4m to 5m took just four months (September 2011 -> January 2012), but this isn't exactly a fair reference point as Dota 2's closed beta had begun. 3m to 4m, on the other hand, ocurred over 10 months (November 2010 -> September 2011).
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Steam breaks 7 million concurrent users, up 1m from this time last year
- Thread starter fluffydelusions
- Start date
4m to 5m took just four months (September 2011 -> January 2012), but this isn't exactly a fair reference point as Dota 2's closed beta had begun. 3m to 4m, on the other hand, ocurred over 10 months (November 2010 -> September 2011).
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
I didn't expect a meltdown would happen given the simple thread title.
Huh? If that's true then that's pretty good. It looks like there's 65 million active accounts. I think the sales figure over the years is the best way to see the actual growth though since the accounts are free.
Plenty compared to what?
This all comes down to what you think is a lot. I'm obviously going to compare Steam to consoles (or a single console) because there's nothing else to compare it with.
I'm thinking about it. It's "concurrently online users", not "active registered users". In that regard, I think 7 million and a growth of 1 million in a year is plenty.
*Yawn*
More stuff that has no logical followthrough of refuting my statements. I'm waiting.
It's all good, I discovered the 'ignore feature.'
Plenty, not compared to anything in particular, but to indicate a very healthy and growing platform.
Though, since you are asking, what are the numbers for concurrently online PSN or XBL users? The only thing a quick googling found was 2 million concurrent XBL users in 2009.
alexandros
Banned
Steam's growth rate was 76% year over year.
-MD-
Member
So you're sticking with PC then?
Maybe they feel like they're left out of the PC party. They're all invited, can only blame themselves if they don't show up though.
fluffydelusions
Member
Yeah that is the only thing I found as well
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/xbox-live-breaks-concurrent-users-record
Do you have a source for that? Not that I doubt it, it would just be nice to have it ready.
Glass Rebel
Member
Source
coupled with the declining PC sales... although I'm not exactly sure what they're counting there. I assume pre-built PCs only?
Unfortunately, I can't find any recent concurrent online users for both services. There's some numbers out there for the most popular multi-plat online games though. Regardless, the growth is good but I'm interested in seeing how good it actually is.
We have some information about Netflix having the most users on PS3 so I wonder how things like that would factor in.
Most likely. or maybe there's more people with PCs using Steam now? PC sales doesn't have to go up for Steam to grow (depending on the game of course). As shown by LoL, Dota, and all of the big MMOs.
alexandros
Banned
Absolutely, straight from the horse's mouth:
http://www.vg247.com/2013/09/17/steam-continues-to-show-growth-despite-steady-year-over-year-unit-declines-in-pc-sales-says-newell/
Edit: beaten
Risk Breaker
Member
I keep it open like 18/7 even if I only truly use it around 2 hours per week lol
See, THAT is the misleading stuff I'm talking about. Them being concurrent means almost nothing because of how Steam works. Yes, it means there are one million more people using steam at some point in time, and that is impressive growth. But the concurrent part is misleading because it comes with connotations (that you are trying to take advantage of) that lose a lot of meaning with how Steam works.
What was the growth in people playing games? That'd be a much better indicator of growth of the steam userbase in the way you're talking about it. To note, I am not say use the numbers themselves. The percentage of growth in that would give a good idea if that one million userbase is reliable enough to be used in the way you are at the moment.
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
Weren't there also reports that enthusiast related PC sales still show strong growth?
ScepticMatt
Member
AFAIK it's wrong. Edit: Or not. Mistook sales for user base.
This is the latest press release I know of.
So let me get this straight:
Steam has 7 million concurrent users
Steam has a revenue to date that is increasing 76% Year on Year
and this isn't a sign of good growth?
The arguments here to disregard this are that some steam users are online constantly but never use this. Yet that is contradicted by the continued increase of steam's year on year revenue.
If anything, the 30% increase in users is bringing in more than double the revenue. That is an illustration that the service is providing value to customers in a huge way.
I would further argue that the increased number of concurrent steam users, whether in game, out of game, only using for IM or browsing, is massively significant as it illustrates that Steam as a service platform is incredibly valued and useful to its base.
The argument of concurrent users all somehow just idling is moot. By a similar token, xboxs, playstations, wiis' etc, are all left to idle for similar reasons - IM, going to be used soon, forgot it was on. These numbers of "idlers" on each service are likely not large in number.
Those who have a hatred of dislike for either service would likely have powered off/deleted the service from their system
Steam has 7 million concurrent users
Steam has a revenue to date that is increasing 76% Year on Year
and this isn't a sign of good growth?
The arguments here to disregard this are that some steam users are online constantly but never use this. Yet that is contradicted by the continued increase of steam's year on year revenue.
