Steam, the leading digital game distributor for PC gamers, has shattered its concurrent user record once more, reaching an unprecedented peak of over 40 million players. This milestone was achieved over the weekend, coinciding with the much-anticipated launch of Monster Hunter Wilds on February 28, 2025. The platform recorded 40,270,997 simultaneous users, surpassing the previous record of 39.9 million set earlier in February 2025.
According to SteamDB, Steam's concurrent user record, often viewed as a barometer for the success of Valve's digital platform, has been broken almost monthly since May 2024. The peak has risen from 35.5 million to 40.2 million users within just over six months. While this figure includes idle players—those with Steam open but not actively playing—the number of users engaged in games has also set a new record, increasing from 12.5 million to 12.8 million.
Throughout 2024, Steam experienced surges in player peaks, 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 peak of 1.38 million concurrent users. Other popular titles like Counter-Strike 2, PUBG, Dota 2, and Marvel Rivals also contributed significantly, with 24-hour peaks of 1.7 million, 819,541, 657,780, and 268,283 users, 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.
To enhance your Monster Hunter Wilds experience, explore our comprehensive guides. Learn what the game doesn't explicitly tell you, delve into a detailed breakdown of all 14 weapon types, and follow our ongoing walkthrough. Our multiplayer guide will help you connect with friends, and if you participated in the open betas, find out how to transfer your Monster Hunter Wilds Beta character.
IGN's review of Monster Hunter Wilds awarded it an 8/10, stating, "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."
