Valve´s latest Steam Survey for May 2025 reveals that Linux-based operating systems reached a 2.69% market share among Steam users, climbing 0.42% in just one month and marking one of the highest recorded levels. Windows remains the overwhelming favorite at 95.45%, with macOS trailing at 1.85%. The growth of Linux, however, stands out for the open-source community, considering that in May 2023, the platform only accounted for 1.47% of Steam´s user base, before steadily rising to 2.32% by May 2024.
This impressive uptick is largely powered by Valve´s SteamOS, an Arch Linux-based system that serves as the backbone for the Steam Deck handheld console. The mainstream embrace of the Steam Deck has motivated more users to adopt SteamOS, not only on portable devices but also on desktop PCs. The Linux gaming ecosystem has also benefited from the proliferation of other handhelds that employ various Linux distributions, an indicator that the niche once defined by desktop enthusiasts has now expanded across new hardware categories.
Technical advancements underpin this momentum. Enhanced kernel-level improvements and robust driver support from GPU vendors like AMD and Intel have made Linux gaming smoother and more accessible. Moreover, the evolution of Proton, Valve´s Wine-based compatibility layer, has delivered significant performance and stability improvements. Numerous updates have made Proton a legitimate rival to Windows for game compatibility, and in some cases, game performance even surpasses that on Microsoft´s dominant platform. These factors combine to draw a growing, enthusiastic user base to open-source gaming, broadening the landscape for developers and players alike.
