For the longest time, Steam has been the go-to place to buy and play games. So much so that many people argue that Steam has a monopoly on online game distribution. While that’s not true, Steam has been a reliable platform for many gamers for years. And, it hasn’t stopped growing even now.
Steam just recorded a major milestone. The platform set a brand-new record of 42 million concurrent users on January 11, 2026. This pushes the platform past its previous record of roughly 41.6 million set in 2025. This is proof that Steam’s popularity and growth show no signs of stopping any time soon.
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Let’s face it, Steam is the best app for what it does. Sure, you do have competitors like Epic Games and the Xbox store, but Steam is just widely regarded as better. One of the reasons could be how the app hasn’t changed in years, apart from some UI tweaks. The familiarity and the fact that you’ll find good prices on games make Steam the go-to app for most PC gamers.
Why Steam Is Still Growing in 2026
Steam isn’t just growing because it’s old and familiar; it’s because it has a lot of consumer-friendly features. Unlike new stores, which rely heavily on exclusivity deals, Steam offers an open ecosystem where nearly any developer can publish a game and potentially reach a massive audience. Look at the success of games like Stardew Valley.
One of Steam’s biggest strengths is its feature-rich platform. Built-in community hubs, user reviews, mod support via the Steam Workshop, cloud saves, forums, guides, and social features all make Steam feel like more than just a store. It takes care of everything about gaming, so all you have to care about is just playing the game.
The other big reason why Steam is so successful is the prices. You will always find games on discount or sold as part of deals. Major events like the Summer Sale and Winter Sale continue to drive huge spikes in activity, while generous refund policies and transparent pricing help maintain player trust. Being able to refund a game within 2 hours of playtime without any questions asked is a big plus.
As PC gaming continues to expand globally, Steam remains the default entry point — and records like this suggest it’s still far from reaching its ceiling.
