eligibility honesty checks live?

Cooking-primary: Cooking playbook. Horror-primary: Scream playbook. This pillar owns cooldown stacking.

How do I protect Winter Sale?

Fill section E. Avoid stacking deep themed cuts that force another cooldown into Winter planning. Seasonals have their own exception rules — still plan the staircase.

Who should own Discount Management edits?

One named partner user with Manage Pricing & Discounts — section A. Two editors without a receipt is how double submits happen.

Related reading

• Steam Winter Sale 2026 Prep Worksheet - Lock Before Dec 17 — forward seasonal worksheet (Nov 17 cliffs; not October themed stack)
• 9-Day Steam Next Fest Livestream Cover Challenge - October 2026 — optional stream/Discord cover during the same stack (not cooldown math)
• Stop Claiming Steam Cooking Fest Eligibility Without Cooking Loops - 2026 — refuse wallpaper Cooking claims before % math
• Steam Cooking Fest 2026 - Themed Sale Discount Playbook for Indies — satellite: eligibility ops
• Steam Scream V 2026 - Horror Fest Discount Playbook for Indies — satellite: eligibility
• Steam Autumn Sale 2026 - Discount Playbook Keep Hold for Indies — seasonal lane
• Steam Next Fest Final Nine Days After Press Preview - Lock Before Oct 19 2026 — demo ops
• 12 Free Steam Wishlist Analytics Tools for Next Fest Week - 2026 — measure after you decide %
• Stop Upgrading Unity Mid Steam Next Fest Week - Pin 6.3 LTS 2026 — engine pin during discovery
• Steam Guide
• 15 Free Next Fest October Demo Metadata Resources
• Demo upload rejected - missing Steam Input default config

Primary sources: Upcoming Steam Events · Discounting · Steam Next Fest: October 2026.