15% of Steam's Playtime in 2024 A Surprising Rise

Steam Replay has revealed that only 15% of playtime in 2024 was spent on games released in the same year, indicating gamers are largely enjoying titles from 2023 or earlier. Interestingly, this percentage marks an increase from the previous year's 9%. A significant portion, 47%, of playtime came from games released in the last seven years, while 37% came from classic titles over eight years old. Despite notable releases in 2024 like Palworld and Black Myth: Wukong achieving strong sales, many players remain engaged with older games like Counter-Strike 2 and PUBG. The median Steam user has played just four games this year, reinforcing that a majority prefer legacy titles.

Yes, the data shows that a significant number of Steam users are spending their gaming time on older titles, proving that nostalgia plays a strong role in gaming preferences.

This trend isn't surprising given the continuously popular nature of established games. Titles like Fortnite, which has been a dominant force across all platforms, continue to attract and retain players with regular updates and community engagement, making it challenging for new releases to capture their attention fully. The gaming landscape is marked by loyalty to older franchises, which hold vast libraries of content and players' investments over the years.