Linux Gaming Surges Past macOS on Steam in March
▼ Summary
– Steam’s reported Simplified Chinese language use dropped 31.85% month-over-month, while English use rose 16.82% to 39.09%.
– Approximately one quarter of all Linux gamers on Steam are using the Steam OS operating system.
– Nearly 70% of Linux gamers on Steam use an AMD CPU, partly due to the Steam Deck’s custom AMD chip.
– The shift in language statistics is partly attributed to Valve correcting how it reports user numbers from Steam China.
– Other language usage on Steam increased as Simplified Chinese use saw a major decline.
The latest data from Steam’s monthly hardware survey reveals a significant shift in the gaming platform’s operating system landscape. Linux gaming has now surpassed macOS in overall user share, marking a notable milestone for the open-source platform. This change is partly attributed to a recent correction in how Valve reports user statistics from China. The survey indicates a dramatic 31.85% month-over-month decline in users reporting Simplified Chinese as their primary language. Concurrently, the use of English on Steam increased by 16.82%, now representing 39.09% of users. Several other languages also saw gains during this period of substantial adjustment.
A closer look at the Linux gaming segment shows that approximately one quarter of these users are running Steam OS, the custom operating system developed by Valve. This distribution highlights the growing ecosystem around Valve’s handheld gaming PC. Underlying hardware preferences further define this community. AMD CPU use among Linux gamers on Steam remains high, holding at just under 70%. This strong preference is driven by two key factors: the custom AMD APU powering the Steam Deck, and the broader popularity of AMD hardware within the Linux community due to its robust open-source driver support.
(Source: Phoronix)
