Steam is one of if not the most popular platform for PC gamers. This allows us to check what could be some of the most popular games of all time by checking concurrent player counts for Steam games. I know I’m super curious, so let’s get started.
I will be using the highest peak of concurrent users to define this ranking. This is the highest number of players that were playing at the same time. This allows us to see how much of the world was playing the game at the highest point, and it suggests how popular the game was around that peak.
25. Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto V had an all-time peak of 364,548 concurrent players.
Grand Theft Auto V is one of the most popular online games across the board. But that isn’t due to GTA V itself, but GTA Online players can access through this game. Thanks to regular updates and the illicit fantasies that players can enact, GTA V remains firmly in the public eye.
24. World of Warships
World of Warships had an all-time peak of 411,338 concurrent players.
Despite being rather niche, as a historical naval combat game, World of Warships has managed to remain relevant and popular thanks to the community that’s really taken a shine to the game. Clips and memes of World of Warships even leak into the wider internet community at times, keeping this game relevant.
23. Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 had an all-time peak of 411,359 concurrent players.
Helldivers 2 was only released recently, and the developers have had to limit the amount of people that can play at one time. Helldivers 2 will certainly soar much higher on this list soon, but it’s amazing that it’s even managed to get this far.
22. Postal
Postal had an all-time peak of 412,063 concurrent players.
Postal is an old game, released in 1997, but one that spurred a whole franchise. Incredibly popular, this isometric shooter paved the way for many others, and it’s currently free now on Steam for players to try.
21. Sons of the Forest
Sons of the Forest had an all-time peak of 414,257 concurrent players.
Sons of the Forest was a highly anticipated sequel to Forest, the horror survival adventure game that gripped online streaming platforms. Although Sons of the Forest was only released in early access, it took players by storm.
Related: 30 Best Games on Steam of all time
20. Among Us
Among Us had an all-time peak of 447,476 concurrent players.
Had you expected anything differently? Honestly, if I had to guess I’d probably place it higher on this list. However, it’s worth noting that the vast majority of Among Us players used mobile devices. This is the concurrent players for Steam users, which will be much smaller than the total number for Among Us.
19. Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium
Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium had an all-time peak of 463,928 concurrent players.
It’s unusual for both the original and sequel titles of a game series to be this popular, but here we have it. With even more Capcom classics, this sequel allows you to play even more retro arcade games. No wonder this one blew up, too.
18. Life is Strange 2
Life is Strange 2 had an all-time peak of 468,717 concurrent players.
Despite there being no multiplayer functionality and being a solo story game, the fact that Life is Strange 2 managed to amass so many concurrent players is telling of its quality as a game. It has taken hundreds of thousands of people on a very emotional journey.
17. Fallout 4
Fallout 4 had an all-time peak of 472,962 concurrent players.
It’s no surprise that Fallout 4, the massively popular Bethesda entry in the Fallout series, is on this list. Although it may not have benefitted from constant updates, the richness of the RPG itself attracted so many players.
16. Capcom Arcade Stadium
Capcom Arcade Stadium had an all-time peak of 488,791 concurrent players.
Naturally, a service allowing you to play dozens of old-school Capcom arcade games on your PC for incredibly low prices couldn’t not be a bit of a hit. If you ever get a craving for old arcade games, then there isn’t a much better way to play them than with Capcom Arcade Stadium.
15. Terraria
Terraria had an all-time peak of 489,886 concurrent players.
Terraria is massively popular through the sheer dedication of its developers. With content updates that put Minecraft to shame, Terraria has cemented itself as a modern classic — almost as soon as it came out. You’ll scarcely find someone who doesn’t know about this game.
14. Call of Duty
Call of Duty had an all-time peak of 491,670 concurrent players.
Call of Duty is pretty much a household name at this point. This franchise has branched over many storylines and many entries. This game, however, stretches only over Warzone and their two most recent Modern Warfare titles, all of which took the internet by storm.
