On December 8, Steam once again broke its record for the number of concurrent users, surpassing the mark of 39.2 million users online. This milestone was facilitated by the simultaneous releases of Path of Exile 2 and Marvel Rivals, which debuted on December 6, 2024. The previous peak online count was 37 million users this summer.

Marvel Rivals, a free-to-play 6v6 hero shooter from NetEase Games. The game, reminiscent of Team Fortress 2 and Overwatch at their peak, sees players assembling teams of superheroes from the Marvel universe. According to the statistical platform SteamDB, Marvel Rivals reached a peak of 480,990 concurrent players on December 8, 2024.

Simultaneously released was Path of Exile 2, developed by Grinding Gear Games. The game has just entered early access, bringing substantial updates to the popular action RPG, already attracting 578,569 concurrent players in a day. The sequel received graphics, new mechanics, and classes that enhance the dark fantasy atmosphere. Early access is available for PC, as well as Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 consoles.

The simultaneous release of these two major projects attracted millions of players to Steam, contributing to an unprecedented peak load on the platform. Path of Exile 2 and Marvel Rivals are among the top 5 games in popularity on Steam at this time.

Moreover, constant leaders of the Steam chart, such as CS2, Dota 2, PUBG, and others, continue to maintain the stable online presence of the digital platform. The last biggest peak online was recorded this summer and amounted to 37 million, thanks to the release of Black Myth: Wukong.

Such a surge reflects the gaming community's enthusiasm for new and exciting content and also underscores Steam's role as a central hub for many players.

As the gaming industry continues to evolve, the success of Marvel Rivals and Path of Exile 2 highlights the industry's growth and the increasing demand for innovative and engaging gameplay, storytelling, mechanics, and optimization.