Linux reaches historic milestone on Steam, with 5.33% of users

Linux reaches 5.33% of Steam users, surpasses MacOS, and signals continued growth for Linux gaming in 2026.

The March 2026 Steam hardware survey shows that Linux adoption among gamers continues to rise, reaching 5.33% of the platform's user base.

With this level, Linux now has more than double the market share of MacOS among Steam users.

Trend summary

• 5.33% of Steam users use Linux
• MacOS is in second place
• Windows remains dominant in PC gaming

Historically, in 2024, Linux represented only 2% of the Steam user base. The outlook for 2026 is continued growth, with the Steam Machine acting as an anchor for adoption — even without it, Linux has shown expansion thanks to gaming-focused distributions like Bazzite.

The role of SteamOS and Proton

SteamOS represents 24.48% of the Linux base on Steam, making it the most popular version among Linux users. Even so, SteamOS is not gaining share rapidly, suggesting widespread growth across various Linux distributions.

The evolution of Proton has helped expand compatibility for an ever-growing library of games on Linux.

Context and perspectives

With Google's plans to merge Android and ChromeOS for PC use, Windows faces stiffer competition. The advancement of Linux and the growing weight of Apple Silicon also help shape the landscape of operating systems for gaming.

Leave a comment: have you played on Linux yet? Which distribution do you use and what was your experience like?

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