Valve’s Steam platform has started 2026 by achieving another significant milestone, breaking its all-time record for concurrent online users. According to SteamDB, the new peak reached 42,042,778 users online. Of these, approximately 13,399,958 individuals were actively playing games.
Most Played Games
The following titles were among the most popular games over the last 24 hours, based on their peak player counts:
- Counter-Strike 2
- Dota 2
- PUBG: Battlegrounds
- ARC Raiders
- Apex Legends
- Rust
As 2026 has just begun, there is potential for Steam to continue setting new records throughout the year.
Recent Milestones in Concurrent Users
Steam has consistently broken its own records for concurrent users over the past few years. Here is a look at recent milestones:
- March 2025 – 40 million
- December 2024 – 39 million
- September 2024 – 38 million
- August 2024 – 37 million
- March 2024 – 36 million
- March 2024 – 35 million
- March 2024 – 34 million
- January 2023 – 33 million
It appears that the platform also surpassed 41 million users in October 2025, a milestone that may have been overlooked.
This period of growth also coincides with the Linux share on Steam reaching its own all-time high. Based on the overall Linux user count, an estimated 1,505,131 Linux gamers were online on Steam during this record-breaking period.
