Valve flips the switch from cozy typing games to competitive chaos. From now through February 16, save big on fighting games, shooters, and strategy titles designed to test your relationships.
The time for polite correspondence is over. The Steam Typing Fest has packed up its mechanical keyboards and cozy letter-writing simulators. In its place, Valve has erected an arena.
Today marks the official start of the Steam PvP Fest, a week-long celebration of conflict, competition, and the sweet taste of digital victory. From right now until February 16th at 10:00 a.m. Pacific, the Steam storefront is dedicated to Player-versus-Player experiences, offering deep discounts, extensive demos, and a curated list of games designed to ruin friendships (temporarily, we hope).
As the official announcement from the “Steam Team” eloquently puts it: “Grab your friends and turn them into your (temporary?) enemies! Or grab your enemies and reinforce your big feelings about them!”
The Spectrum of Conflict
While “PvP” often conjures images of twitchy first-person shooters, this festival highlights the incredible breadth of the competitive genre. Valve has curated a selection that spans fighting games, sports simulators, real-time strategy (RTS), and card battlers.
The landing page is a chaotic mix of genres, proving that the urge to best another human being transcends mechanics. Whether you want to punch a friend in the face in Tekken, outwit them in Civilization, or snipe them from across the map in Hunt: Showdown, there is a deal here for you.
The Fighting Game Renaissance. This week is a particularly strong period for the Fighting Game Community (FGC). With the genre experiencing a massive renaissance over the last few years, major titles such as Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and Mortal Kombat 1 are seeing significant price reductions. For those hesitant to jump in due to the $70 price tag, this is the entry point. Beyond the big three, the fest is spotlighting “anime fighters” and indie brawlers. Games like Guilty Gear Strive and Rivals of Aether are prominently featured, offering high-octane action for a fraction of the cost.
The Tactical Shooters. For those who prefer their combat with ballistics, the tactical shooter section is stacked. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, a game that continues to thrive a decade into its lifespan, is offering its “Operator Editions” at steep discounts. Meanwhile, extraction shooters—the genre that blends the tension of survival with the lethality of PvP—are front and center. Expect to see deals on Escape from Tarkov competitors and Hunt: Showdown, pushing players to risk their gear for glory.
“We Don’t Judge”: The Rise of the Bot Match
Interestingly, the Steam announcement includes a specific callout for a subset of gamers who love the mechanics of PvP but hate the pressure.
“Or just play against pretend players! We don’t judge!” the announcement reads.
This acknowledges a growing trend in the industry: the “Bot Match” enthusiast. Many of the games featured in this sale, from Call of Duty to Super Smash Bros.-style platform fighters, offer robust offline modes where you can beat up on CPU opponents. For many, this is the ideal way to play. You get the kinetic satisfaction of the gameplay loop—the headshots, the combos, the touchdowns—without the toxicity of voice chat or the stress of ranked ladders. It’s a validating nod from Valve that “Player vs. Player” games are often just as fun when it’s “Player vs. CPU.”
Demos Aplenty
One of the most consumer-friendly aspects of Steam Fests is the emphasis on demos. PvP games are notoriously “feel-based.” You can watch a hundred reviews, but you won’t know if the netcode feels sluggish or if the gunplay feels weighty until you play it yourself.
The PvP Fest page features hundreds of free demos of upcoming and existing indie titles. This allows players to “try before they buy,” ensuring the community is healthy and the servers are stable before committing. It’s a perfect opportunity to test out niche titles like Deceive Inc. or Party Animals to see if they fit your friend group’s vibe.
The Psychology of the Sale
Why do we love these events? There is something primal about PvP gaming. It strips away the narrative fluff and boils gaming down to its rawest element: skill expression.
When you buy a single-player RPG, you are buying a story. When you buy a PvP game during this fest, you are buying a hobby. You are buying into a meta, a community, and a journey of self-improvement. You are signing up for the frustration of learning a new map, the anger of a losing streak, and the unparalleled dopamine rush of a clutch victory.
Valve’s marketing leans into this emotional rollercoaster. “Reinforce your big feelings about your enemies,” they joke. It’s a recognition that these games elicit strong emotions. Whether it’s the camaraderie of a squad wipe or the bitterness of a betrayal in Among Us, PvP is the ultimate emotional engine.
Hardware Check: Is Your Rig Ready?
With competitive games, framerate is king. This sale is also a good time for players to evaluate their hardware. Many high-fidelity shooters on sale (such as Call of Duty or The Finals) require high refresh rates to remain competitive.
However, the Steam Deck is also a major player in this space. Many of the featured indie brawlers and card battlers are “Verified” for the Deck, meaning you can take your grudges on the go. There is something uniquely dangerous about being able to challenge a stranger to a duel while waiting for the bus.
A Week of War
The event is live right now and runs through next Monday, February 16th.
If you have been looking for a new “main game” to sink 1,000 hours into, or if you just want a cheap party game to scream at your friends over this weekend, the Steam PvP Fest is the place to be.
Just remember the golden rule of PvP: It’s never your fault; it was lag.
Watch the Trailer: YouTube Link Visit the Store: Steam PvP Fest
Three Picks for the Competitive Soul
If you are overwhelmed by the options, here are three diverse picks from the sale to get you started:
1. The Fighting Game Pick: Street Fighter 6, Capcom’s latest entry, is widely considered one of the best fighting games ever made. It features a robust “World Tour” single-player mode (for those who want to beat up “pretend players”) and a flawlessly smooth online experience. It is approachable for beginners thanks to the “Modern Controls” scheme, but retains infinite depth for veterans.
2. The Shooter Pick: Rainbow Six Siege. It’s tactical, it’s destructible, and it’s stressful. Siege is a horror game in which the monster is a French SWAT officer wielding a sledgehammer. Communication is key here. If you have a dedicated group of friends, this is the best $10-$15 you will ever spend.
3. The Chaos Pick: Friends vs Friends A card-based shooter where you level up your deck to gain wacky abilities (like giant heads, invisible walls, or turning off the enemy’s jump button). It is fast, funny, and incredibly cheap. It’s the perfect game to ruin a friendship over in 15 minutes or less.