Steam’s record for most concurrent online users reached 20 million yesterday, with 6.2 million of those players being in-game at the time. Xbox usage also saw a surge over the weekend, with Microsoft’s executive vice-president of gaming stating on Twitter that “usage is up on almost everything.” This spike in players is almost certainly due in part to the spread of coronavirus, which has resulted in multiple school closings around the world, event cancellations, and many employees being asked to work from home if possible.
In Steam’s case, this is the continuation of a trend that long precedes the coronavirus outbreak. In 2015, the average number of concurrent users was 8.4 million; moving forward to 2017, that number had jumped to 14 million. Earlier this year, that record was shattered by 30 percent with a reported 18.5 million users, and as of yesterday, that record was broken yet again. Although quarantines no doubt play a role in this spike in usage, there is no denying that Steam usage has steadily been on the rise for years. With the eagerly anticipated release of Half-Life: Alyx next week and Baldur’s Gate 3 later this year, it is likely that those numbers will only continue to climb.
The official Steam Database Twitter account proudly displayed this achievement yesterday, with some Twitter users musing that Steam should capitalize on it with a celebratory sale. Phil Spencer also took to Twitter, saying that he found it “heartening to hear from so many people using gaming as a way to stay connected during these times.” Microsoft itself will be hosting an online conference this June, during which they are expected to unveil the Xbox Series X. The decision to host the conference online is also a result of taking precautions against coronavirus, and anticipation for Xbox’s next-generation console is also likely to be driving players to become reacquainted with their favorite Xbox titles.
Spencer’s sentiment that players are using gaming to stay connected is mirrored in Steam’s live database of games currently being played. The top five most played games as of the time of this writing are all games that primarily feature multiplayer, including Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, PUBG, and Grand Theft Auto V. Another title that has seen a tremendous surge is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which recently released its free-to-play spinoff, Warzone. According to the official Call of Duty Twitter account, the game crossed 15 million players a mere three days after launch, and with so many people remaining home lately, that number is likely to remain consistent.
While there is no shortage of memes circulating the internet poking fun at the fact that being encouraged to stay home is hardly an issue for many people, these numbers are also relevant on a more serious basis. It is no secret that the coronavirus is an unprecedented event for many people, and with the U.S. officially being in a state of emergency and countries such as Italy being fully quarantined, these are quite uncertain times. The figures Steam and Xbox are citing are not just evidence that more players are gaming, but that they are remaining safely at home. To quote Phil Spencer’s Twitter once again, he – like all of us–is “proud to be part of an industry that can offer escape and fun right now. Stay safe.”
