Fresh Steam charts dropped, spotlighting the biggest hits pulling in daily players as the new year kicks off. Counter-Strike 2 sits pretty at number one, but plenty of surprises lurk further down the list. With free-to-play giants dominating and a couple of paid standouts sneaking in, these rankings set the stage for some wild shifts ahead.
Counter-Strike 2 Tops The Chart
No shocker here – Counter-Strike 2 reigns supreme on the Steam most played games list. The battle royale behemoth clocked a staggering 1,515,495 peak concurrent players in the last 24 hours alone. That’s more than 800,000 ahead of second-place Dota 2, proving Valve’s shooter still grips millions tightly.
Full Breakdown: Top 10 Steam Games by Daily Players
Here’s the complete rundown of the most played Steam games right now, based on raw daily active counts:
- Counter-Strike 2 – Untouchable king of the charts.
- Dota 2 – Solid silver medal for the MOBA legend.
- PUBG: Battlegrounds – Free-to-play frenzy keeps it climbing.
- Wallpaper Engine – Yeah, the app outsizes some blockbusters.
- Arc Raiders – First paid entry steals the show.
- Geometry Dash – Rhythm runner holds the rhythm.
- Battlefield 6 – Fresh battlefield buzz.
- Apex Legends – Battle royale staple endures.
- War Thunder – Tank and plane wars rage on.
- Marvel Rivals – Superhero shooter surges.
Free-to-Play Domination Meets Paid Game Surprises
The top 10 screams free-to-play power. PUBG: Battlegrounds snags third, while Apex Legends, War Thunder, and Marvel Rivals lock in the back end. These battle royales and hero shooters thrive on massive accessibility, drawing crowds without wallet hits.
But hold up – Wallpaper Engine in fourth? The customizable desktop app flexes harder than expected, proving utility apps crush in player hours. Then there’s Arc Raiders at five, the first paid game crashing this party. Embark Studios’ extraction shooter impresses big time, hinting at premium potential amid the F2P flood.
Geometry Dash bounces into sixth with its addictive platforming, and Battlefield 6 follows at seven, riding hype waves from EA’s latest.
