CS:GO’s incredible popularity shows no signs of waning, as Valve’s renowned shooter continues to break its own concurrent user records. Just over a month ago, CS:GO set a new record for concurrent players, reaching 1,519,457 players logged in simultaneously.
Despite being over a decade old, the game still draws massive numbers of players, recently surpassing 1.8 million concurrent players, totaling 1,818,773 to be exact.
This achievement cements CS:GO’s status as Steam’s second largest game ever, lagging behind only PUBG: Battlegrounds, which boasts a remarkable concurrent record of 3.2 million players.
While it may seem unlikely that CS:GO could challenge PUBG’s record, it has already reached more than halfway there, adding half a million to its concurrent record since peaking during the pandemic.
Counter-Strike 2 Announcement Boosts Interest
The resurgence in interest in CS:GO is likely due, in part, to the announcement of Valve’s next-generation FPS, Counter-Strike 2.
Slated for a summer 2023 release, a limited test is already underway. This news has undoubtedly rekindled players’ enthusiasm for the classic game.
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Steam’s Popularity Soars Amid Global Events
Steam has also experienced a surge in popularity recently. Its upward trajectory began three years ago in January 2020, when the COVID-19 crisis prompted worldwide self-isolation.
On February 2, Steam’s previous record of 18,537,490 users, set in January 2018, was broken, with a new peak of 18,801,944 players.
This record has been shattered several times since, including a weekend in March 2020 that saw numbers surpass 20 million for the first time.
In December 2020, Steam reached a peak of 24.7 million users, followed by 26.5 million in February 2021. By the end of October, the PC platform hit 30 million users at once for the first time. As of now, Steam’s concurrent user record stands at 33,598,520, a milestone achieved just last month.
With the announcement of Counter-Strike 2 and the continued growth of Steam’s user base, it remains to be seen whether CS:GO will continue to break its own concurrent player records or if the new installment in the series will shift players’ focus.
Regardless, CS:GO’s enduring popularity is a testament to the game’s enduring appeal and the strength of its community.
