Steam, the leading digital game distributor for PC gamers, has shattered its own concurrent user record, reaching an unprecedented 40 million players online at the same time. This new milestone was achieved over a weekend that coincided with the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds on February 28th. The platform hit a peak of 40,270,997 simultaneous users, surpassing the previous record of 39.9 million set in February 2025.
According to SteamDB, Steam's concurrent user records have been broken nearly every month since May 2024, with the peak growing from 35.5 million to 40.2 million in just over six months. While this figure includes users who may be idle, the number of active in-game players has also reached a new high, increasing from 12.5 million to 12.8 million.
Throughout 2024, Steam experienced surges in player peaks, notably breaking records in March and July. The recent peak can be attributed to the release of Monster Hunter Wilds, which saw a 24-hour concurrent user peak of 1.38 million players. Other games like Counter-Strike 2, PUBG, Dota 2, and Marvel Rivals also contributed to the high user counts, with peaks of 1.7 million, 819,541, 657,780, and 268,283 respectively.
Despite its popularity, Monster Hunter Wilds has received a 'mixed' user review rating on Steam, prompting Capcom to release official guidance on PC performance issues. Additionally, Capcom has revealed early information about Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1, which will introduce an endgame social hub for players.
For those embarking on their Monster Hunter Wilds journey, we've compiled essential tips on what the game doesn't explicitly tell you, along with a comprehensive guide to all 14 weapon types. We're also working on a detailed walkthrough, a multiplayer guide to help you play with friends, and instructions on how to transfer your character from the open beta to the full game.
IGN's review of Monster Hunter Wilds gave it an 8/10, praising the game for refining the series' mechanics in smart ways to deliver enjoyable combat, though noting a lack of significant challenge.