If anything, the 30% increase in users is bringing in more than double the revenue. That is an illustration that the service is providing value to customers in a huge way.
I would further argue that the increased number of concurrent steam users, whether in game, out of game, only using for IM or browsing, is massively significant as it illustrates that Steam as a service platform is incredibly valued and useful to its base.
The argument of concurrent users all somehow just idling is moot. By a similar token, xboxs, playstations, wiis' etc, are all left to idle for similar reasons - IM, going to be used soon, forgot it was on. These numbers of "idlers" on each service are likely not large in number.
Those who have a hatred of dislike for either service would likely have powered off/deleted the service from their system
alexandros
Banned
It's not wrong, see the link posted above. 30% increase in active accounts, 76% growth rate (I'm assuming that's revenue but I don't know shit about economics).
fluffydelusions
Member
DOTA 2 has gotten so massive. At the point of 6m last year there was 170k people playing
http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/11/26/steam-6-million-users-thanksgiving-weekend/
http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/11/26/steam-6-million-users-thanksgiving-weekend/
Glass Rebel
Member
Emphasizing a word means you are pushing that word along with its connotations. Trying to emphasize it means you are trying to imply that definition and connotations. Try again, kid.
HolyBaikal
Banned
I would like to see Steam gain success in Japan. But it seems like Valve isn't doing enough to support Steam in Japan. A lot of the Japanese games only have localized English versions available. One of the most common complaints I have heard that Japanese Steam users make, is the desire to have games available in their region and their language.
Steam not only doesn't have enough Japanese games, but not a large enough library of games available in the Japanese language and available to Japanese region.
Valve should try harder to make more games available to more regions. As well as trying to promote more games being available in more languages. I think that Valve should also try harder to work with Japanese developers.
Seven million users is a great success. It also means a great responsibility.
This many people is a sign that PC gaming is currently as successful as console gaming, and that Valve is partially responsible for making that happen. This is a part of why I want every game to be on Steam, because it will get a lot of exposure and convenience for many people. Perhaps even more so than the PlayStation Network. PC gaming is becoming really popular now, and I want games I love to be a part of that, rather than being console exclusives.
I don't this to be a part of a larger drifting between Asian and Western markets. PC gaming needs more support in Japan. Steam is an important part of the market today, I would argue bigger than console gaming. Or if not, Steam is going to soon be able to overtake console gaming. Steam is an extraordinary force in the video game industry today that I don't think it has ever seen before.
But that means that Japanese games need to come to Steam. And need to be available in Japanese in the Japanese region. And that games on Steam need to be available in every region on the planet.
Steam not only doesn't have enough Japanese games, but not a large enough library of games available in the Japanese language and available to Japanese region.
Valve should try harder to make more games available to more regions. As well as trying to promote more games being available in more languages. I think that Valve should also try harder to work with Japanese developers.
Seven million users is a great success. It also means a great responsibility.
This many people is a sign that PC gaming is currently as successful as console gaming, and that Valve is partially responsible for making that happen. This is a part of why I want every game to be on Steam, because it will get a lot of exposure and convenience for many people. Perhaps even more so than the PlayStation Network. PC gaming is becoming really popular now, and I want games I love to be a part of that, rather than being console exclusives.
I don't this to be a part of a larger drifting between Asian and Western markets. PC gaming needs more support in Japan. Steam is an important part of the market today, I would argue bigger than console gaming. Or if not, Steam is going to soon be able to overtake console gaming. Steam is an extraordinary force in the video game industry today that I don't think it has ever seen before.
But that means that Japanese games need to come to Steam. And need to be available in Japanese in the Japanese region. And that games on Steam need to be available in every region on the planet.
Glass Rebel
Member
Everybody knows how Steam works. It was established from the very first post in this thread what "concurrent" users means. Insult me some more, you were better at it.
Nov 26th last year: 6 million
Reference: http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/26/steam-clocks-in-6-million-concurrent-users-breaks-its-own-recor/
Damn that gif. Hahahahahaha!
I joined the Steam ranks this week for the Dark Souls deal, and I don't even have a gaming PC yet!
Repeat after me: "it's all in my head".
PsihoPerihelion
Member
PC GAMING IS BACK BABY WOOOOOOO!
Seriously tho, I bought a really decent laptop and I'm enjoying a lot playing games on it.
Fallout New Vegas at 60fps is like a whole different thing. 8XMSAA doesn't hurt either.
rudieboy77
Member
That is a lot of console defectors.
I'm talking about the idea that concurrent means anything in this situation. Its exactly what I said. The idea of them being concurrent being relevant at all is misleading because of how Steam works. I'm not saying you're ignoring the fact that many would simply be people with it going on in the background or anything, only that the numbers in that regard are misleading because of it. I'm also not referring to the rest of your posts here. I just though that one was a good example of my point when I saw it.
