Steam Linux Share Drops to 3.05% as Chinese Surge Skews Survey

Results of the Steam survey covering September 2026 have been published. Linux share fell to 3.05%. The month-over-month decline reached 0.85%. That is a sharp retreat from the record high of 5.33% set in March of the same year. Reporting by Phoronix’s Michael Larabel said the September figures were released on the evening of Oct. 1 local time.

macOS stood at 1.92% in the same period. Windows accounted for 95%. Linux had been holding in the 4% range, but sank to the low-3% range in September. The size of the swing exceeds normal monthly variation. Attention is focusing on shifts in the language breakdown as background.

OS Share Trends in the September Survey

The Steam survey is a monthly opt-in usage survey. It covers Steam users’ hardware configurations and languages in use. In March 2026, Linux hit a record high of 5.33%. It then held around 4%. In September it came in at 3.05%, confirming a drop to the low-3% range.

Windows held at 95%, remaining the overwhelming majority. macOS stayed at 1.92%. Linux and macOS combined still account for less than 5%. The structure of dependence on Windows in the PC gaming market is unchanged. This month’s Linux decline cannot be explained by a single factor.

Steam survey figures are sensitive to sampling. The makeup of participants varies from month to month. If users from a particular region increase, the overall ratios shift. Similar sharp swings have repeated in the past. The September result needs to be understood in that context.

Surge in Chinese Share and Sampling Effects

In the September survey, the share of Simplified Chinese surged. It rose by 7.42% to reach 31.39% of the total. Growth in the Chinese-speaking user base tends to push up the Windows share. At the same time, it tends to push down the Linux share. That typical pattern appeared again this time.

Steam’s Survey reports a 7.42% increase in Chinese use, up to 31.39% overall of the Steam population.

Surges in Chinese usage on Steam are observed periodically. When it rises, Windows grows and Linux shrinks. Some users point to issues with tabulation and sampling. The view is that bias occurs in periods when usage environments inside China are included in the survey sample. Valve has not disclosed details of its sampling methodology.

The size of the Chinese market affects Steam as a whole. A share of 31.39% exceeds the 30% level. Users with their language set to Simplified Chinese increased sharply. Most of them use Steam on Windows. As a result, Linux’s share fell in relative terms.

Transparency of the survey methodology has long been an issue. In an opt-in survey, collection rates by region vary. The treatment of internet cafes and shared terminals is also unclear. Monthly swings of nearly 1% seem unnatural. The figures need to be interpreted with caution.

CachyOS Rises to Top Within Linux

The breakdown limited to Linux users shows major change. CachyOS rose 2.65% month over month to reach 18.12%. It overtook SteamOS Holo at 17.37% to take first place. The performance-oriented Arch-based distro has broadened its support. Interest is growing in options beyond the default system for Steam Deck.

CachyOS is known for performance tuning and adoption of the latest kernel. It is chosen by users seeking a competitive gaming environment. Setup takes more effort, but its high responsiveness is valued. SteamOS Holo is the default system for handheld gaming devices. The gap between the two is less than 1%, so the ranking can easily shift.

Users of Steam on Linux are not concentrated in a single distro. Ubuntu-based and Fedora-based systems also maintain steady use. In this survey, CachyOS growth stood out. The figure of 18.12% corresponds to just under one-fifth of Linux. The distro landscape remains fluid.

Graphics driver support for Linux has steadily improved. As AMD Linux Driver Submits 30 Patches to Remove BUG() shows, quality improvements on the kernel side continue. Intel Linux Driver to Support HDR via DP MST also helps raise display capabilities. Such groundwork supports use across diverse distros. The breadth of distro choice itself is a hallmark of Linux.

AMD CPUs Hold Above 60%

Hardware used to run Steam on Linux is skewed. AMD CPUs maintained a share in the upper 60% range. Adoption in handhelds and living-room machines played a role. Both Steam Deck and Steam Machine use AMD APUs. Support for AMD among enthusiasts also remains strong.

AMD has continued to support the open-source graphics stack. Drivers built into the kernel have improved. That keeps the installation burden low for users. The balance of performance and power consumption also suits handhelds. These factors underpin its share.

The share of Intel CPUs is relatively low. Its weak presence in the handheld gaming market plays a role. Even on desktops, Linux enthusiasts tend to choose AMD. Differences in driver disclosure policies are reflected in that choice. A figure in the 60% range points to a structural skew.

Skewed hardware also affects game optimization. Developers prioritize testing on AMD graphics. The same applies to ensuring compatibility through the Proton layer. The burden of Linux verification concentrates on specific configurations. That concentration creates a cycle of improving compatibility.

Relationship Between Steam Deck and Linux Support

The spread of handheld gaming devices has boosted the Linux gaming population. As Steam Deck Modded Into Game Boy Form With AMOLED Panel shows, interest in it as a modding target is also high. Awareness has spread that its default system is Linux. SteamOS Holo’s 17.37% is a direct reflection of that. Linux use has also grown on desktops beyond handhelds.

Valve has focused on running Windows games via Proton. Many titles run with no additional setup. Support in the anti-cheat layer has also progressed step by step. The number of users who use Linux without being aware of it has grown. This group has little interest in distros and uses the default as is.

Meanwhile, advanced users are moving to CachyOS and similar distros. They seek performance tuning and the latest features. CachyOS’s figure of 18.12% symbolizes that. A split between beginners and advanced users is advancing. The Linux gaming population is diversifying in substance.

September’s figure of 3.05% does not mean a contraction in real terms. It is a relative decline due to shifts in language composition. The distro mix and hardware mix within Linux remain solid. It is premature to judge trends from a single month’s share. They need to be assessed over several months.

Editorial Opinion

On the short-term impact. We view this decline as sampling fluctuation driven by the surge in Chinese-speaking users. We assess it as a change in composition ratios rather than a contraction in real demand. We expect a recovery to around 4% over the next three to six months. By distro, we expect competition between CachyOS and SteamOS to continue.

On the long-term view. We expect handhelds and Proton improvements to stabilize the Linux base. We assess that concentration on AMD APUs will make developer testing more efficient. Over one to three years, growth in the number of compatible titles will matter more than share. What will count is depth of real-world use that is not swayed by language composition.

We pose questions from the editors. Can Steam’s sampling methodology be called sufficiently transparent. Are regional collection rates and weighting verifiable. Is the practice of reporting a single month’s share as the actual trend appropriate. We conclude that the ability to read the compositional changes behind the figures is being tested.

References

• “Steam On Linux Dives Down To 3.05% For September”, by Michael Larabel — Phoronix, 2026-10-02T00:18:56.000Z (ARR)
• Source URL: https://www.phoronix.com/news/Steam-Survey-September-2025