Steam, the leading digital distribution platform for PC gaming, has shattered its concurrent user record by surpassing 40 million players for the first time. This milestone was achieved over the weekend, which coincided with the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds on February 28, 2025. Steam registered an unprecedented 40,270,997 simultaneous users, eclipsing the previous record of 39.9 million set in February 2025.
According to SteamDB, Steam has consistently broken its concurrent user records almost every month since May 2024, with the peak number of users increasing from 35.5 million to 40.2 million over just six months. While this figure includes idle players—those with Steam open but not actively using it—the number of players actively engaged in games also set a new record, rising from 12.5 million to 12.8 million.
Steam experienced significant surges in player peaks throughout 2024, breaking records 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 to the record, 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 announced early details for Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1, which will introduce an endgame social hub for players.
To assist players in starting their Monster Hunter Wilds journey, resources are available covering what the game doesn't tell you, a comprehensive guide to all 14 weapon types, a detailed walkthrough in progress, a multiplayer guide for playing with friends, and instructions on how to transfer your character from the open beta.
IGN's review of Monster Hunter Wilds awarded it an 8/10, praising the game for refining the series' mechanics and delivering engaging combat, though noting a lack of significant challenge.
