Overwhelmed by options in Steam Next Fest? You have got to try these 9 demos

Steam Next Fest is one of my favorite occurrences throughout any given year since I get to play games all day long trying to find cool stuff.

In 2025, Steam Next Fest introduced me to titles like Ball x Pit and Absolum, and those quickly became two of my favorite releases later that year when I played and reviewed them. So especially now, when Next Fest rolls around, I try to play as much as I can to see what exciting sleeper titles the year may have in store for PC gaming.

Below, I’ve listed a few of the titles that caught my eye and I will be looking forward to playing more of ASAP, whether they launch this year or beyond.

Best Steam Next Fest demos – February 2026

Vampire Crawlers

• Vampire Crawlers Steam page

Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors is a mouthful of a full title, but boy, it’s also one of the most promising games I’ve played so far this year. Part dungeon crawler, part Vampire Survivors, part card battler, this game is all addictive fun. I’ve already put several hours into the demo, and I can’t wait to fully explore the full release.

Piece by Piece

• Piece by Piece Steam page

This ultra-satisfying and cozy puzzler puts you in control of puzzle pieces and a little character within them. Put the pieces together properly, move around inside, and make your way to the goal.

REPLACED

• REPLACED Steam page

This demo took me a while to get to, but I’m glad I finally played it, because I understand the hype. I haven’t played anything quite like REPLACED before: a 2D platformer with an absolutely gorgeous pixel aesthetic, and some Batman Arkham-like combat and Resident Evil-style files to help flesh out the lore.

Alabaster Dawn

• Alabaster Dawn Steam page

A 2.5D ARPG has never looked or felt better. This game combines Hades-like combat gameplay with the world-building, dialogue, puzzles, and cutscenes of a classic RPG to create something that immediately felt like a “yes” within just minutes of playing it.

Last Man Sitting

• Last Man Sitting Steam page

What happens if you combine Megabonk gameplay in a 2000s setting where work appliances are coming to life in hordes for you to mow down while rolling around in a wheely chair? This. And it’s got co-op and PvP, to boot.

Spark Ignites

• Spark Ignites Steam page

Another pixel-style visual feast, Spark Ignites evokes memories of the Octopath Traveler series with its gorgeous design. But what I love most about the demo is the dynamic camera during turn-based combat, weaving in and out of the scene to create a really pretty effect.

Armatus

• Armatus Steam page

Armatus is a roguelike third-person shooter, reminiscent of games like Hades and Returnal, and it’s set in the “demon-infested ruins of Paris.” Run, shoot, melee, upgrade, rinse and repeat to your heart’s content.

LUCID

• LUCID Steam page

Platforming fans, get ready to wishlist this one. LUCID is a stunning Metroidvania (the devs call it a Celestoidvania) with precision platforming, exploration, and an absolute banger of a soundtrack.

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What are some of your favorite demos from Feb. 2026’s Steam Next Fest? Let me know in the comments below, and I’ll try to check them all out.

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Rainbow Six Mobile is now available on mobile devices worldwide, and there are a fair number of operators to unlock at launch.

Operators in Rainow Six Mobile are broadly categorized into Attackers and Defenders. Suffice to say, every Operator is different in terms of how they operate. Despite the game being in its early days, some Operators are simply better.

This guide will help you figure out which Operators are pretty strong in the current meta, and which ones are best avoided at all costs.

Complete Rainbow Six Mobile Attackers tier list

To separate the Operators, I have used four different tiers.

• S-tier Operators are the best choices in their respective roles, and they’re extremely strong at launch.
• A-tier Operators are pretty close to the names on the S-tier, but they have a few weaknesses.
• B-tier Operators are strong characters to consider, but they’re not exactly meta.
• C-tier Operators are either clunky or just poor overall. They’re best avoided unless you’re a fan.

First, let’s look at the Attackers.

