Are There Too Many Games on Steam? A Record Year Brings Challenges
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Steam just had its busiest year ever, with nearly 19,000 new games released in 2024. That’s a huge number—more than any other year before. But here’s the thing: most of these games didn’t really get played or even noticed at all. With so many titles flooding the platform, it’s worth asking if the sheer amount of new games is starting to become a problem.
Back in 2006, Steam launched with just 70 games for the whole year. By 2020, that number jumped to 9,686. Fast forward to 2024, and we’re looking at almost 19,000. This isn’t just a big increase—it’s like trying to drink from a fire hose. For smaller developers, standing out on Steam has become harder than ever.
Here’s another surprising fact: out of all these new games, only about 20% were popular enough to unlock Steam’s community features like trading cards and badges. That means over 14,000 games barely made a dent. It’s a tough market, and many great games may have been overlooked.
This could be a sign that players are overwhelmed. When you’re scrolling through endless choices, it’s easy to stick to big-name titles or avoid trying anything new. At the same time, developers are pumping out games faster than ever, hoping one will catch on.
Steam does highlight the best of the best each year, though. In 2024, top-rated games included MiSide, Balatro, and Black Myth: Wukong. These stood out with stellar ratings, showing there’s still room for standout hits. But for most smaller titles, it’s a different story.
The question is: does Steam need to do more to help players find hidden gems? Maybe better discovery tools or curating new releases could give smaller games a fighting chance. Otherwise, even the best games risk being buried under the weight of too many options.
It’s exciting to see so much creativity in gaming, but maybe it’s time to think about how we make sure the best games don’t get lost in the crowd.
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