Windows 11 wrapped up 2024 with a massive spike in Steam users

As someone who has been around the block a few times when it comes to technology and operating systems, I must admit that I’ve been quite intrigued by the rapid adoption of Windows 11 among Steam users in 2024. Having witnessed the transition from Windows XP to Vista, Windows 7, 8, and finally 10, I can attest to the fact that each new iteration brings with it a mix of excitement and skepticism. However, the surge in Windows 11’s popularity among gamers has been nothing short of remarkable.

It seems that Microsoft has hit the sweet spot this time around, striking a balance between innovative features and strict system requirements that have encouraged upgrades on newer gaming PCs. The fact that Windows 10 is soon reaching its end of support only adds fuel to the fire, pushing many gamers to upgrade before it’s too late.

What I find particularly fascinating, though, is the stark contrast between the adoption rates among gamers and general users. While Windows 11 has become a staple for Steam users with a whopping 54.96% market share, it only accounts for 34.12% of desktop users according to Statcounter. It’s as if we’re living in two different worlds!

On a lighter note, I can’t help but chuckle at the thought of Microsoft’s marketing team, working tirelessly to convince everyone to upgrade to Windows 11 before October 2025. They must be pulling their hair out trying to figure out how to bridge that gap between gamers and non-gamers! But hey, as long as they keep delivering innovative features like Auto HDR and DirectStorage, I’m happy to sit back and watch the show unfold. After all, variety is the spice of life, right?

2024 saw a significant boost for Windows 11 among Steam gamers. Now, it is utilized by approximately 54.96% of Steam players, as per the December Steam hardware and software survey. This percentage represents an impressive increase of 6.16% from November to December 2024. A year prior, Windows 11 accounted for only 41.95% among Steam users, indicating a substantial growth of over 13% in just twelve months.

The majority of the growth seen in Windows 11 comes from losses experienced by Windows 10 in terms of market share. As of December 2023, about 53.45% of Steam users were utilizing Windows 10. Compared to the previous year, this represents a decrease of over 11% in its market share among Steam gamers, leaving it with approximately 42.39%.

In a short while, Windows 10 will no longer receive updates and support. Consequently, numerous users have already upgraded their systems to Windows 11 in anticipation. Moreover, newer computers are now pre-installed with Windows 11, meaning that as older hardware becomes obsolete, so too does the use of Windows 10.

As an analyst, I’d express it this way: I personally find that Windows 11 comes equipped with a host of enhancements tailored for an enriched gaming experience, such as Auto HDR and DirectStorage. In a blog post published in December, Microsoft spotlighted the gaming performance on Windows 11. It seems that Microsoft is pushing hard to persuade users to migrate to Windows 11 ahead of the end-of-support date for Windows 10, which falls on October 14, 2025.

A greater number of gamers have transitioned to Windows 11 at a faster pace than non-gamers, for several reasons. One reason is that Windows 11 sets stringent minimum requirements, making it incompatible with many older computers. Since gaming PCs typically run on newer hardware, they easily meet these criteria and can be upgraded to Windows 11. As of now, 54.96% of Steam users are using Windows 11, while Windows 10 still holds a significant lead over its successor among the general public. According to Statcounter, approximately 62.7% of desktop computers run Windows 10, compared to about 34.12% running Windows 11.

As an analyst, I find it challenging to conduct a direct comparison between Windows 11 and Windows 10 usage statistics due to the fact that the data comes from Statcounter and Steam instead of Microsoft. These platforms track different user groups – Steam users and desktop users respectively. However, the significant gap in usage between the two versions suggests that gamers are more inclined towards upgrading to the newer operating system (Windows 11).

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2025-01-02 17:41