Steam has had a hell of a 12 months, with the release of the super-popular Steam Deck in February 2022 and skyrocketing user counts on the service suggesting that PC gaming is absolutely thriving.
Not only has the service been consistently topping its own records for concurrent users on the Steam client week-after-week since around October 2022, but it also just hit a staggering 10 million concurrent players (as in, people actively in a game) for the first time ever over the weekend.
In fact according to SteamDB, the record-shattering number was achieved twice this past weekend, hitting 10,082,055 players on Saturday, January 7th followed by an even greater 10,284,568 on Sunday, January 8th. Meanwhile, the concurrent signed-in users stat has been sitting at well above 30 million on a regular basis since Christmas:
It’s expected that numbers like these would be pumped up during/shortly after the holiday period with many players receiving new hardware and games as gifts, as well as being on breaks from study or work, but it’s easy to assume that the success of the Steam Deck is also a major contributor in the service having a bumper year.
While it’s still not yet available locally through official channels, Valve’s powerhouse handheld has seen great support through 2022 and has no doubt put PC gaming back in the hands of many for who a dedicated rig or pricey gaming laptop just isn’t an option.
Of course, Aussies are still waiting for their turn but in recent weeks things have certainly gotten better with online retailers like Catch, Kogan, Dick Smith and Amazon all starting to offer the Steam Deck through their respective storefronts:
The Steam Deck Is Now Being Sold In Australia By Online Retailers And Here’s Where To Buy One