S-tier

Name	Reason
Hibana	Hibana is the best breacher in the current roster, all thanks to her X-Kairos Launcher. She can breach fortified and softer walls equally well and open new areas for her allies.
Dokkaebi	Having information on your hand is crucial, and that’s where Dokkaebi comes in. While I don’t like the fact that you have to get at least one kill with her, the ability is absolutely overpowered.
Thatcher	Thatcher is arguably the best supporter in the entire game and his EMPs are great to disable opposition gadgets. This can put the enemy team on backfoot and hand your allies an unexpected advantage.
Lion	Similar to Dokkaebi, Lion can reveal enemy movements. His signature weapon helps to restrict the enemy movement, and you can also use it to corner isolated targets.

A-tier

Name	Reason
Thermite	Thermite is almost as effective as Hibana when it comes to breaching doors. However, his Exothermic Charges can be slightly clunky to handle, which puts him in the A-tier.
Twitch	She is one of the easiest characters to master as her Shock Drone auto-targets and disables enemy gadgets. She’s A-tier since the enemy can shoot at her when she’s controlling the drone.
Capitao	Since he can cover the enemy’s vision of the map, you can force your opponents to play in certain zones. This allows your allies to corner and flush them out for easy kills.
Ash	A solid breacher who can open up multiple entry-points and secure them due to her incredible speed. However, you’ll still need to master the art of rushing in, as timing it poorly can end with you getting killed instead.

B-tier

Name	Reason
Sledge	While Sledge is limited as a breacher due to the slow speed of his hammer, his melee ability makes it easy for you to learn the basics with him.
Deimos	This is one of the hardest attackers to master, and he also struggles when playing alone. Deimos can be considered as A-tier in a well-coordinated team.
Buck	Buck is the perfect example of an Operator who can do almost everything without specializing in any area. His ability to break soft surfaces without having to change his primary is really cool.
Ying	The Candela Flash Charge is amazing at blinding the enemy, but aiming it with precision is extremely difficult on a mobile device. You’ll also need other allies to max out its effectiveness.

C-tier

Name	Reason
Glaz	The Therman Flip Scope allows Glaz to see enemies in smoke, or when you’re hidden in smoke. The problem is the heavy reliance on smoke. If there’s no smoke, Glaz’s ability has zero value.
ATK Recruit	Good starting operator with an extra gadget, but should be replaced at the earliest possibility.

Rainbow Six Mobile Defenders tier list

For Defenders, I have once again used a four-grade tier system, with similar logic behind every rank.

S-tier

Name	Reason
Mira	Mira’s Black Mirror allows you to view enemies through soft and reinforced surfaces, which is such a fun ability to have. Moreover, the enemy will have no idea that you’re well aware of their movements.
Bandit	Arguably the best Defender in the current meta, his Shock Wires are absolutely stunning. The gadget can nullify almost all Breacher abilities and prevents them from breaking the surface.
Mute	He becomes a must-have if the opposition has Dokkaebi. Mute can deny all opposition information with his drones. His jammer also activates against enemy gadgets that can be detonated remotely.
Maestro	Maestro’s Evil Eye is great at detecting enemies with its laser, and the high durability is a bonus.

A-tier

Name	Reason
Smoke	Smoke is a classic Defender who uses his Gas Grenade to keep enemies from entering specific areas. The effects last for a decent amount of time.
Jager	Jager has one of the simplest gameplay. Once you plant his Magpie Defense Systerm, it’s job done. Your remaining task is to hold the strategic points and shoot at the opposition attackers.
Kapkan	Kapkan’s Entry Denial Device is a brilliant hybrid that can either hinder enemy movement, or even get kills (thanks to the five charges).
Frost	Her Welcome Mats, if placed properly, can restrict enemy Attackers for the rest of the Round. However, the placement is key to maximize their effects.

B-tier

Name	Reason
Caveira	If you’re good at takedowns, Caveira is S-tier. She can locate all enemies by completing an interrogation (which requires you to take down a single enemy).
Valkyrie	While her Black Eye Camera can provide information to the team, it takes a lot of time to set them up effectively. Sometimes, rounds might be over before you can properly set up all her cameras.
Castle	His Armor Panel is great at slowing down enemies when they’re trying to push on to the objective.
Rook	A very basic Defender who has extra HP to take more damage. However, he is slightly slow to move.

C-tier

The DEF Recruit is a good operator to learn the role of a Defender, but he doesn’t have much use otherwise.

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