For those of you who revel in the meticulous art of crafting a lethal deck to crush your foes, a new Steam festival is just around the corner.

Valve is kicking off the 'Steam Deckbuilders Fest' running from the 5th to the 12th (KST). The event shines a spotlight on titles anchored by deck-building mechanics, where victory depends on how well you assemble your cards. The festival welcomes games tagged with roguelike deckbuilders, card battlers, and general deck-building, with most TCGs also making the cut.

To qualify, games need to offer more than just a passing nod to the genre or a simple card-based buff. The organizers are looking for titles where card management is the beating heart of the experience. Specifically, your game needs to feature the ability to inspect your deck at any time, a system for discarding and managing played cards, and the quintessential thrill of deck compression through adding and removing cards.

Consequently, even if a game carries the right tags, those that lack the strategic depth of true deck-building or feel like nothing more than glorified mini-games won't be making the list. Throughout the festival, you can dive into free demos of various titles on the event page and browse through a selection of discounts. Expected participants include heavy hitters like 'Slay the Spire', 'Balatro', 'Vampire Survivors', and 'Gambonanza'.

Meanwhile, following the conclusion of the Steam Deckbuilders Fest, the 'Steam Pirates vs. Ninjas Fest' is scheduled to begin on the 19th.