15 Free Steam Next Fest October 2026 Demo Metadata and Steam Input Checklist Resources

Official festival calendar—October 2026 Next Fest submission windows, visibility toggles, and what must be live on the demo branch before you flip fest participation on.
Use for: deadline + eligibility baseline

Controller config contract—`controller_*.vdf` layout, default action sets, and why the demo depot must ship `controller_base/` beside the game binary.
Pro tip: run the same VDF on default and fest_demo branches in CI.

Depot promotion order—clean SteamPipe run that includes controller configs; partial promotions are the dominant cause of missing metadata on demo-only branches.
Best for: re-promote after VDF fix

Branch discipline—map `default`, `fest_demo`, and internal QA branches so Steamworks library assets regenerate against the branch players actually download during the fest.
Use for: branch → depot matrix

Library asset regeneration—after controller folder changes, rebuild library assets on the demo branch before re-enabling the fest visibility toggle.
Verify: green metadata bar in Steamworks with no Input banner

Deck cert lane—glyph and input expectations stack on top of Steam Input metadata; autumn 2026 refresh tightened archetype-to-glyph parity.
Pair with: elite/Series 2 glyph help below

Runtime activation—deferred Init + explicit ActivateActionSet after autumn 2026 client refresh; complements metadata-on-branch failures.
Use for: player-session bugs post-upload

Glyph migration—PNG glyph API + elite/Series 2 action sets when reviewers see generic Xbox art during fest week.
Best for: 1280×800 proof sessions

Beginner wiring—`glyph_table_v1.json` + Input System paths for fest demos; run after metadata upload passes.
Use for: in-game UI parity

BUILD_RECEIPT metadata columns—pair Steam Input folder diff with binary smoke before fest branch promotion.
Pro tip: identical smoke matrix on demo and main

Distribution spine—fest visibility sequencing, library regen, playtest isolation, and October Next Fest metadata gates refreshed May 24, 2026.
Use for: broader Steamworks context beyond this checklist

Storefront context—Steam Next Fest sits beside itch Next Fest HTML5 and Deck Verified autumn lanes in the Q3 platform refresh.
Use for: multi-store fest planning

Analytics sibling—instrument funnels after metadata + Input gates pass; this list is the upload checklist, not the telemetry stack.
Best for: week-one fest ops

Surface separation—do not promote playtest depots when fixing fest demo Input metadata; `playtest_scope_map_v1.json` discipline.
Use for: branch confusion triage

Budget guardrail—October Next Fest contractor rows should not start until demo metadata bar is green.
Pair with: contractor vs hire worksheet blog