His comments don't apply to concurrent, really. Just that the userbase is growing healthily. Which is true.
Waiting for the must have exclusive on consoles to make a decision. Might just stick with consoles if there isn't a system seller.
No, it means he's addressing that particular segment of your post. It's a commonly-used alternative to deleting the irrelevant text.
Edit: I should probably point out that I know you're referring to animl's post rather than Glass' and am just yanking your chain.
To be fair that's probably because it actually "officially" launched during then and now (not trying to downplay it though)
Eh.. How about the mindblowing concept of comparing apples with apples by comparing Steam to similar other services on...the open PC platform..? A PC does not come with mandatory Steam like a console comes with..its single walled garden. Comparing Steam users with console users, I mean, how the hell does that even make any sense?
The only possible non-idiotic way to compare apples and oranges would be to compare the number of console users with the estimated total number of PC-gamers out there (300-400 million users, out of which are about 54 million users with a high end gaming-PC). That doesn't really make sense to me either, but at least it would make more sense..
I don't know what the hell is going on in this thread anymore..
People have been saying this every year. Do you seriously think that this is going to happen now?
54 million users have high end gaming PCs? Where did you get those numbers from? What does LoL, all of the facebook/flash games, and all of the popular MMOs have to do with Steam?
Crimsonclaw111
Member
Either way, there are more PC gamers than Wii U gamers.
I still want a Wii U
So basically you're saying that you have no idea how much the ratio of new users to increase of concurrent users (at one specific time) is, and that you're using the idea that generally new users to concurrent users ratios are big (aka the connotations) that it provides as an argument.
FYI, that was basically what I was saying.
I wasn't referring to the post I was quoting, nor a post that was responding to me. Sometimes I think people just read what they want to... :/
See my edit.
Definitely agree. They have had a brief push into Asian territory with DOTA2 release, but that is only effecting South Korea and possibly China. Their real push should be towards Asia, especially Japan in the coming years. It will certainly be a move that brings even further diversification to Steam
Yes, the total PC market is larger than consoles if you factor in every facebook/flash game, MMOs, LoL, and etc. I was talking about Steam, which is different from all of those other PC gaming markets. I feel like people get the "PC market" confused and ignore the different types of gamers.
When you brought up these numbers "The only possible non-idiotic way to compare apples and oranges would be to compare the number of console users with the estimated total number of PC-gamers out there (300-400 million users," you stopped talking about Steam.
What's with the attitude?
Anyway, yeah, the estimates are about 54 million.
"54 million PC gamers in the world
Beancounters at Jon Peddie Research are estimating that there are 54 million Performance and Enthusiast class PC gamers worldwide. JPR thinks that by 2015 there will be 72 million PC gamers by 2015, by whichs it means enthusiast and performance class PC gamers spend more than $1000 on near gear. "
not facebook.. no...
http://www.fudzilla.com/home/item/27036-gaming-market-booming
Oops, seems like I used old 2012 numbers, probably higher than 54 million today then..
November 2013:
"The PC gaming market is growing. Worldwide, PC gaming makes up nearly 40% of the total gaming market, larger than the console gaming market."
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/11/13/plenty-of-potential-for-nvidia.aspx
Interesting. Unsurprising, but interesting. LOL @ how negative this thread is. Jesus Steam has been growing yearly forever now. How are people not used to it.
And how Steam works means that concurrent users will work differently than every other service. Do you really not get this? The fact that people can have it in the background could mean that ratio of new to growth of concurrent could range A LOT. It could be 90% of them. It could be 10% of them. While most platforms have this issue to some extent, how Steam works takes it to a much higher level. Its misleading because you can't use other approximations to even make a guess at it like you could do on most systems.
And yes, I know you said no one can do it. I never said anyone could. But there is an implication that concurrent users will typically be much higher. Something you said... "no exact ratio, but a clear sign of many more total users"... shows you wanted to use that connotation. Point stands.
I'll also applaud you for learning how to actually make points relating to the topic being discussed. Its an improvement.
Guerrillas in the Mist
Member
Hail!
I love the fact that someone has actually gone and put time, effort, and care into making this.
rudieboy77
Member
I understand why this is, but just as a rhetorical question that some can examine for themselves.
If you mostly game on consoles, why do you care about any positive or negative news about PC gaming?
If you mostly game on consoles, why do you care about any positive or negative news about PC gaming?
so your point is that this huge YoY growth, while impressive, is actually underselling the strength of a platform which is making equally huge strides through titles like LoL and numerous other F2P titles/MMOs which don't even have a presence on steam?
couldn't agree more.