Linux Gaming on Steam Shatters Records for Second Straight Month
▼ Summary
– Linux usage on Steam reached a new all-time high of 3.2% in November, up from October’s 3%.
– Valve’s SteamOS Holo is the most popular Linux distribution among Steam users, with a 26.4% share.
– The gaming-focused distribution Bazzite saw significant user growth, as did Debian and the Flatpak version of Steam.
– The recent two-month increase in Linux usage may be partly due to Windows 10 reaching its end-of-life in October.
– Gaming on Linux has improved significantly, largely due to the Steam Deck and Valve’s Proton compatibility layer.
The world of PC gaming is witnessing a quiet but significant shift, as Linux gaming on Steam has broken its own record for the second consecutive month. Following a milestone in October, the platform’s November survey reveals that Linux now accounts for 3.2% of all Steam users. While Windows continues to dominate with a 94.79% share, this incremental rise from October’s figures represents a new all-time high for the open-source operating system within the gaming community.
Valve’s own operating system remains the most popular choice among these users. SteamOS Holo, the Linux distribution powering the Steam Deck, is used by 26.4% of Linux gamers on the platform. Other distributions follow, with Arch Linux, Linux Mint, CachyOS, Bazzite, and Ubuntu each holding shares ranging from roughly 5% to 10%.
This month’s data highlights some notable movers. The gaming-focused distribution Bazzite experienced substantial growth, alongside Debian and the Flatpak version of the Steam client. Bazzite is frequently recommended as a top alternative for users who want a SteamOS-like experience on their custom gaming PCs, which likely fueled its surge. Similarly, the Flatpak version of Steam often offers a simpler installation process, suggesting its growth may be tied to an influx of newcomers to the Linux ecosystem.
Pinpointing the exact cause for this two-month uptick is challenging, but industry observers point to a potential catalyst. The end-of-life announcement for Windows 10 in October may have prompted some users to explore alternatives, with Linux emerging as a viable option for a segment of the market. The overall gaming experience on Linux has seen remarkable improvements in recent years, a transformation largely credited to the success of the Steam Deck. Valve’s Proton compatibility layer, developed alongside the handheld, has been instrumental in expanding the library of playable titles on Linux, though compatibility with certain anti-cheat software remains a hurdle for some multiplayer games.
(Source: The Verge)
