Thanks to third-party sites such asSteamDB, it’s possible to see how many players are currently on each Steam game and to reflect on their all-time concurrent player peaks. While this does not include console players and PC players using other stores such as Epic Games, popularity on Steam is nevertheless a great metric for measuring overall success.
In terms of open-world games with the highest Steam player counts, they make up around half of the top ten, and include both RPGs and survival games, all with vastly different worlds and atmospheres.
Valheimis a great example of how games can appear out of nowhere and become overnight sensations thanks to streamers, YouTube, and, of course, word of mouth, especially with players convincing friends to join their worlds. It’s hard to pin down exactly what makesValheimso good, but it could be said to succeed in simplicity.
First of all, the gameruns great on low-end PCs, and it’s only a 1 GB download thanks to procedurally generated, yet beautiful worlds. After the first hour or so of survival in the Nordic realm of Midgard, the game is also fairly relaxing, with certain mechanics, such as chopping trees down, feeling satisfying. Natural exploration is also a huge standout inValheim, with players able to find new biomes and islands on their unique seeds.
It’s no surprise that an open-world game set in theHarry Potteruniverse saw massive numbers upon release, andHogwarts Legacy’ssuccess continued throughout the year and beyond, as thebest-selling game of 2023.
Set in the late 19th-century wizarding world, the RPG shines across multiple metrics such as beauty, music, and a fun dueling system. Exploring Hogwarts is another standout, thanks to each corridor and room having its own aesthetic, ghosts chasing one another, and there being plenty of secrets to discover.
Despite now having mixed reviews on Steam,New World: Aeternumstill managed to have one of the biggest player spikes a month after its initial release, although back then it was simply known asNew Worldbefore a huge update and release on consoles.
The game is anaction RPGfeaturing solo play, co-op, and PvP, set in the mythical world of Aeternum, and while debatable, some would label it as an MMO. Part of its popularity game down to the combat and crafting being more accessible and simplified when compared with similar games.
Game of the Year winner for 2022,Elden Ring, was not only a huge success in terms of quality but also in popularity, reaching nearly a million players on Steam alone. The idea of aDark Soulsgame set in an open world was executed perfectly, and helped to draw in new players to the genre.
While still incredibly challenging, players have the option of exploring to level up and find new gear before coming back to attempt difficult bosses.Exploration also feels naturalinElden Ring, with no map markers, but environmental storytelling can help guide players. Best of all is the game’s atmosphere, with players truly feeling alone in The Lands Between.
Cyberpunk 2077was one of the most heavily anticipated games of the modern era, and despite having a rough launch plagued with bugs, it still managed to smash the previous Steam player count record for open-world games. Subsequently, the game has been fixed, polished, and expanded upon to now be considered one of thebest open-world games of all time, finally living up to the hype.
Set in the dystopian megalopolis of Night City, the game is packed full of content and gripping stories starring unforgettable characters with unique body modifications.
Seeing asPalworldwas created by indie developers Pocketpair, its achievement in amassing so many players cannot be overstated. While some titles are hyped up years before their release, others come out of nowhere and take the internet by storm;Palworldis a perfect example of the latter.
Streamers and YouTubers certainly helped the game thrive, with the tagline ‘Pokemon with guns’ drawing lots of attention, especially when paired with clips of cute penguins acting as rocket launcher ammo or foxes being used as flamethrowers. The fact thatPalworldis best enjoyed with friends was also a huge factor in the Steam player count surpassing 2 million concurrent users.
Black Myth: Wukongwas the first AAA single-player game made by Chinese developers, and being rooted in ancient Chinese mythology, it not only attracted many players from China but also all over the world. Based on the 16th-century literary piece,Journey to the West, players take on the role of the Destined One, a monkey from the mountains, and fight demons and creatures like no others in the gaming industry.
Expectbeautiful graphics thanks to Unreal Engine 5, engaging combat in the vein of souls-like games, and rich storytelling.
