Valve's Steam platform has achieved a new all-time peak of 42 million concurrent users, continuing its remarkable growth trajectory in the PC gaming market.
Steam has set a significant new milestone in PC gaming history, reaching 42,042,778 concurrent users on January 11, 2026. This breaks the platform's previous record of 41 million set just three months earlier in October 2025.
The record continues Steam's impressive growth pattern. In January 2023, Steam first surpassed 33 million concurrent users, climbing to 36 million by March 2024. The acceleration continued throughout 2025, culminating in December's remarkable $1.6 billion revenue month - significantly higher than December 2024's earnings.
Steam's latest achievement is notable because it occurred outside major game launch windows. The previous October record was driven primarily by Battlefield 6's release, which attracted over 747,000 concurrent players at launch. By contrast, January's record demonstrates sustained platform growth across diverse gaming activity.
Market dominance plays a crucial role in these numbers. Steam currently commands approximately 75% of the PC digital distribution market in the United States and about 74% globally. This positions Valve's platform as the central hub for PC gamers worldwide.
The consistent year-over-year growth trajectory suggests Steam's expansion shows no signs of slowing. Crossing the 42 million threshold so early in 2026 indicates the platform may continue setting new records throughout the year.
Source: SteamDB
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