SteamDB charts show some surprising spikes, from a clicker that sold cosmetic drops to global triple-A launches that drew millions. These ten entries recorded the highest all-time peak concurrent players on Steam, and each spike happened for clear reasons tied to launch timing, price, or viral attention.
5. Monster Hunter Wilds — All-Time Peak: 1,384,608.
Monster Hunter Wilds reached a big audience at launch on February 28, 2025, with Capcom modernizing systems to appeal broadly.
4. Counter-Strike 2 — All-Time Peak: 1,862,531.
Valve launched Counter-Strike 2 as a free upgrade on September 27, 2023, and it set a new peak on April 12, 2025.
3. Palworld — All-Time Peak: 2,101,867.
Palworld hit its peak in early access thanks to a viral mix of creature collection and survival crafting, with creators calling it “Pokémon with guns.”
2. Black Myth: Wukong — All-Time Peak: 2,415,714.
Black Myth: Wukong drew massive attention after trailers showcased high-end visuals and Chinese myth inspiration, and it climbed to a peak shortly after its August 20, 2024 launch.
1. PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS — All-Time Peak: 3,257,248.
PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS set the record on January 13, 2018, after launching on March 23, 2017, and it remains the single most prominent peak on Steam to date. That surge launched a genre and still shows in platform listings and developer info on PUBG Corporation. Which game surprised you the most on this list? Some entries peaked because of price or marketplace dynamics, others because of long-term community support, and a few because launch talk or creators pushed them into the spotlight.
