Steam, the leading digital game distribution platform for PC gamers, has shattered its own concurrent user record, reaching an unprecedented peak of over 40 million players. This milestone was achieved over a weekend that coincided with the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds on February 28, 2025, when Steam recorded an astounding 40,270,997 simultaneous users, surpassing its previous high of 39.9 million set in February 2025.

According to SteamDB, Steam's concurrent user record, often seen as a barometer of Valve's platform success, has been broken nearly every month since May 2024. The peak has impressively climbed from 35.5 million to 40.2 million within just six months. While this figure includes idle players—those with Steam open but not actively using it—the number of users engaged in gameplay has also reached a new high, increasing from 12.5 million to 12.8 million.

Throughout 2024, Steam experienced significant surges in player peaks, breaking records in March and July. The latest peak is attributed to the release of Monster Hunter Wilds, which alone saw a 24-hour concurrent user peak of 1.38 million players. Other titles like Counter-Strike 2, PUBG, Dota 2, and Marvel Rivals also contributed to this peak, with 24-hour user peaks of 1.7 million, 819,541, 657,780, and 268,283, respectively.

Despite its popularity, Monster Hunter Wilds has garnered a 'mixed' user review rating on Steam, prompting Capcom to release official guidance addressing PC performance issues. Additionally, Capcom has teased early details about Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1, which will introduce an endgame social hub for players.

For those embarking on their Monster Hunter Wilds journey, resources are available to enhance your experience. Check out guides on what the game doesn't tell you, a comprehensive look at all 14 weapon types, a detailed walkthrough, and a multiplayer guide to help you play with friends. If you participated in one of the open betas, learn how to transfer your Monster Hunter Wilds Beta character to the full game.

IGN's review of Monster Hunter Wilds awarded it an 8/10, stating, "Monster Hunter Wilds continues to smooth off the rougher corners of the series in smart ways, making for some extremely fun fights but also lacking any real challenge."