Valheimhas seemingly come out of nowhere as an instant hit on Steam. Not only is it fun to play for many, butValheimmay also be the next big thing on Twitchas well, as it is a joy to watch. Iron Gate AB’s Viking co-op title is a mix of many genres, and it has captured the mindshare of the gaming community since it launched on February 2. In fact, it recently has surpassed some big-name games in concurrent player count on Steam.
One of the best ways to determine the popularity of a game is to look at the concurrent players. Of course, for a small single-player experience, this measurement does not always do a game justice. But for a multiplayer or massive experience, the idea that players keep coming back for more often means that the game is doing something right.Valheimis nearly topping the charts in terms of player count lately. And on top of that,Valheimwas also the best selling game on Steamlast week.
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According to SteamCharts,Valheimpeaked at a concurrent player count of 391,325 players over the past 24 hours. Even thoughGTA5just had its best selling year since launch, that number is better than Rockstar’s open-world action-adventure. That is also more than the likes ofApex LegendsorPUBG. The only games thatValheimcould not top wereCounter-Strike: Global OffensiveandDOTA 2; two mainstays in the gaming world. There is no shame in not being able to outduel those games, but it also would be a surprise to seeValheimclimb to the top even above them either.
Valheim’s quick success is quite remarkable, and it is a continuation of a trend lately in gaming. Whether it beFall Guys, Among Us,or nowValheimselling a million copies in just its first eight days, it is impressive to see lesser-known games rise to fame in such a short amount of time.
The question may be whether or not these types of titles are flash in a pan projects or great games that will stand the test of time. For example,Super Smash Bros. Ultimatedirector Masahiro Sakurai is unsure ifAmong Uswill last the long haul. WithValheimonly being out for a couple of weeks, it is way too early to make a judgment call on the game. However, it is remarkable to see how the game has taken over Twitch, Steam, and gamers' hearts in such short order.
