Steam Discovery Queue Filters: Get the Genres You Want

Steam’s Discovery Queue is a personalized feed of games, but its default settings often show titles far outside your preferred genres. You can directly influence the genres you see by using the ‘Preferences’ sliders on the Discovery Queue page, which weight the algorithm toward or away from specific tags. This article explains exactly how to set those filters, how the system works, and what to do when the queue still misses the mark.

How the Discovery Queue Works

When you click ‘Discovery Queue’ on the Steam storefront, Steam assembles a list of about 12 games. The algorithm draws on several signals: your playtime history, your wishlist, games you own, and the ‘Preferences’ you have set. The Preferences section is a set of sliders for every genre tag on Steam, from ‘Action’ and ‘Indie’ to ‘Anime’ and ‘Souls-like.’ Each slider ranges from ‘Not Interested’ to ‘Very Interested,’ and the algorithm uses these weights to rank potential games. A game with tags you’ve marked as ‘Very Interested’ will appear far more often than one with tags you’ve set to ‘Not Interested.’

Where to Find the Genre Filters

The filters are not in the main Steam settings menu. They live directly on the Discovery Queue page itself.

1. Open Steam and go to the Store tab.
2. Click ‘Discovery Queue’ in the top navigation bar (or on the home page under ‘Browse’).
3. On the right side of the queue page, look for the ‘Preferences’ panel. If you don’t see it, click the small arrow or ‘Preferences’ link to expand it.
4. You’ll see a long list of genre sliders. Scroll through to find the ones you care about.

The sliders are immediately saved as you move them—there is no ‘Apply’ button. You can close the panel and the next queue will use your new settings.

How to Set Sliders for Your Preferred Genres

Each slider has five positions: Not Interested, Not Interested (slightly), Neutral, Interested, and Very Interested. The labels vary slightly, but the principle is the same. To get more of a genre, slide it toward ‘Very Interested.’ To get less, slide it toward ‘Not Interested.’

For example, if you want more roguelikes and fewer visual novels:

• Find ‘Roguelike’ or ‘Roguelite’ and set it to ‘Very Interested.’
• Find ‘Visual Novel’ and set it to ‘Not Interested.’
• Leave genres you’re indifferent about at ‘Neutral.’

The algorithm also considers tag combinations. If you set ‘Strategy’ to ‘Very Interested’ and ‘Turn-Based’ to ‘Very Interested,’ you’ll likely see more turn-based strategy games. If you set ‘Strategy’ to ‘Very Interested’ but ‘Real-Time’ to ‘Not Interested,’ the queue will favor turn-based strategy over real-time.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

A frequent complaint is that the queue still shows games from genres you’ve marked ‘Not Interested.’ This happens for a few reasons. First, Steam’s algorithm uses ‘Not Interested’ as a strong negative, but it doesn’t completely block a tag. If a game has multiple tags, and one of them is ‘Not Interested’ but another is ‘Very Interested,’ the game can still appear. Second, the queue is designed to introduce variety, so it deliberately includes some games outside your preferences. Third, the algorithm also factors in ‘popular among players like you’ and ‘trending’ signals, which can override your sliders.

Another misconception is that the sliders are a permanent filter. They are not. They are weights, not hard filters. If you want to completely exclude a genre, you can use the ‘Exclude tags’ feature on the Steam store search, but that only applies to search results, not the Discovery Queue. For the queue, the best you can do is set the slider to ‘Not Interested’ and wait for the algorithm to learn.

What to Do When the Queue Still Misses the Mark

If you’ve set your sliders and the queue still feels wrong, try these steps:

• Click ‘Not Interested’ on individual games in the queue. This gives the algorithm immediate feedback and is more powerful than the sliders for a single game.
• Refresh the queue after changing sliders. The queue is generated when you click it, so changes take effect on the next queue, not the current one.
• Check your ‘Preferences’ for any accidental slider positions. A common mistake is leaving a genre at ‘Not Interested’ when you meant to set it to ‘Neutral.’
• Use the ‘More Like This’ button on a game you like. This tells Steam to find similar games, which can help refine the queue.

If you’re looking for a specific genre right now, the Discovery Queue is not the best tool. Use the store’s search with tags and filters instead. For example, to find a new roguelike, go to the Store, click ‘Browse,’ select ‘Roguelike’ under ‘Tags,’ and sort by ‘Top Rated’ or ‘New Releases.’

How the Algorithm Weighs Your Inputs

Steam doesn’t publish the exact algorithm, but user observation and Valve’s own documentation suggest that the queue uses a weighted random selection. Each game gets a score based on how well its tags match your preferences, your playtime in similar games, and its overall popularity. The score is then used to pick games, but with some randomness so you don’t see the same games repeatedly. This means that even a game with a perfect tag match won’t appear every time, and a game with a poor match might appear occasionally. The ‘Not Interested’ click on a specific game is a strong negative signal that immediately removes that game from future queues, but it doesn’t affect other games with the same tag.

Alternatives to the Discovery Queue for Finding Genres

If the queue isn’t giving you what you want, there are other built-in Steam tools that are more precise:

• Store Search with Tags: Use the search bar, then click ‘Advanced Search’ or use the tag dropdown to select multiple genres. You can also exclude tags.
• Curator Recommendations: Follow Steam Curators who specialize in your favorite genres. Their recommendation pages list games with a short review.
• Community Hubs: Each game has a community hub. Browsing the hub for a game you like can lead to ‘Similar Games’ suggestions.
• Wishlist and ‘More Like This’: Adding games to your wishlist and using ‘More Like This’ on them helps Steam learn your taste, which indirectly improves the queue.

These alternatives are more direct than the queue, but they lack the serendipity that the queue is designed to provide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do the sliders update the queue instantly?
A: No. The queue is generated when you click ‘Discovery Queue.’ If you change a slider, you need to click ‘Next’ or refresh the page to see a new queue that uses the updated settings.

Q: Can I save multiple preference profiles for different moods?
A: No. Steam only has one set of preferences. Changing them affects all future queues. You would have to manually adjust the sliders each time you want a different focus.

Q: Why do I still see games from a genre I set to ‘Not Interested’?
A: As explained, ‘Not Interested’ is a strong negative weight, not a block. The game might have other tags that are ‘Interested,’ or it might be included for variety. Clicking ‘Not Interested’ on the specific game is the most direct way to remove it.

Q: Does the queue consider my playtime in specific games?
A: Yes. The algorithm heavily weighs your playtime. If you have 500 hours in a strategy game, it will show more strategy games. If you have a game with 0 hours, it will show fewer games like it.

Q: Is there a way to reset my preferences to default?
A: Yes. Scroll to the bottom of the Preferences panel and click ‘Reset Preferences.’ This sets all sliders back to ‘Neutral.’

Q: Do the sliders affect the ‘Recommended for You’ section on the store home page?
A: Yes. The same preferences are used across the store’s personalized sections, including ‘Recommended for You’ and the ‘Specials’ carousel, so adjusting them will change those sections too.

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