Steam, the leading digital game distributor for PC gamers, has shattered its concurrent user record once again, reaching an unprecedented milestone of over 40 million players simultaneously. This record-breaking event occurred over the weekend, coinciding with the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds on Friday, February 28. Steam's new peak of 40,270,997 players surpassed its previous record of 39.9 million set in February 2025.
According to SteamDB, Steam has consistently broken its concurrent user record almost every month since May 2024, with the peak user count climbing from 35.5 million to 40.2 million within just over six months. Notably, this figure includes idle users who may have Steam open but not actively using it. However, the number of active in-game users has also hit a new high, increasing from 12.5 million to 12.8 million.
Throughout 2024, Steam experienced surges in player peaks, notably breaking its record twice in March and again in July. The recent peak is likely attributed to the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds, which saw a 24-hour concurrent use peak of 1.38 million players. Other popular titles also contributed significantly, with Counter-Strike 2 reaching 1.7 million users, and PUBG, Dota 2, and Marvel Rivals achieving impressive 24-hour peaks of 819,541, 657,780, and 268,283 players, respectively.
Despite its popularity, Monster Hunter Wilds has received a 'mixed' user review rating on Steam, prompting Capcom to release official guidance addressing PC performance issues. Additionally, Capcom has teased early details about Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1, which will introduce an endgame social hub for players.
For those embarking on their Monster Hunter Wilds journey, there are several resources available to enhance your experience. Check out what Monster Hunter Wilds doesn't explicitly tell you, along with a comprehensive guide to all 14 weapon types in the game. We also offer an ongoing Monster Hunter Wilds walkthrough, a multiplayer guide to help you play with friends, and instructions on transferring your character from the open beta.
IGN's review of Monster Hunter Wilds scored it an 8/10, noting: "Monster Hunter Wilds continues to smooth off the rougher corners of the series in smart ways, making for some extremely fun fights but also lacking any real challenge."
