Steam Replay 2024, players spent over twice the time on 'classic' games versus something new

Steam's Year In Review is here and it reveals a whole lot about the average Steam user; only 15% of playtime this year was on 2024 releases.

[VenomUK]

It makes sense, who wants to pay full price for games that talk down to you and prioritise ideological messaging over good old-fashioned gameplay?

[Rebel_Scum]

Dont really think thats the problem. Nowadays AAA has copied a formula that worked 15 years ago and hasnt advanced.

Then there’s all the remasters and remakes. Industry used to release varied genres, indies used to be showcased which they arent anymore. Games for younger modern audiences are ftp gaas garbage that just consume all the game time of that audience.

No wonder everyone that has been around the block or doesnt play those gaas titles just plays the classics.

There’s very rarely new classics being made.

[DaReapa]

^^^This. Simply put.

[HyperMoused]

Careful you might upset the (modern audience) and get labelled as an incel

[oldenjon]

You’re thinking too hard, we are just in a dearth of groundbreaking / quality new games

[PCgamer98]

Not surprising since new games today are quite pricey and it also didn't help that most of them have a pretty hefty system requirements to boot.

[neutralgamer1992]

I play old games myself because they are more fun and I already bought them they are in the backlog. Modern games feel like a chore to play, cost more, have so much divisive agenda and just not fun to play (subjective)

[PassNextquestion]

I think old games are just better value for money and they have been fully patched

[Goodguy01]

I still have a huge backlog that I can wait for price drops.

[Dudeson]

Gamers are starting to smell the overpriced underbaked shit.

[Hofstaderman]

As a new steam user theres thousands of old cheap games, so yeah, I ain't buying and playing new games on my steam deck. Busy with Max Payne 2 right now.

[fsfsxii]

Steam users are too busy buying knife skins and getting scammed by Scam Citizen lmao, ofc they dont buy new games, they just pirate them.

[neutralgamer1992]

46.6% PC gamers
40.5 Console gaming

in 2025

47.5 PC gaming
42.5 Console gaming

so i don't know what you are talking about but PC gaming is bigger than console gaming and is only growing. There is a reason sony decided to release their games on PC

[TheColbertinator]

The classics stand the test of time. I played Indiana Jones, Stalker 2, EA FC and Black Ops 6 on PC this year. Got bored rather quick of these and returned to my personal favorites like XCOM 2, Crusader Kings 3, Fallout 4 (London mod) and Kingdom Come.

[LucasRuinedChildhood]

Getting bored of FIFA and COD is a very predictable outcome though, tbh.

[Samonuske]

Makes sense, a lot of the bigger multiplayer games came out over the past decade are still being played to this day. And a lot of the big hits in 2024 were single player releases which most players drop after completion.

[Terry_B]

No wonder. Many new games come with agendas, pretty unlikeable characters, tons of dlc, big technical requirements while you can get awesome games released 5, 10, even 15 years ago for less than 10 bucks with all additional content.

[Bhuahahaha]

just started playing middle earth shadow of war
loving every minute of it

[DivineHand125]

Going by what the article says. The majority of the playtime is from long running live service multiplayer games. This is understandable because most single player games are one and done experiences.

I took a look at my own playtime and each year, Warframe dominates my playtime because after a days work, it is easy to just pick up the controller and unwind with that game. I am sure this is the same for the people that boot up COD, GTA, Fortinite, Diablo, Helldivers, Dota, LOL, Rainbow 6 Siege, CS2, NBA2k, Fifa, Madden etc.

While we will support the single player experiences, the majority of time for a lot of us is spent coasting through our favorite multiplayer experiences. It was like this 20 years ago and it is the same today.

[Asterphoenix]

Some remasters with new graphics and censorship over the originals which most people take the originals. Some older games on PS3/360/Switch Era are so fun to play on Deck

[gold_drake]

not surprised

so did i.

[HyperMoused]

Modern games, more expensive, full of DEI crap, or GAAS...full of MT's and in game currency and battlepasses etc.....tbh i love that stuff so no idea why modern games might be failing to capture audiences.

[isarai]

Most new games are trash 🤷‍♂️

[anast]

Release the average specs people are working with and this will give a clearer picture one way or another.