When it comes to PC games, Steam is the biggest name in the business. Now that the Steam Deck has continued to grow in popularity, more and more people are logging on to Steam every day to play. Because of this, Steam is one of the greatest sources of information about what PC gamers are actually playing at any given time.
Steam offers interesting data on the top selling and top played games on the platform week to week, but if you’re wondering what were the most-played games last month, we’ve got you covered. Here are the top 10 most-played Steam games of March 2023, based on total players.
1. Counter Strike: Global Offensive
Counter Strike: Global Offensive is a free-to-play team-based shooter that is consistently at the top of Steam Charts every month. Initially released back in 2012 as an expansion of the multiplayer gameplay from Half-Life: Counter-Strike, it has continued to grow over the years. Valve has also recently announced Counter-Strike 2 will be arriving at some point this summer. The popularity of the game on Steam isn’t overly surprising given that it was created by Valve and you need to be logged on to steam to play online multiplayer.
Read our review of Counter Strike: Global Offensive.
2. Dota 2
Another free-to-play game developed by Valve, Dota 2 is a wildly popular blend of online RTS and RPG action. Originally released in 2013, its free-to-play status has kept it at the top of steam charts throughout the years. And while it costs nothing to start playing the game, the learning curve is very high and it can be hard to get into without learning all of the nuances to strategy and mechanics.
Read our review of Dota 2.
3. Apex Legends
When it comes to battle royale games, Apex Legends is one of the best in the business. It’s got a mix of exciting characters, great gunplay, and fairly consistent updates that make it a worthy live-service game. If you are looking for something similar, but different than Fortnite, Apex Legends is a great option. Plus, its free-to-play status allows for all kinds of gamers to join the fray.
Read our review of Apex Legends.
4. PUBG: Battlegrounds
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is one of the most influential battle royale games and helped to establish the genre when it first came out in 2017. Considering it’s the original battle royale, and is free to play, it’s still a highly popular game. However, it has become less popular than newer titles like Apex Legends and Fortnite.
Read our review of PUBG: Battlegrounds.
5. Destiny 2
Destiny 2 is a winning combination of story-driven campaigns and solid multiplayer options. It’s a first-person shooter that delivers sci-fi gameplay and that came as a direct sequel of Destiny, which was widely popular when it first came out. With continued DLC and excellent multiplayer options, Destiny 2 has continued to be a top game on Steam. With the addition of the Lightfall expansion last month, the game saw a spike in players once again.
Read our review of Destiny 2: Lightfall.
6. Goose Goose Duck
Goose Goose Duck is another free-to-play game, but it is quite different than the rest of the games on this list. It’s a social deduction game that started gaining traction thanks to popularity on Twitch. It’s essentially just Among Us, but with geese. You work together with friends to complete your mission and watch out for any suspicious geese that are actually malicious ducks in disguise.
7. Grand Theft Auto V
The latest entry in the GTA series, Grand Theft Auto 5 has consistently been one of the most popular games since back in 2013. It’s an enormous game with a lot to love. Based in San Andreas, there are three main characters you can play as. And with the addition of GTA Online shortly after the game was first launched, it’s no surprise so many people are still enjoying this title. There’s even a GTA 6 on the horizon.
Read our review of GTA 5.
8. Lost Ark
Lost Ark was originally released in North Korea back in 2019 and wasn’t brought over to the U.S. until February of 2022. It grew wildly popular before it even went free-to-play, quickly becoming one of the most-played games of all time on steam shortly after launch. There was a new update on March 15 last month that brought more players back to the game.
Read our review of Lost Ark.
9. Naraka: Bladepoint
Although Naraka: Bladepoint features many similar battle royale elements as some of the top free-to-play games on this list, but with some key differences. First of all, the game is not free. Second of all, the actual battles you have in the PvP look and feel more like a fighting game than a Battle Royale. It’s filled with mythical action that focuses on martial arts inspired combat and medieval weapons.
Read our review of Narak: Bladepoint.
10. Rust
Rust is one of the most popular survival games of all time, and for good reason — it’s quite challenging. It is an entirely multiplayer game that includes factions, raids, an electricity system, and a huge variety of vehicles. With a rather robust player base and fairly frequent updates, it’s a great game to play with friends. As long as you don’t mind spending all of your time struggling to survive in a PvP and PvE environment where everything is trying to kill you, this is a solid game to get into.
Read our review of Rust.
Looking for a free-to-play game that focuses less on multiplayer? Check out our guide on how to play The Sims 4 for free.
