Valve's Steam platform has once again broken its record for concurrent players, with over 32 million users logged in at the same time. This marks the highest number of concurrent users since the platform's launch in 2003, more than 20 years ago.
The figures were reported by SteamBD, a well-known Steam data analytics site. The analytics platform has also revealed that 10,082,055 users were actively in-game at the time. Steam initially launched as a way for Valve to distribute and update its games, but has since become the go-to platform for millions of PC gamers. It now dominates the market for digital PC game downloads.
One factor contributing to Steam's success may be the release of the Steam Deck, a handheld console that can play users' Steam games and function as a mobile PC, in February 2022. The Steam Deck was well-received and considered one of the best gaming hardware releases of the year.
Another reason for Steam's popularity is the strong gaming communities and player interaction within the platform. Features like the Steam marketplace, groups, and workshops contribute to building these communities and allow players to communicate with each other, form communities, and access in-game items.
Well-known gaming studios and publishers such as Ubisoft, Activision, and Electronics Art have launched their digital stores and PC platforms in an attempt to make their games exclusive to them. However, they have ultimately returned to Steam, releasing recent games like Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, Warzone 2.0 from Activision, and FIFA 23 from EA on the platform. Even Ubisoft has made a comeback on Steam with the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
In 2021, Steam reached a total of 132 million monthly active users, solidifying its position as the top PC gaming platform. Valve, known for its video game development and the iconic 1998 release of Half-Life, has seen the greatest success with its Steam platform in recent years. These new concurrent player figures further demonstrate the platform's lucrative value for the company. It will be interesting to see how long these numbers can be surpassed.