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PayPalValve have released the Steam Hardware & Software Survey for March 2025, and as expected with the Simplified Chinese language dropping the Linux stats have shot back up.
Last month we saw quite a sharp drop for the Linux stats, which coincided with Simplified Chinese once again rising as the language choice on Steam. This is something that happens now and then.
For March 2025 the overall operating system stats are:
- Windows 96.10% -1.48%
- Linux 2.33% +0.88%
- macOS 1.58% +0.61%
As seen on our dedicated Steam Tracker page:
The most popular Linux distributions shown on Steam are:
- SteamOS Holo 64 bit 34.48% -0.19%
- Arch Linux 64 bit 9.68% -0.02%
- Freedesktop SDK 24.08 (Flatpak runtime) 64 bit 6.26% +0.10%
- Linux Mint 22.1 64 bit 5.31% +0.78%
- Ubuntu Core 22 64 bit (Steam Snap) 4.39% +0.18%
- Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS 64 bit 4.18% +4.18%
- Manjaro Linux 64 bit 2.66% +2.66%
- EndeavourOS Linux 64 bit 2.40% +2.40%
- Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm) 64 bit 2.35% +2.35%
- Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS 64 bit 2.21% +2.21%
- Other 26.07% -11.10%
Source: Valve
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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CatKiller a day ago
FWIW, this month is probably an undercount of China, just like we've historically had the big spikes from overcounting China. The trend, and Valve's own aggregate data, has English and Simplified Chinese about equal, so either one coming up significantly higher than the other shows noise in the data collection.
2 Likes
Pyrate a day ago
Valve being abysmal in conducting proper survey statistics makes me hopeful they aren't (or at least aren't capable of) data mining our systems. 
4 Likes
grigi a day ago
Or rather that they don't see the need to be too accurate. You see there is no public shareholders demanding they somehow make every cent possible, so it's OK to potentially miss an opportunity to get every cent of value in spite of your customers.
1 Likes
dziadulewicz a day ago
Seems confusing. From where for example does this come from: Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS 64 bit 4.18% +4.18%
The Steam link provided only shows: Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS 64 bit 0.10% +0.10%
This +4.18 for Ubuntu (or any other in that list) also does not appear on the dedicated Steam Tracker page, or am i blind nor can't use it?
In any case, why not provide additional links to this info?
Last edited by dziadulewicz on 2 Apr 2025 at 7:32 pm UTC
The Steam link provided only shows: Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS 64 bit 0.10% +0.10%
This +4.18 for Ubuntu (or any other in that list) also does not appear on the dedicated Steam Tracker page, or am i blind nor can't use it?
In any case, why not provide additional links to this info?
Last edited by dziadulewicz on 2 Apr 2025 at 7:32 pm UTC
0 Likes
CatKiller a day ago
@dziadulewicz You're looking at the totals rather than the Linux-specific stats from the dropdown menu.
0 Likes
dziadulewicz 23 hours ago
But these totals, where exactly they can be seen? There is no link to those as far as i can tell.
0 Likes
CatKiller 23 hours ago
But these totals, where exactly they can be seen? There is no link to those as far as i can tell.
https://i.ibb.co/39jWpVqG/Screenshot-20250402-220235-2.png
https://i.ibb.co/Kj1DJTRS/Screenshot-20250402-220316-2.png
0 Likes
dziadulewicz 21 hours ago
Ok, i see you managed to got to those numbers. HOW exactly? - When going to https://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/?platform=combined HOW can i make for example that Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS 64 bit 4.18% +4.18% APPEAR?
What should one click there? When i click OS version and look Linux: there is only that "Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS 64 bit 0.10% +0.10%" and so on.
Last edited by dziadulewicz on 2 Apr 2025 at 10:32 pm UTC
What should one click there? When i click OS version and look Linux: there is only that "Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS 64 bit 0.10% +0.10%" and so on.
Last edited by dziadulewicz on 2 Apr 2025 at 10:32 pm UTC
0 Likes
CatKiller 21 hours ago
Ok, i see you managed to got to those numbers. HOW exactly?You click on the dropdown menu to pick "Linux only" exactly as I said, and exactly as I showed you a picture of.
0 Likes
dziadulewicz 21 hours ago
I can see the "March" text in your picture, so i assume it's close to menus. But NONE of the menus "Your Store" "New & Noteworthy" "Categories" "Points Shop" "News" and "Labs" does include "Linux only".
So where is it?
So where is it?
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dziadulewicz 21 hours ago
Look it's not there https://postimg.cc/vgRmjYGQ
0 Likes
dziadulewicz 20 hours ago
Dang, i give up. It seems im just a dumb dumb 
cheers. I'm sure the information is good.
cheers. I'm sure the information is good.
0 Likes
sarmad 20 hours ago
Ubuntu keeps sliding down despite being a pretty solid OS lately. I bet you it's the Snap saga that's causing it.
0 Likes
CatKiller 18 hours ago
So where is it?
https://i.ibb.co/27LVJShQ/Screenshot-20250403-024200-2.png
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fenglengshun 16 hours ago
I'm astonished that PopOS is still that high despite it still being Ubuntu 22.04 based. Hopefully Cosmic will release and they can update it sometimes before 26.04.
Also, I wonder, does Bazzite Deck on my ROG Ally count as Holo, Fedora, or Bazzite on its own?
Also, I wonder, does Bazzite Deck on my ROG Ally count as Holo, Fedora, or Bazzite on its own?
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Phlebiac 13 hours ago
I'm astonished that PopOS is still that high
PopOS and Ubuntu are both on the decline; see also:
https://boilingsteam.com/linux-distros-in-march-2025-a-new-challenger-emerges/
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Since I've put together a new PC and installed CachyOS on it, if I ever get a Steam survey and submit it, would that mean the OS is categorized as Arch Linux 64 bit or Other?
Last edited by ToddL on 3 Apr 2025 at 12:46 pm UTC
Last edited by ToddL on 3 Apr 2025 at 12:46 pm UTC
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Eike 6 hours ago
Since I've put together a new PC and installed CachyOS on it, if I ever get a Steam survey and submit it, would that mean the OS is categorized as Arch Linux 64 bit or Other?
My guess is CachyOS/Other. You could look into Steam client => help => system information, I'd guess they use the same source there?
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