player activity Archives

AppWizard

January 20, 2026

Football Manager 26 is never being saved as the game just flubbed its most important sales period

January typically sees a surge in player engagement for Football Manager due to the reopening of the transfer window and the return to regular routines after the holiday season. However, this year, the expected increase in activity for FM26 has not materialized. Currently, only 29.78 percent of user reviews for FM26 on SteamDB are positive, making it one of the lowest-rated games on the platform, in contrast to FM24's 89.48 percent approval rating. FM26 has around 33,500 concurrent players, with a 24-hour peak of approximately 55,800, and an all-time high of 84,909 shortly after its November launch. Despite attracting players, recent data shows a flat trend in early January, with a slight decline of about 0.9 percent in peak player numbers over the past month. December saw a peak concurrency drop of over 31 percent from November, and FM26 ranks around #83 for daily active users and #119 in top sellers on Steam. Twitch viewership has also been low, with peaks of roughly 1,400 viewers. Historically, January has been crucial for Football Manager, as it is a time for players to engage with the game more deeply, but this year's stagnation in player activity is unusual and may impact the game's ecosystem and community engagement throughout the year.

AppWizard

November 23, 2025

Borderlands 4’s new, free DLC hasn’t moved the needle at all, and I think I know why

Gearbox released a free DLC for Borderlands 4 titled 'How Rush Saved Mercenary Day,' which includes a new boss fight, legendary loot, cosmetics, and story missions. The game's peak concurrent users on Steam this week was 15,887, unchanged from the previous week and down from earlier this month. Despite improvements over its predecessor, player engagement has declined, with many players feeling a lack of motivation to return. The DLC is perceived as a lighter addition, and Gearbox's promotion of it has been insufficient. Players who purchased the deluxe edition will receive an additional bounty pack. Performance issues on lower-end PCs further deter players. Upcoming content, including a full Story Pack DLC featuring Mad Ellie and a new Vault Hunter, C4SH, is anticipated to boost interest.

AppWizard

November 13, 2025

Over half of Arc Raiders players on Steam have barely engaged with PvP, and 19% have never even killed another player

During a gaming session of Arc Raiders, the player was ambushed by another player while looting but managed to win with a Kettle peashooter, earning the achievement Unyielding: Knock out 10 raiders (42.3%). This reflects a trend where 42.3% of Steam players have unlocked the same achievement, indicating that approximately 57.7% of players adopt a pacifistic approach. Additionally, 81.3% of players have earned the achievement Crossed the Threshold: Knock out a raider, while 19% of PC players have not engaged in combat at all since the game's release. Nearly 90% of Steam players have completed the tutorial and dealt 1,000 damage to the environment. Furthermore, 81.3% of players who have engaged in combat also participated in the achievement The Friends We Made Along The Way: Return to Speranza together with an encountered Raider.

AppWizard

November 2, 2025

Arc Raiders players stuck in login queues and long matchmaking times as it blows past its Steam player peak of 330,000

Players of Arc Raiders are currently experiencing challenges related to server strain, voice chat, and party system issues, which Embark Studios is working to resolve. The game recently reached over 330,000 concurrent players on Steam, leading to matchmaking errors and lengthy queue times of 5 to 10 minutes. SteamDB recorded a peak of 337,834 players, but numbers have since settled around 286,000. Players are sharing their frustrations on platforms like Reddit, and some humorously refer to the game as a "queue simulator." Despite the difficulties, some players find that persistence in the pre-game queue can eventually allow them to rejoin the game, though this may lead to matchmaking stalls.

AppWizard

October 26, 2025

Why Optimized Servers Are So Important For Minecraft

Minecraft has sold over 100 million copies and maintains a large player base, highlighting the need for scalable and optimized server hosting. Scalable servers can accommodate increasing player numbers while maintaining performance, preventing gameplay disruptions. Optimized servers reduce lag and high latency, enhancing stability and player enjoyment. Effective resource allocation, automated updates, and security measures are essential for smooth operation. Monitoring tools help track player data for informed decision-making regarding server upgrades.

AppWizard

October 25, 2025

Battlefield 6 Among the Best-Performing Premium PC Games, Says Circana Analyst

Circana’s industry analyst Mat Piscatella described Battlefield 6 as one of the most successful premium PC titles ever tracked by the firm, noting its strong engagement levels among PC players. The game achieved the largest launch in the franchise's history, surpassing seven million units sold within its first three days, with players engaging in over 172 million matches and logging 15 million hours of streamed content during its launch weekend. Battlefield 6 was released on October 10, 2025, and features a comprehensive single-player campaign, a redefined four-class system, and an expansive multiplayer offering. In September, total software spending in the gaming sector rose 11 percent year-over-year to .3 billion, with non-mobile subscriptions increasing by 32 percent. Borderlands 4 was the top-selling game in September, with launch-month revenue nearly 30 percent higher than that of Borderlands 3.

AppWizard

October 14, 2025

Amazon’s revamped MMO turned ARPG soars on Steam as paid expansion goes free forever

New World has a vibrant community with thousands of daily players on Steam. Despite a significant update and rebranding a year ago, it hasn't reached the iconic status of games like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy 14. Amazon Games has made New World's first paid expansion, Rise of the Angry Earth, free for all players, leading to a notable increase in player activity and achieving a peak player count of 41,000 on October 13, the highest since October 28, 2024. Season 10 introduces new content, including a new zone called Nighthaven, a Catacombs Game Mode, a ten-player raid, and an increase in the level cap to 70 with a gear score of 800. Players who purchased the expansion within the last 30 days will receive a full refund through Steam, and those who did not purchase it can now access it for free.

AppWizard

October 8, 2025

FF14 7.35 finally adds its highly anticipated Monster Hunter collab, and so much more

Final Fantasy 14 has released its latest update, patch 7.35, which includes a crossover with Monster Hunter Wilds. Players can now face the Guardian Arkveld in an eight-player activity called Windfall Wilds, available in standard and Extreme difficulty. Completing this challenge rewards players with a Veldian weapon coffer and Guardian Scales, which can be exchanged for items at the smithy Tuliyollal. The update also introduces new quests, including three related to the Pilgrim's Traverse dungeon, which requires a minimum level of 91 to enter. Additionally, the Hildibrand Adventures arc has two new quests, and allied society missions for the Yok Huy have been added. Other new content includes hairstyles, housing items, and various balance changes. FF14-themed content is also available in Monster Hunter Wilds.

AppWizard

September 11, 2025

Silksong is huge, but it’s way huger on PC: Steam was Team Cherry’s biggest US platform, analyst says, and the game didn’t even break top 50 on PlayStation

Hollow Knight: Silksong was released by Team Cherry on September 4 and peaked at 587,150 concurrent players on Steam. The PlayStation Store had a slower uptake compared to PC, with a delayed update for the game's listing contributing to a subdued response from North American PS4 and PS5 players. Many opted to purchase the game through other channels or did not buy it due to its availability for free to Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass subscribers. Observations are based on the game's release day, indicating potential for increased interest over time.