Every game that releases on Steam gets a baseline of algorithmic exposure, often called the launch visibility round. Your game appears in the New Releases lists, in discovery queues, and on the home pages of players whose tag preferences match yours. This happens automatically; you don't apply for it.
What the algorithm watches from that point is engagement: do people who see your capsule click it, do people who visit the page wishlist or buy, do buyers play and review positively. Strong signals extend and widen the exposure; weak signals quietly retire it. This is why the small capsule and short description you polished before launch matter more than anything you do during launch week itself.
What genuinely extends visibility
Wishlist conversions in the first 48 hours are the loudest signal, which is why arriving with a large, recent wishlist base matters. Review velocity is second: crossing 10 reviews unlocks the visible rating, and a Positive rating sustains click-through. A launch discount keeps you in the special offers surfaces for its duration.
The myths
There is no fixed "one week of visibility" timer; weak launches fade in a day, strong ones run for weeks. Launching on a quiet weekday does not grant extra exposure, it only reduces direct competition in the new release lists. And re-launching with a name change does not reset the round; Valve keys it to the app, not the name.
The honest summary: launch visibility is a multiplier on the audience you bring, not a source of audience. The toolkit's checklist orders the work accordingly.