Steam Next Fest 2026

Overview

VOID DIVER: Escape from the Abyss took part in Steam Next Fest in June 2026. The festival, which showcases upcoming games through free playable demos, served as a major milestone on the game's road to Early Access. STUDIO NEMO released an updated demo for the occasion, and the game's wishlist count had surpassed 130,000 heading into the event.

The Updated Demo, Live Early

Rather than waiting for the festival proper, the updated demo went live early, starting June 12, 2026. This gave players a head start with a build that significantly expanded on earlier versions. The full launch and contents of this build are covered in Demo.

What the Update Added

The Next Fest update was shaped by player feedback gathered from earlier demos and rolled in a broad set of additions:

• More equipment to find and use.

• New traits for character builds.

• All-new bosses, including a new mini-boss on the city-center map. For the broader threat lineup, see Enemies and Threats.

• Balance adjustments and quality-of-life improvements.

• Expanded shop management, letting players invest more in BALUSHA Antique Shop between runs, customize it, hire staff, and interact with high-value clients.

Wishlist Momentum

The festival capped a steady climb in interest across early 2026. The game had passed 130,000 wishlists by the time of the June Next Fest run, building on earlier milestones reached through the demo's launch and the game's appearance at PlayX4 2026. The team has said it is accelerating development off this momentum toward an Early Access launch. See Early Access and Release.

Official Trailer

An official Steam Next Fest trailer was released on the game's official video channel. The wider set of trailers and screenshots is collected in Media.