Linux gamers on Steam finally surpass 3%
In October 2025, a hardware and software survey of Steam users revealed that the Linux OS share had finally exceeded 3%.
Steam Hardware & Software Survey
Linux gamers on Steam finally cross over the 3% mark | GamingOnLinux
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/11/linux-gamers-on-steam-finally-cross-over-the-3-mark/
Valve, the company that operates Steam, regularly publishes the results of its hardware and software surveys of Steam users, and in October 2025, it was revealed that Linux's market share exceeded 3% for the first time, possibly due in part to the end of security support for Windows 10.
Overall, 94.84% of users were Windows users, down 0.56 percentage points from the previous month, 3.05% were Linux users, up 0.37 percentage points from the previous month, and 2.11% were macOS users, up 0.20 percentage points from the previous month.
In terms of Linux, SteamOS, a Linux-based OS created for Steam, accounted for 27.18% of the total.
GamingOnLinux, which reported on the matter, said, 'The last time Valve released official monthly active user figures was in 2022, so it's unclear how many users will be in 2025, but if we use the 2022 user count as the base, 3% would easily exceed 4 million. Considering that millions of Steam Decks, a gaming device that uses SteamOS, have been sold to date, the number may be even higher.'
Steam Deck, which was released in 2021, has contributed greatly to the increase in Linux users on Steam. Valve is focusing on the development of Steam Deck and is also developing Proton , a compatibility layer software that allows existing Windows games to be played on Linux. As a result, the number of Linux users, who previously had not seen the light of day, is steadily increasing.
Linux OS share among Steam users exceeds 1% for the first time in about three years, possibly due to the influence of 'Steam Deck' - GIGAZINE
By 2023, the number of Linux users will surpass that of macOS users for the first time.
Linux finally overtakes macOS in Steam gamer OS share, possibly due to 'Steam Deck' - GIGAZINE
On the social site Hacker News, there are mixed reactions from Linux users. One user commented, 'Almost all modern games work fine through Proton. The only ones that don't work are multiplayer games that don't have anti-cheat support. Whenever a new multiplayer is released, it's always a case of luck. If you really want to play, the only alternative is to get it on PlayStation 5. '
Another user commented, 'The biggest barrier to Linux is disappearing: knowing how to use the command line. The command line is still necessary, but thanks to large-scale language models, you no longer need to know how to use it.' Given Valve's knowledge of Linux development, 'I think Valve is in a very good position to release a true Linux desktop. There is a huge demand for games and AI development, and both have similar hardware requirements . Valve has already refined the Linux experience with Steam Deck. If Valve were to release its own desktop, it would surely be supported by a very wide range of users.'
GamingOnLinux reported, 'Steam Deck continues to significantly boost the Linux user numbers, which isn't surprising given that Steam Deck continues to be a top seller on Steam. Coupled with rumors and leaks about the Steam Frame, a device that's expected to be a SteamOS-powered VR kit, these numbers could continue to rise.'
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