Numerous games have broken headlines by reaching an all-time concurrent player record on Steam. Since Steam offers this information, this list will only cover Steam games. Some games have been around forever, and it’s not a shocker that they’d be on the list, while others were overnight sensations that shocked the world.
The genres of these games vary from MMOs, to shooters, to single-player games. Some of these titles are well past their prime, but have undoubtedly left their mark on the gaming world. This list will attempt to cover the reason behind each game’s popularity and how each game is faring after its concurrent player record.
For a while, it seemed everyone was playingPUBG: Battlegrounds. The game felt fresh, and gave friends a fun activity that didn’t need any setup. Other games, likeRust,require a long setup time and even real world timing. Within a few moments inPUBG: Battlegrounds, players were battling it out against a map full of other players.
PUBG: Battlegroundshas paved the way for variousBattle Royale games, such asFortnite, which has stolen the title of the most popular battle royale.PUBG: Battlegroundschanged to a free price tag later in its lifetime to encourage more players, as most games in the genre didn’t come with an entry price tag.
The unexpected success ofPalworldhas shown that gamers have a massive craving for Pokémon-style games in a multiplayer setting. Despite being in early access, Palworld has reached thesecond record concurrent player spotwhile having tons of viewer counts on Twitch.
The game has recently dropped from its initial hype train, mostly due to its limited content. With a large update, the game has the potential to break its old record. The small studio runningPalworldnever expected its immediate success. and will have its hands full to keep fans hooked.
CS:GOwas the game that reached an all-time peak, butCounter-Strike 2shows no signs of slowing down. The game’s relaunch has not received a massive player surge, but it seems frequent fixes, improvements, andnew content for the gamehave kept players hooked. Its current peak is over 1.8 million players.
At its current pace,Counter-Strike 2has the potential to surpass its all-time peak, but it must first polish out all rough edges of its transition fromCS: GOtoCounter-Strike 2.Gamers complain of performance issues and random stutters, but a rough start does not define a game’s success.
Releasing with lots of hype,Lost Arkhad many players hoping for their next MMO. The game offered combat-focused content and cut out fluff by keeping a simpler UI than most MMOs. The game offered tons of content for players to enjoy, and seemed to be the next big hit.
Lost Arkhas experienced a drastic drop in popularity, as it failed to keep players engaged during its hype period. Players stopped playing the game due to its endless grind,odd glitches causing frustration, and extreme time dedication requirement.
Dota 2has an overwhelming population of hooked gamers spending thousands of hours on the game due to its addictive nature. New players are constantly trying outDota 2thanks to word of mouth, and older players keep playing to watch themselvesimprove at the game.
League of LegendsisDota’sbiggest competitor, but it does not provide any numbers regarding concurrent players.Dota 2remains active and will stay that way as long as frequent tournaments take place.
Releasing with a ton of hype,Cyberpunk 2077faced heavy backlash due to thestate of the game being too buggyand riddled with performance issues. The game’s record was a product of clever marketing and hyped fans eager to fall in love with Night City.
While it took a long time,Cyberpunk 2077is now in a far better state than when it originally launched, especially after its recent DLC release. The anime release caused a surge of new and old players playing the game and experiencing a more polished Night City.
Soulsfans eagerly awaitedElden Ring,and its release has been impactful by smashing all-time concurrent player records on Steam.Elden Ringlaunched with a few issues, such as performance issues on PC. The game had lots of challenging content for players and the developers quickly sent out fixes.
The co-op element ofElden Ringis a factor in the game’s active player base. With lots of content, co-op, arecent DLC release, and PVP,Elden Ringwill hold firm concurrent player numbers for a long time.
1Banana
All Time Peak: 917,272
Shockingly, a clicker game has reached the hall of fame for top concurrent players on Steam.Bananais a straightforward clicker game that involves clicking on a banana endlessly. Unlike the famousCookie Clicker,Bananahas no in-game upgrades. Every three hours, players get one banana added to their stockpile.
The collectors' element is thesecret toBanana’s success, as the gameplay involves a single input. Another factor is its active community on Discord, with frequent user submissions in the form of unique bananas.
