Linux Surpasses 3 Percent Steam User Share

Valve's Steam Hardware and Software Survey for November 2025, released December 2, 2025, shows Linux systems reaching 3.20% of Steam users, up from 3.05% in October and more than 1.17% year-over-year. The report credits Proton compatibility and Steam Deck hardware for the gain, with SteamOS variants leading among distributions. Developers and hardware partners are responding to the growing Linux user base, influencing ports and driver support.
Key Points
- 1Reports Linux reaches 3.20% of Steam users in November 2025, an all-time high.
- 2Highlights Proton compatibility and Steam Deck hardware as primary drivers enabling Windows games on Linux.
- 3Advises developers to prioritize Linux testing and Proton support as user share surpasses investment thresholds.
Scoring Rationale
Official Valve survey confirms record Linux growth, but change is gradual and still represents a small Steam share.
Sources
Public references used for this report.
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