Linux Usage on Steam Reaches Record High for the Second Consecutive Month
Linux users on Steam have reached a new milestone, surpassing the 3 percent mark for the second month in a row. According to the November Steam Hardware & Software Survey, Linux users now account for 3.2 percent of all Steam users, a significant increase from October's 3 percent. While this still pales in comparison to Windows' dominance with 94.79 percent, it marks a notable surge in Linux adoption on the platform.
Valve's own Linux distribution, SteamOS Holo, is the clear favorite, capturing 26.4 percent of Linux users. However, other distributions like Arch Linux, Linux Mint, CachyOS, Bazzite, and Ubuntu also have substantial followings, each attracting around 5 to 10 percent of Linux users. Among these, Bazzite, a gaming-focused distribution, has seen a notable surge in popularity, possibly due to its ease of use and recommendations as an alternative to SteamOS.
The growth of Bazzite and the Flatpak version of Steam could be attributed to the increasing popularity of Linux gaming. The gaming experience on Linux has improved significantly, thanks to the Steam Deck, which runs on a Linux-based operating system. Valve's Proton compatibility layer and the Steam Deck's success have expanded game support on Linux, although anti-cheat measures remain a challenge.
The two-month surge in Linux usage on Steam might be linked to Windows 10's end-of-life on October 14th. As Windows 10 users transitioned to Windows 11, some may have opted for Linux as an alternative. The improved gaming experience on Linux, coupled with the growing support for games, could be attracting more users to the platform.
As Linux continues to gain traction on Steam, it will be interesting to see how this trend evolves and whether it can further increase its market share. The gaming community's growing interest in Linux gaming and the platform's ongoing improvements suggest that Linux might be on the cusp of a significant breakthrough in the gaming world.
