Steam’s tri-annual Next Fest event is the perfect place to play demos for intriguing upcoming titles on Steam Deck, and February 2025’s showcase was no different. A particular stand-out for cozy game fans is Is This Seat Taken?, which is Steam Deck-playable even in its demo form.
Even with a lot of the best Steam Deck games, it’s hard to know if a game will be playable on the handheld prior to its release, and so few studios mark their demos as Steam Deck-friendly. But Is This Seat Taken?’s two-person developer team at Poti Poti Studios made it clear from the get-go that you can take this demo on the go, which likely helped its monumental success during Next Fest. The game is currently only slated for a Steam release, but it’s perfectly designed for portable platforms, thanks to its casual game loop and simple controls.
Is This Seat Taken? is a stylish and funny cozy game from Wholesome Games’ publishing arm that follows a group of quirky shapes on a journey around the world. The game’s core logic puzzle revolves around meeting each shape’s particular needs in a given scenario, whether that’s on a bus, at a movie theater, or at a wedding. You must find the perfect position for each character to make them happy, all the while picking up nuggets of information about each scene’s recurring characters.
The game’s release date is still listed as ‘to be announced,’ but we hope that the demo’s success shows Poti Poti Studios and Wholesome Games that the people want more from this game. Unlike some Next Fest demos, which get removed after the event, Is This Seat Taken?’s demo is still live on Steam, so we highly recommend you give it a go on your Steam Deck or Steam Deck alternative, like the Lenovo Legion Go.
Now that Next Fest is over, why not give some other Steam Deck favorites a go? We’ve got a Balatro review for you if you’ve yet to try the Game Awards 2024 GOTY. There are also tons of new mobile games and new Switch games to keep you occupied on public transport.