Valve launches an update for Steam demos, enhancing store pages, reviews, and demo alerts

Valve has rolled out the "Great Steam Demo Update," enhancing the demo experience on its platform. Based on feedback from developers and players, this update introduces separate store pages for game demos, allowing developers to showcase demo-specific content such as trailers, screenshots, and features. These pages also include buttons to install the demo and visit the main game's store page.

Players can now leave demo-specific reviews and receive email or mobile alerts when a demo becomes available for a game on their wishlist or from a developer they follow. Demo listings can appear alongside free games in sections like "New & Trending" on Steam’s homepage charts. Steam has adjusted visibility thresholds to balance the prominence of demos with paid products.

Users can add demos to their libraries without immediate installation and can install demos even if they own the full game. Demos can be removed from libraries by right-clicking, and uninstalled demos will also be removed automatically. The visibility changes may reintroduce older demos to user accounts, but Steam has made efforts to clean up demos that users likely no longer care about.