PS5 to Show Most Played Games with Steam-Style Player Counts
▼ Summary
– Sony is beta-testing a Welcome Hub widget that shows the top ten games in your country by total weekly player numbers.
– The data reflects weekly total players, not concurrent players, counting anyone who launched a game at least once in seven days.
– The widget likely tracks only PS5 versions, not PS4, though this is unconfirmed.
– A separate toggle reveals sudden activity surges from updates or discounts, similar to SteamDB’s Trending Games tab.
– The feature is currently limited to beta testers, but Sony will likely release it publicly after feedback.
Sony is finally pulling back the curtain on how people actually play on the PS5, introducing a new Welcome Hub widget that reveals weekly player counts for the top ten games in your country. Currently in beta, this feature offers a glimpse into the platform’s activity that rivals the transparency long seen on PC storefronts.
As spotted and showcased by YouTuber Mystic, the new optional widget does not mirror Steam’s real-time concurrent player numbers. Instead, it displays the total number of unique players per week for each title in the top ten. The data shown in the video is specific to the United States, meaning regional results will vary. For instance, EA Sports FC is expected to dominate charts in Europe and the UK.
It is important to note that this metric counts anyone who launched the game at least once within the last seven days, making it a broader measure of engagement than Steam’s concurrent snapshot. Sony has not clarified whether the data combines PS5 and PS4 player bases, though it likely reflects only PS5 versions.
While a weekly top ten may seem static over time, the widget includes a second toggle that tracks sudden surges in activity. If a game receives a major update, a discount, or fresh content, it can appear here as players rush back. This trending feature echoes the Trending Games tab on SteamDB and may prove more revealing than the standard chart.
For years, Sony has kept its ecosystem data under wraps, making this move feel long overdue. Even if the current picture is limited compared to what other platforms offer, it is a meaningful step toward transparency. Since this is still in beta, there is a slim chance Sony could scrap it entirely. But given the positive direction, a full public rollout seems far more likely once testing concludes.
(Source: Push Square)
