The August 2024 Steam Hardware & Software Survey has delivered a significant revelation: Windows 11 has dethroned Windows 10 as the most popular operating system among PC gamers. This marks a major shift in the gaming landscape, with Windows 11 now holding a commanding 50% market share (49.17% to be exact), a 3.36% increase from July 2024. This rise in Windows 11’s popularity has coincided with a corresponding decline in Windows 10’s market share, dropping by 3.07%. This suggests a direct migration of PC gamers from Windows 10 to Windows 11.
While Windows 11 has faced challenges in overtaking Windows 10 as the global leader among all PC users, it seems that PC gamers have been gradually embracing the newer operating system. This transition is likely fueled by the fact that modern PC games and platforms like Steam, Xbox, EA, and Ubisoft are specifically optimized for Windows 11, leveraging technology like DirectX. Steam’s data further highlights the steady growth in Windows 11’s popularity over recent months and years. However, it took some time for this trend to materialize. For many PC gamers, switching to Windows 11 has become more of a necessity to stay current and access the latest games, rather than a conscious choice to adopt the latest version of Windows for its features.
The survey results reveal that Windows dominates the Steam player base with an impressive 96.78% share. Linux follows at a distant second with 1.96%, and MacOS holds 1.30%. The combined dominance of Windows 11 and Windows 10 is undeniable, with a negligible percentage of gamers utilizing older operating systems like Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.
