Times are changing. For Linux gamers on Steam, the October 2025 Steam Hardware & Software Survey has shown the community crossing the 3% market share mark. This upward trend has been clear for a while, and with Windows 10 support ending, it was certainly expected that more people would look to try out Linux for their gaming needs.
While 3% does not sound like a huge number, this clear trend is a big deal and actually equates to millions of people. Back in 2022, Valve last gave a proper monthly active user count, and we know Steam’s user base has grown a lot since then. Even based on that older number, it would put monthly active Linux users at well over four million. That figure is likely a few million higher now, especially with the huge success of the Steam Deck, which has sold millions of units.
Operating System Breakdown
The latest survey results clearly show the movement in the operating system stakes. Windows, while still dominant, has seen a drop, while both Linux and macOS have made gains.
- Windows: 94.84% (-0.75% change MoM)
- Linux: 3.05% (+0.41% change MoM)
- macOS: 2.11% (+0.34% change MoM)
It’s clear that the gaming market is diversifying, and the success of Linux is largely thanks to Valve’s significant investment in their own hardware and software.
The Distro Distribution Story
Unsurprisingly, the numbers are still being massively bolstered by the success of the Steam Deck, which runs on SteamOS Linux. The handheld console is consistently in the global top 10 best-sellers on Steam.
The distribution breakdown chart shows the clear impact of Valve’s console:
- SteamOS Holo 64 bit: 27.18% (-0.47%)
- Arch Linux 64 bit: 10.32% (-0.66%)
- Linux Mint 22.2 64 bit: 6.65% (+6.65%)
- CachyOS 64 bit: 6.01% (+1.32%)
- Ubuntu Core 22 64 bit: 4.55% (+0.55%)
- Freedesktop SDK 25.08 (Flatpak runtime) 64 bit: 4.29% (+4.29%)
- Bazzite 64 bit: 4.24% (+4.24%)
- Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS 64 bit: 3.70% (+3.70%)
- Linux Mint 22.1 64 bit: 2.56% (-5.65%)
- EndeavourOS Linux 64 bit: 2.32% (-0.08%)
- Freedesktop SDK 24.08 (Flatpak runtime) 64 bit: 2.31% (-3.98%)
- Fedora Linux 42 (KDE Plasma Desktop Edition) 64 bit: 2.12% (+0.19%)
- Manjaro Linux 64 bit: 2.04% (-0.31%)
- Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS 64 bit: 1.93% (-0.04%)
- Fedora Linux 42 (Workstation Edition) 64 bit: 1.75% (-0.43%)
- Other: 18.04% (-4.28%)
The Future of Linux Gaming
With the constant success of the Steam Deck, the future looks bright. Furthermore, there are plenty of rumours and leaks surrounding the upcoming Steam Frame, which is expected to be a SteamOS Linux-powered VR kit. If those rumours are true, we could see the Linux gaming numbers continue to climb even higher in the near future. Valve’s commitment to making gaming on Linux a genuinely viable option is clearly paying off.
What We Think
The 3% barrier is a massive symbolic victory for the Linux gaming community and shows the platform’s incredible progress. The fact that this increase is happening while the overall Steam user base is growing means the raw number of Linux gamers is climbing rapidly. Between the Steam Deck’s continuing popularity and the strong possibility of a new SteamOS-based VR device, it seems certain that Linux will keep eating away at Windows’ market share for gaming.