Post #4921737 · Elektrine

2026-10-04 12:55 UTC

Steam On Linux Dives Down To 3.05% For September Steam on Linux use in March hit an all-time high of around 5.33% marketshare. Since then it pulled back to around 4% while for September 2026 the Steam Survey results are now in and it’s clocking in just above 3%. The Steam Survey results for September that were published this evening indicate a rather steep decline of 0.85%, down to 3.05%. Meanwhile macOS is at 1.92% and Microsoft Windows at 95%. As with most months where Steam Survey indicates an abnormally large decline for Linux use, the second stop is checking on the language use… Once again a case of a big spike in Simplified Chinese use. Steam’s Survey reports a 7.42% increase in Chinese use, up to 31.39% overall of the Steam population. Usually with those large month-over-month swings where Steam China use shoots up dramatically is a boost to Windows and a detriment to Linux. Some attribute the large increases in Simplified Chinese use to being a reporting/sampling issue. When diving into the Steam Linux data exclusively, CachyOS has spiked by another 2.65% to now account for 18.12% of the sampled Linux gaming population. That even outperforms SteamOS Holo coming in at 17.37%. Among Linux gamers on Steam, AMD CPUs still account for the high 60 percentage space thanks to the Steam Deck and Steam Machine using AMD APUs and their open-source/Linux support being popular with enthusiasts. Those wanting to dive in to all the Steam Survey stats for September can find the fresh data on SteamPowered.com.

Replies (15)

@thingsiplay@lemmy.ml 2026-10-04 13:09

The Year of Linux is, when China bans Windows.

Open ##4921765
@cristian64@reddthat.com 2026-10-04 13:58

It’s extremely hard to believe that someone that has had a taste of Linux would switch back to Windows, if this is what the stats imply, which I’m not sure. I would need to be paid thousands to willingly use Windows again.

Open ##4922045
@yxc999@lemmy.ml 2026-10-04 14:33

I still don’t get why I can’t opt in to participate in the survey every month, I’ve only been asked twice in the last three years on Arch

Open ##4922469
@Toga77@lemmy.world 2026-10-04 16:57

It’s disappointing how weak minded people are.

Open ##4923327
@folekaule@lemmy.world 2026-10-04 17:08

I wonder what the sampling/reporting issue is? Why Chinese specifically? Are there droves of Chinese gamers flip-flopping between Linux and Windows? That doesn’t seem likely.

Open ##4923365
@corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 2026-10-04 17:15

Sorry. My fault. I’ve been working too much to play games.

Open ##4923391
@Hiro8811@lemmy.world 2026-10-04 17:15

Sorry dudes forgot to fill in my survey

Open ##4923392
@FishFace@piefed.social 2026-10-04 17:52

Reporting every bit of noise in this statistic is kinda boring?

Open ##4923837
@akunohana@piefed.blahaj.zone 2026-10-04 18:21

F*ck that’s on me. I took a break from gaming to focus on other projects + the occasional GBA SP.

Open ##4924160
@PushButton@lemmy.world 2026-10-04 18:50

China has entered the room.

Open ##4924248
@cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca 2026-10-04 19:08

I’m doing my part 🙂

Open ##4924345
@Majestic@lemmy.ml 2026-10-04 20:42

I even ensured I refused survey data on my Windows machine but that it ran on my Linux machine to help game the numbers as I’m sure other Linux users do. I’m convinced Microsoft would have to mandate sticking a probe up your ass when creating a user account/setting up a computer before significant switching among average users would take place and even then a huge 50% of the population would say it’s not that big a deal and switching is a larger hassle and they have no choice, blah, blah. Linux is kind of still stuck in the doldrums of tech and privacy enthusiasts and a few of their friends and I’m just not sure what if anything can change that in terms of individual actions and markets. Now sure if China or the EU made it harder to sell Windows computers and really pushed people onto a version of Linux that could bump the numbers but in both cases they’re just trying to gain some sovereignty by putting government systems on Linux and that transition alone will probably run for a good part of a decade.

Open ##4925329
@eldyaitch@lemmy.zip 2026-10-04 23:22

I’m sorry for the fluctuation guys. I haven’t had as much time for gaming This past month due to exams and whatnot. I didn’t mean to let you all down.

Open ##4926389
@UninterestingVoid@reddthat.com 2026-10-04 23:58

I cracked my offline games and mostly stopped using steam. :p It’s not even for pirating I don’t want to depend on those guys to own my game which I guess is piracy I think, but anyway.

Open ##4926463
@Quazatron@lemmy.world 2026-10-05 10:41

Look, I’m doing my best, ok? Back off!

Open ##4932251