Steam, the leading digital game distributor for PC gamers, has shattered its concurrent user record, surpassing 40 million players for the first time. This milestone was achieved over the weekend, coinciding with the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds on Friday, February 28th. Steam registered a staggering 40,270,997 simultaneous players, eclipsing its previous record of 39.9 million set in February 2025.
According to SteamDB, Steam's concurrent player count—a key indicator of the platform's success—has been steadily climbing. Almost every month since May 2024 has seen a new record, with the peak rising from 35.5 million to 40.2 million in just over six months. This growth isn't solely due to idle users; the number of actively engaged players also reached a new high, jumping from 12.5 million to 12.8 million.
Steam experienced significant player surges throughout 2024, breaking its record twice in March and again in July. The latest peak is largely attributed to the release of Monster Hunter Wilds, which saw a 24-hour concurrent peak of 1.38 million players. Other titles also contributed to the overall increase, with Counter-Strike 2 reaching 1.7 million concurrent players, PUBG at 819,541, Dota 2 at 657,780, and Marvel Rivals at 268,283.
Despite Monster Hunter Wilds' impressive player numbers, it received a "mixed" user review rating on Steam, prompting Capcom to release official guidance on PC performance issues. Capcom has also announced details for Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1, which will introduce an endgame social hub.
To enhance your Monster Hunter Wilds experience, explore our resources: a guide highlighting what the game doesn't explicitly explain, a comprehensive guide to all 14 weapon types, a detailed walkthrough (in progress), a multiplayer guide for playing with friends, and instructions on transferring your beta character.
IGN's review of Monster Hunter Wilds awarded it an 8/10, stating: "Monster Hunter Wilds continues to refine the series' rough edges, resulting in extremely fun fights, though lacking in significant challenge."
