High Stakes Game: Steam’s Best of 2023 highlights which games had gamers all excited last year
Valve, the gaming giant, has recently unveiled its highly-anticipated ‘Best of 2023’ list on Steam, providing insights into the top-selling PC games of the year. Instead of assigning numerical rankings, Valve has categorized the titles into tiers — Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. The data collected spans from January 1 to December 15, 2023, showcasing the gaming landscape throughout the year.
Among the elite titles in the Platinum category are acclaimed games such as Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, Cyberpunk 2077, and Hogwarts Legacy. Interestingly, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, despite facing criticism from both fans and critics, secured a notable position in the higher tiers, fueled by a dedicated fanbase eager to engage in its multiplayer segment.
Familiar names like Counter-Strike 2, PUBG: Battlegrounds, Apex Legends, Dota 2, and Destiny 2 also attained Platinum status. Destiny 2 is set to receive a new expansion, ‘The Final Shape,’ in June, adding to its ongoing success.
In the Gold tier, standout titles include the Resident Evil 4 remake, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Elden Ring, which reported sales of 20 million copies across all platforms. Elden Ring’s popularity played a pivotal role in elevating Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, a lesser-known FromSoftware franchise, into the top 24 best-selling games on the platform. Surprisingly, FIFA 23 from the previous year made the cut, aligning with the launch of its successor, EA Sports FC 24, mid-year.
Beyond the overall Top-Sellers category, Steam features additional sections highlighting New Releases by gross revenue, Most Played, Early Access purchases, and more. Noteworthy among the latest releases are poorly-received multiplatform games, with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Payday 3 emerging as notable titles.
While multiplayer games dominated with a player count surpassing 300,000, single-player experiences like Goose Goose Duck and Hogwarts Legacy also made their mark, with the latter peaking at over 800,000 concurrent players on Steam.
The year 2023 witnessed studios testing games in early access, seeking valuable player feedback. Mintrocket’s ocean exploration and fishing game, Dave the Diver, garnered favor and emerged as one of the most-played titles on the Steam Deck.
The gaming community also embraced virtual reality, with titles like Beat Saber, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR, and Half-Life: Alyx finding favor among players.
As the year comes to a close, Steam is currently hosting its annual Winter Sale, offering substantial discounts on a wide range of games, both new and returning. The sale will run until January 5 at 10:30 PM IST, providing gamers with an opportunity to explore and acquire their favourite titles at reduced prices.
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