The latest Steam Hardware & Software Survey is out for May 2022, and while it sees a tiny drop in the overall Linux user share, we can see the Steam Deck rising up. As usual, our dedicated Steam Tracker has been updated for the latest figures, with a screenshot of the current status below for all to see:
Currently the overall Linux share is 1.12%. Still a pretty clear upwards trend, and drops in a couple months are to be expected as that's just how things go. No doubt it will bounce up again within a couple months. The interesting thing to see now though, is how the Steam Deck will affect it since Valve actually hooked up the survey in a recent Steam Deck update.
When filtering to just Linux, here's the current top:
- "Arch Linux" 64 bit 12.85% +0.53%
- Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS 64 bit 11.75% -2.53%
- "Manjaro Linux" 64 bit 11.09% -0.46%
- Ubuntu 22.04 LTS 64 bit 8.04% +8.04%
- Linux Mint 20.3 64 bit 5.97% -0.39%
- "SteamOS Holo" 64 bit 5.23% +5.23%
- Other 45.07% +6.46%
So it might look like Arch Linux is on top at a quick glance, but not quite, since you need to take into account the various versions of Ubuntu as people tend to stick to LTS releases for years. The real interesting thing to see though is SteamOS Holo, which is the Arch-based Steam Deck operating system already hitting well over 5% of Linux users on Steam. Not only that, the Steam Deck GPU "AMD AMD Custom GPU 0405" is shown as the second most popular already for just Linux systems on Steam.
Using May's 1.12% share, that puts Linux users at around ~1,478,400 estimated "monthly active users" based on the last time Valve gave out their user data. You could say that to be around ~77,320 Steam Deck users, although keep in mind it’s an additional device for a lot of people, it depends where the survey is taken. The actual number is likely higher.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Quoting: TeodosioCould we overtake Mac this year, thanks to the Steam Deck?
Maybe, maybe not. But that would be thanks to Apple really, which is doing everything possible to alienate their desktop users from gaming.
Quoting: BeamboomI'm impressed.
Could this mean that Linux users (Deck included) might hit 10% next year or are we too optimistic then?
More like next 20 years.
Quoting: damarrinYou realise it’s 5% of 1%, which means 0.05% of all users?Oh daaaayyyymn... No I didn't think of that. DUH!
Ok so THAT's a lot less impressive indeed. Damn. It's barely anything at all.
Last edited by Beamboom on 2 June 2022 at 8:54 am UTC
Not that I moved much of a needle, since I was using newer distro (Garuda Linux). Though I'm tempted to try Nobara (AUR is just so convenient tho).
Quoting: BeamboomWell you have to give it time, there are tens of millions of computers out there, the Steam Deck has only been out for a few months and lots of backorders have not been fulfilled yet. It is going to be two or three years before we may see significant volumes.Quoting: damarrinYou realise it’s 5% of 1%, which means 0.05% of all users?Oh daaaayyyymn... No I didn't think of that. DUH!
Ok so THAT's a lot less impressive indeed. Damn. It's barely anything at all.
ElectricPrism 2 Jun, 2022
Quoting: BeamboomQuoting: damarrinYou realise it’s 5% of 1%, which means 0.05% of all users?Oh daaaayyyymn... No I didn't think of that. DUH!
Ok so THAT's a lot less impressive indeed. Damn. It's barely anything at all.
I mean, I got a reservation like 2 weeks ago now and I have to wait till October to get mine. It's gonna be a while for most other people, too.
Quoting: WMan22Quoting: BeamboomQuoting: damarrinYou realise it’s 5% of 1%, which means 0.05% of all users?Oh daaaayyyymn... No I didn't think of that. DUH!
Ok so THAT's a lot less impressive indeed. Damn. It's barely anything at all.
I mean, I got a reservation like 2 weeks ago now and I have to wait till October to get mine. It's gonna be a while for most other people, too.
October might be a bit too optimistic. I ordered 3 days after the beginning of preorders last year, and still haven't got it so far
Patreon
PayPal
See more from me