13. Valheim
Valheim had an all-time peak of 502,387 concurrent players.
Valheim is a procedurally generated exploration and survival game set in a purgatory inspired by Viking culture. Despite being Early Access, the premise and features of Valheim piqued the interest of — apparently — over half a million players.
12. Apex Legends
Apex Legends had an all-time peak of 624,473 concurrent players.
Say what you will about the huge online competitive shooter game, Apex Legends enthralled many being an alternative to Fortnite Battle Royale. Being free-to-play allowed everyone to give it a try, and many enjoyed it enough to stay.
11. Goose Goose Duck
Goose Goose Duck had an all-time peak of 702,845 concurrent players.
Goose Goose Duck is a free-to-play social deduction game (de-duck-tion, more like). Providing an interesting alternative to Among Us with a huge range of roles for players to utilize, Goose Goose Duck certainly caught the attention of a lot of players.
10. Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gate 3 had an all-time peak of 875,343 concurrent players.
Baldur’s Gate 3 requires zero introduction. This massive Dungeons and Dragons-inspired RPG where you pave your story attracted many players. Even those not partial to Dungeons and Dragons enjoyed Baldur’s Gate 3 thanks to how attractive and accessible it made the systems. No wonder so many flocked to it.
Related: How to speed up Steam downloads
9. Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy had an all-time peak of 879,308 concurrent players.
Despite its controversial nature, Hogwarts Legacy still managed a top 10 spot on the Steam charts for peak concurrent players. The allure of living their own Hogwarts fantasy is all the Wizarding community has wanted for a very long time.
8. New World
New World had an all-time peak of 913,634 concurrent players.
New World is a grand MMO that understandably caught the attention of a lot of gamers. It’s no wonder, either, considering the huge adventure it promises you. It still retains a good player base to this day despite the game being a few years old now.
7. Elden Ring
Elden Ring had an all-time peak of 953,426 concurrent players.
As the first proper open-world Soulslike game, Elden Ring was extremely well received and introduced many new players to the Soulslike genre that FromSoftware created. Incredibly rich and incredibly deep, it took the streaming sites by storm.
6. Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 had an all-time peak of 1,054,388 concurrent players.
The extremely dodgy and buggy release of Cyberpunk 2077 didn’t seem to stop players from flocking to the game. Since then, the game has improved incredibly, with its 2.0 update and release of its DLC, Phantom Liberty.
5. Dota 2
Dota 2 had an all-time peak of 1,295,114 concurrent players.
This free-to-play MOBA game provided an amazing experience for millions of players, and it seems many were willing to give this game a go for the sweet price tag of zero. Receiving regular updates also helps Dota 2 remain a very active game.
4. Lost Ark
Lost Ark had an all-time peak of 1,325,305 concurrent players.
Lost Ark is a free-to-play MMORPG that has layers exploring a vast world. The game oozes character and adventure, so it’s of little wonder that so many have wanted to give it a try and that so many people love it.
3. Counter-Strike 2
Counter-Strike 2 had an all-time peak of 1,818,773 concurrent players.
Counter-Strike 2 was the extremely anticipated sequel of CSGO. Despite some controversy from the developers, it remains one of the most concurrently active played games in all of Steam, with over a million players at any one time.
2. Palworld
Palworld had an all-time peak of 2,101,863 concurrent players.
Palworld really took the internet by storm. Alongside all of the controversy surrounding a potential Nintendo lawsuit, the game gained incredible traction and surpassed the expectations of indie developers by an incredible margin.
1. PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS
PUBG: Battlegrounds had an all-time peak of 3,257,248 concurrent players.
PUBG: Battlegrounds shook the internet and introduced gaming corporations to the battle royale gaming scene. Despite all of the other battle royale games out there now, PUBG: Battlegrounds still retains a large player base.
Now that you know all about the Steam games with the most concurrent players, why don’t you check out the best Steam Deck games?
Published: Feb 20, 2024 02:49 pm