Idle game demos from Steam Next Fest to help you lock in
These upcoming idle games are here to help you find your focus, get in the flow, and get sh*t done.
Co-working and variety streamer
To ease the stress of going online for tasks, I’ve become completely taken by the idler genre. As a coworking streamer, I’ve found great success and motivation in having a game on screen that can showcase something adorable or beautiful AND a tangible change over time. Sure, checking off our to-dos onscreen helps a bit, but I’d prefer to see a farm expand, a restaurant take off, dragons grow, or a tamagotchi equivalent explore pixel art environments while I explore the depths of my emails.
Idlers, for me, typically mean having a place on my screen I can look to to see a representation of my progress in a way that warms my heart. Bonus points, certainly, to those idlers with Twitch integrations that show us, in real time, connecting with our digital community in a shared moment of focus. This Steam Next Fest, I scrubbed through the Idler tag, weeding out anything that felt either too active (lots of clicking, no automation options, too puzzly, etc.) or anything with the AI Generated content tag. Narrowed to just 8 games from this cycle, I hope you enjoy a little taste of the upcoming games in the idler genre!
Many of these still have demos available, or are releasing really soon! If you check them out, let me know @ClaireAfterAll on Instagram, Twitch, and Bluesky!
1. Dragons Frolic!
Developed by: Starlit Castle
Published by: Starlit Castle
Demo available on Steam? Yes
Work alongside your avatar as they raise and breed (not breed WITH, though the English translation had my Twitch chat blushing) Dragons! While I could have used a clearer tutorial to get the lay of the land controls-wise with this one, it absolutely made my wishlist. I hope to see more character customization options, maybe a color slider, and to smooth out some of those pesky translation errors in time for their next demo or the game release. That being said, have I been thinking about going back and seeing what other dragon combos we can make? Absolutely.
Release Date: TBA
2. How to Train Your Cock
Developed by: Little Horror Studios
Published by: Little Horror Studios
Demo available on Steam? Yes
This one easily won the day with my chat. Featuring a delightful little bird (read: cock) on a rock, perhaps in outer space? This tenacious chickadee hangs out on your screen wherever you place him. For me, I found him to be a great reminder that a little bit of overtime can go a long way. This one’s sure to make another appearance on my streams, and I’m thrilled that there’s seemingly a lengthy enough run time that this one will last me awhile. Advancement is a delicate balance in an idler. Too fast and you’ve burnt through the game’s features in just a few working sessions, but too slow or unchanging and I’m wont to go looking for another game with more tangible progress or change over time. What can I say? This cock has piqued my interest.
Release Date: 2025
3. Sky Dreamer
Developed by: Mario Jacob
Published by: Mario Jacob
Demo available on Steam? Yes
Sky Dreamer has potential. Watch the rise (and fall?) of different metropolitan areas, either on your full monitor or across the bottom. I loved the ability to easily switch between a full screen and a more classic idler bottom-of-the-screen view. The colors are beautiful, the to-do lists are segmented, and the lofi is good.
While the Steam description describes transforming “work time into tangible progress as your futuristic floating cities grow with each focus session,” I didn’t know what tangible progress was happening in my city throughout each focused session. Buildings appeared, crowded the platform, and reset, but I still am not sure why. I’m curious if the city growth feature just wasn’t ready in time for the demo, or if it’ll be made more clear on or ahead of release. Either way, Sky Dreamer’s music and visual productivity tools (to do list, categories, and pomo timers) will keep this one on my wishlist, eagerly awaiting an explanation for what’s actually happening in these futuristic cities.
Release Date: 2025
4. Milly’s Meadow
Developed by: Diesel Laws
Published by: Diesel Laws
Demo available on Steam? Yes
Milly’s Meadow has an incredibly cute and loveable main character in the form of anthropomorphic deer Milly in her floating meadow. That being said, the in-demo note says “If you’re ready to customize the meadow, customize Milly, unlock activities (like fishing and farming) and change activity durations, then please buy the full game.” Despite the cuteness, when I’m trying to be discerning about dropping money on an idler, I want to make sure the pace of change and advancement aligns with what I want, not just the visuals. Of course, I am still thinking about picking it up, depending on the price point they land on. There’s just something about the zen nature of an independent and darling deer choring that calls to me. Maybe that demo design is working after all…
Release Date: July 4, 2025
5. Desk Garden
Developed by: Siesta Studio
Published by: Siesta Studio
Demo available on Steam? Yes
Desk Garden’s ability to spread your plants and trinkets all over your full monitor set up was both incredibly fun and a little daunting. I’d like to see if they follow in other games’ footsteps and add a “Focus Mode” to actually slow down the blooming frequency of plants, add automation, or if my will power will have to suffice for looking away despite things to harvest. The three music options and soundscape options cover a lot of ground in a curated way, too. While I don’t usually stick with any one idler’s soundtrack on repeat, it was fun to see the variety available over just three tracks.
Release Date: June 17, 2025
6. Not Monday Cafe
Developed by: Sunny Syrup Studio
Published by: Flyhigh Works
Demo available on Steam? Yes
The unique combination of farming, cooking, and cafe service makes Not Monday Cafe feel like a whole world is happening at the bottom of my screen while working. There’s a Twitch extension that allows friends to select the type of animal for their avatar in the cafe, and even chat onscreen. I hope to see a little more development of the extension to allow for censoring what you want to show up in the extension versus what can just stay in your Twitch chat. But full disclosure, the folks at Sunny Syrup sent me a beta for this one well before Next Fest, so I’ve put at least 15+ hours into my own “After All Cafe” and will likely put many more upon release.
Release Date: June 23, 2025
7. Lakeside Bar
Developed by: BITCOVER
Published by: BITCOVER
Demo available on Steam? Yes
Have you ever wanted to be Gus in Stardew Valley? Lakeside Bar feels like that to me. With a small smattering of bar games to play during your breaks from work and the option to be windowed, full screen, or as a bottom-of-the-screen resident, Lakeside Bar is an idler I’ll be keeping my eye on. Hire help, decorate your bar, and, perhaps most importantly, leave your staff to work while you go outside and sit in nature. If this demo stays active past Next Fest, I’d love to try out their Twitch Extension as well.
Release Date: June 24, 2025
8. Nanomon
Developed by: Oscar Brittain
Published by: Akupara Games
Demo available on Steam? Yes
I’m absolutely immediately captured and endeared by Nanomon. These little creatures feel like a combination of Tamagotchi and Neopets, but if they enjoyed autonomously battling a la Pokemon. Whether you’re procrastinating your way through “A Seeker’s Guide to the Nanoscape” or just watching your little nano roll around, the hint of lore and finding out the secrets surrounding these little fellas kept my eye floating to the bottom of the screen.
Additionally, the demo implies a robust setup for modding the game and that one day we’ll be able to battle our Nanomon with our pals across the internet. While I’m not sure if I’ll use those features myself, Nanomon just keeps surprising me with its companionability and creativity. I can’t wait to pick it up.
Release Date: June 24, 2025
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