Steam Launch Checklist: From Coming Soon Page to Launch Week
Everything to do before a Steam launch, in order: store page, wishlists, Next Fest, press and creators, pricing, review deadlines and launch week. With free tools for each step.
By StoreCheck TeamPublished November 6, 20263 min readLive data: 794 pages
- Get the Coming Soon page live early: every week it's up collects wishlists.
- Build the page with data: capsule, screenshots, trailer and short description matter most.
- Plan around Valve's review time and the two-week Coming Soon minimum.
- Pick a launch week away from big sales, ideally a few weeks after your Next Fest.
Contents
This is the checklist we'd follow for a Steam launch, from the day the store page goes up to launch week. Each step links to a free tool that does the work.
6–12 months out: the store page
- Pay the Steam Direct fee ($100 per game, paid back once the game earns $1,000) and set up Steamworks.
- Build the Coming Soon page: capsule set, at least 5 screenshots (top pages average 16.5), a trailer, short and long descriptions, 20 tags, languages.
- Get a page score and fix the biggest problems first.
3–6 months out: wishlists and research
- Track wishlists weekly; project where you'll be at launch.
- Study what players love and hate in your closest rivals.
- Decide: Playtest, demo, or both?
2–4 months out: Next Fest
- Publish the demo at least two weeks before the fest.
- Run through the readiness checklist.
1–2 months out: press, creators, price
- Build a press kit and fact sheet.
- Email press and creators who cover your genre, with keys.
- Set your price and regional prices.
2–4 weeks out: deadlines
- The page must be Coming Soon for at least two weeks before release.
- Submit the build for review with time to spare.
- Pick the launch week: avoid big sales and Next Fest week.
Launch week
- Set the launch discount (if any) and post a launch announcement.
- Email your list and Discord; send keys to creators who said yes.
- Watch reviews daily and answer bug reports fast.
Get a free 0–100 score for your Steam page, measured the same way as the 794 pages behind this article, with the fixes ranked by impact.
Check my page freeQuestions
How far ahead should I put my game on Steam?
As early as you have good art and a trailer. Many indies put the Coming Soon page up 6–12 months before launch to collect wishlists.
How much does it cost to release a game on Steam?
$100 per game for Steam Direct, paid back once the game earns $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue.
When should I contact press and creators?
About 2–4 weeks before launch for reviews, with keys and an embargo date; earlier for previews and Next Fest demos.
- • Steam Direct
- • Steamworks: release process
- • StoreCheck data: 794 Steam store pages, measured with methodology v1