The short answer
A Steam wishlist is a player saying "tell me about this game". Valve emails wishlisters when the game launches and when it is discounted, so the number of wishlists at launch strongly shapes release-week sales and visibility. Grow wishlists by publishing the store page early, using a strong capsule and gameplay-first trailer, joining Steam Next Fest and other events, working with content creators, and posting regular updates. Track sources with Steamworks reports and UTM links.
How wishlists work
- Players can wishlist upcoming and released games from the store page.
- Valve emails wishlisters when a game launches and when it goes on sale.
- Steamworks reports show wishlist additions, deletions and purchases, including by country.
- Wishlists are a private signal to you; players see only their own lists.
Because launch and discount emails go to everyone on the list, a game with many wishlists starts with built-in demand on its most important days.
Why they matter for visibility
Strong sales and engagement in the first days help Steam show a game to more players through its recommendations and lists. Wishlists convert into those early sales. Valve's visibility documentation explains how the store promotes games based on player interest and activity, which is why a strong first week is so valuable.
The store page comes first
| Element | What makes it work |
|---|---|
| Capsule art | Readable at small sizes; shows genre and mood at a glance |
| Short description | The hook in one or two sentences |
| Screenshots | Real gameplay, varied situations, no menus |
| Trailer | Gameplay in the first seconds; ends with "wishlist now" |
| Tags | Accurate genre and feature tags, so Steam shows it to the right players |
Publish the page as soon as you have convincing visuals. Every month the page is live is a month of wishlists.
Ways to grow wishlists
| Tactic | Notes |
|---|---|
| Steam Next Fest | A polished demo during the festival is one of the biggest wishlist moments for indies; see our Next Fest guide |
| Other Steam events and festivals | Themed festivals and sales events put upcoming games in front of genre fans |
| Content creators | Streamers and video creators in your genre, with keys for demos or previews |
| Short-form social video | Gameplay clips that show the hook in seconds, with a link to the page |
| Press | Announcement news, previews and demo coverage |
| Community | A Discord server and development updates that turn followers into advocates |
| Cross-promotion | Bundles and shout-outs with similar games |
| Store page updates | Regular news posts and events on the page itself |
Measure what works
Steamworks supports UTM link tracking, so you can tag links from each social post, creator or newsletter and see which sources bring traffic to your store page. Combine that with the wishlist reports to see which activities actually add wishlists, then put more effort into those.
A wishlist timeline
| Stage | Wishlist actions |
|---|---|
| Store page live | Announce on social channels, newsletter and community; ask existing fans to wishlist |
| Development updates | Regular news posts and short clips that each end with a link |
| Demo | Release for Next Fest or an event; invite creators to play |
| Final months | Release date announcement, trailer, press previews, creator outreach |
| Launch week | Launch email goes to wishlisters; keep momentum with community and coverage |
Growth is rarely smooth. Most games see spikes around announcements, festivals and creator videos, with quieter weeks in between, which is why regular activity matters more than one big moment.
Common mistakes
- Publishing the store page only weeks before launch.
- Capsule art that is unreadable when small.
- Trailers that open with logos and story instead of gameplay.
- Inaccurate tags that show the game to the wrong players.
- Marketing posts without a clear link and call to wishlist.
At launch
- Set a launch date and keep it; moving it repeatedly erodes interest.
- Prepare a launch discount if it fits your pricing plan.
- Have creators and press coverage ready for launch day.
- Be active in the community and fix issues quickly.
- Plan the first update and event so momentum continues.
After launch: wishlists keep working
Wishlists do not stop mattering at launch. Players who did not buy on day one stay on the list, and Valve emails them when the game is discounted. That makes seasonal sales and your own discount events a second launch for many games. Pair discounts with updates or new content so returning visitors find a reason to buy, and keep adding wishlists by releasing updates, joining themed festivals and shipping to new platforms such as Steam Deck.
Wishlists and publishers
Publishers and investors often ask for wishlist numbers because they are evidence of demand. Our guide to pitching to publishers explains how to present them, and indie marketing and publishing covers the wider plan.
Building a game that earns wishlists
We build demos and store-ready builds for Steam, including Steam Deck support. See PC game development or request a quote.
Sources: Steamworks: wishlists · Steamworks: visibility on Steam · Steamworks: Steam Next Fest · Steamworks: store page · Steamworks: UTM analytics. Checked October 20, 2026.
Related: PC game development · Get a quote · Co-development
Originally published on A Plus Games Studio, a game, AR and VR development studio in Sacramento, CA.
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