10 Steam Winter Sale 2025 Recommendations
Just one more and I’m off!☝🏻
There are a few weeks in December when Lord Gaben “steams” us, literally and figuratively, with unmissable discounts under the umbrella of the well-known Steam Winter Sale “festival”. Like Santa Claus, the platform that hosts Counter-Strike, DOTA, Half-Life and several tens of thousands of other titles, never misses this digital holiday dedicated to the boys (and girls) who proudly flex under the “PC Master Race” flag.
This year, the winter sales started on 18 December and run until 5 January 2026, enough time for us to think two, three or maybe ten times if we REALLY need that discounted game, even if it’s only 5 euros. But hey, we all know how a gamer’s mind works in front of a green (in Steam’s case) “-80%” tag. FOMO is real. Not a lie like the cake in Portal, by the way.
Hands up who has tens or even hundreds of games in their Steam library that they’ve never played. Exactly, I put both my hands down too. Whether we’re talking about Humble Bundle, gifts from friends, giveaways or other Steam sales, we, gamers, or, for the older ones, “button-mashers”, have this hard-to-explain pleasure of collecting games “for later”. Even when you think you’ve caught them all, just like in Pokémon, an inevitable title still catches your eye.
Looking back, 2025 was the year I returned to keyboard and mouse. An inspired graphics card upgrade, a multi-core processor and, suddenly, the monitor became hard to leave. I played more FPS games than ever and, although I get along well with the console controller, when it comes to first-person “bang-bang”, nothing compares to the classic mouse + keyboard.
With the return to PC, my Steam library inevitably grew. I already had many titles on PS5 or Switch, but the generous discounts convinced me to “repatriate” them to PC as well. From Red Dead Redemption 2, to PlayStation games brought to PC like Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, to FPS games like Atomfall or DOOM: The Dark Ages, the year was full.
So, before we level up to 2026, I took another look at Steam. Not for any other reason, but I know too well what it’s like to regret a 5 euro game in February that has gone back up to 30. This is why the list below was born.
Steam Winter Sale 2025 brought 10 titles to my library that I wholeheartedly recommend, especially if you don’t already own them.
P.S. I’m curious what you bought this year from the Steam Winter Sale? Leave a comment at the end of the article.
Half-Life: Alyx
Reduced price: €17.69 (€59.99)
Probably the best argument to justify a VR headset in your home. Half-Life: Alyx is not just a “spin-off”, but a display of force through which Valve teaches lessons in impeccable level design, tactile gunplay and an atmosphere that keeps you constantly on edge. If you have a compatible VR headset, go for it!
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Reduced price: €29.99 (€59.99)
GRIND of the Year 2025, and that's that! An RPG that might not be for everyone, but for fans of the first game, it’s a must-buy.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Reduced price: €10.49 (€69.99)
A decent upgrade from Fallen Order, with large worlds, more refined combat and a more experienced Cal Kestis. It’s probably the most respectable Star Wars “souls-like” to date and, at this price, even the small technical issues become easier to forgive.
Hades
Reduced price: €7.35 (€24.50)
A roguelike that proved that “just one more round” can mean another three or four hours. The combination of fast gameplay, memorable art style and smart dialogue makes it the kind of game you install “to test it” and then find yourself having finished it (if you’re good, hehe).
Disco Elysium
Reduced price: €3.99 (€39.99)
Disco Elysium is the game I’ve been putting off for about three years. Everyone at GRIND praises the exceptional writing, memorable characters and skill system… I hope this winter “leave” will be kind to my free time and I’ll break the ice. By the way, the guys at /noclip also released a documentary about the game. See part one and part two here.
Control: Ultimate Edition
Reduced price: €5.99 (€39.99)
Remedy in top form: third-person action, supernatural powers and a cryptic story told through documents, atmosphere and brutalist architecture. Ultimate Edition includes all DLCs and is the best way to experience the universe, especially now that a new title in the series was announced at The Game Awards.
Dead Island 2
Reduced price: €4.99 (€49.99)
It may not be the most brilliant title in the Dead Island series, but for €5, it’s worth having in your Steam collection. Some time ago it was offered for free by Epic Games, but it still feels more at home on Gaben’s platform. It has zombies, action, and adrenaline. It works for a few “no-brainer” button-mashing sessions, just like the zombies in the game.
Dead Space
Reduced price: €8.99 (€59.99)
Also with “Dead” in the title, but this time it’s not about islands, but about vast and dark space. A classic of the horror genre in new clothes (remake). It’s one of DOSboi Aidan’s favourite titles, so if you don’t buy it, he’ll tell Santa and you won’t get anything this year! By the way, if it catches you (the game’s style, not Aidan), then take a look at Cronos: The New Dawn. You can thank me later.
Resident Evil 4
Reduced price: €15.99 (€39.99)
A game that redefined the industry. An absolute classic that you must try, especially in its modernised form. It’s not just for horror fans, but for any self-respecting gamer. P.S. Leon, the protagonist, also appears in the new Resident Evil Requiem. If you plan to play it, here’s another reason to play Resident Evil 4 first.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
Reduced price: €4.79 (€59.99)
Here’s a more atypical recommendation from GRIND. We don’t just play RPGs; we also throw in a solid 7 from time to time. Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is more of an arcade game, but it’s just what the doctor ordered. It has spectacular explosions, an epic soundtrack and missions that make you feel like you’re in Top Gun. It’s simply fun.
