Valve Archives

AppWizard

May 27, 2025

CHARTS: Fantasy Life i debuts at No.2 on Steam

The gaming landscape on Steam has recently seen notable changes. Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, developed by Level 5, launched on May 21st and became the second highest-grossing game last week. Counter-Strike 2 remains the top-grossing game. Dota 2 rose 31 spots to No. 3 due to the Spring Forward patch. The Steam Deck is the fourth highest-grossing item. Helldivers 2 climbed to No. 5 after an update. Elden Ring Nightreign pre-orders increased its position to No. 6. RoadCraft debuted at No. 7. Warframe re-entered the Top Ten at No. 8, while Apex Legends rose to No. 9. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dropped to No. 10. Doom: The Dark Ages fell to No. 21. The Steam Top Ten for the week ending May 27th is as follows: 1. Counter-Strike 2, Valve 2. Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, Level 5 3. Dota 2, Valve 4. Steam Deck, Valve 5. Helldivers 2, PlayStation 6. Elden Ring Nightreign, Bandai Namco (P) 7. RoadCraft, Saber Interactive 8. Warframe, Digital Extremes 9. Apex Legends, EA 10. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Kepler Interactive.

Winsage

May 26, 2025

In an embarrassment for Microsoft, SteamOS seems to destroy Windows 11 on gaming performance and battery life, as well as usability

Early comparisons between SteamOS and Windows 11 on identical hardware show that SteamOS offers significantly better gaming performance, particularly in battery life. The Lenovo Legion Go S, when running SteamOS, provides over six hours of gameplay on 2D games like Dead Cells, while the Windows version only achieves 2.75 hours. Despite Windows 11's compatibility with various gaming platforms, it has faced criticism for performance issues and unnecessary features. Windows holds a dominant market share of about 70% in desktop operating systems, but the rise of SteamOS may challenge this position.

Winsage

May 26, 2025

A YouTuber claims that Windows was actively causing handhelds to run poorly, at least versus SteamOS

Valve has expanded support for handheld consoles, including the Lenovo Legion Go S, which now offers an option for SteamOS alongside Windows. A recent analysis by YouTuber Dave2D highlights that the SteamOS version significantly outperforms the Windows version in terms of framerate and battery life. The Windows version retails for approximately 9, while the SteamOS variant is priced at 9. In performance tests, the SteamOS version achieved 10-15 FPS higher in games like Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3, and provided over six hours of gameplay compared to the Windows version's two hours and 47 minutes. The Lenovo Legion Go S also surpasses the Steam Deck in framerate, achieving 10-15 FPS more at a 15W power draw, although the Steam Deck still has an advantage in battery life and pricing. The performance gap raises questions about Microsoft's upcoming handheld device running Windows and its ability to compete with the efficiency of SteamOS.

AppWizard

May 20, 2025

CHARTS: Doom The Dark Ages debuts at No.2 on Steam

The latest title in the Doom franchise, The Dark Ages, was released on May 15th and is currently the second highest-grossing title on Steam, following Counter-Strike 2. PUBG: Battlegrounds has risen to third place due to the PUBG Global Series 8 in Shanghai. The Steam Deck remains in fourth place, while Stellar Blade is set to launch on June 11th, 2025, and is currently ranked fifth. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has dropped to sixth place, and another RPG has climbed 58 spots due to a 60 percent discount. Helldivers 2 has moved up 37 positions with new content and is ahead of pre-orders for Fantasy Life I: The Girl Who Steals Time, launching on May 21st. The Precinct has debuted in tenth place.

AppWizard

May 20, 2025

Otome Games Celebration PC Sale Starts on Steam

Valve has launched the Otome Games Celebration on Steam, running until May 26, 2025, featuring a selection of paid and free-to-play visual novels from the otome genre. The event includes significant discounts on titles from various publishers, such as Alaris, Bustafellows Season 2, Diffraction, Fate’s Masquerade, and Talents, as well as numerous indie otome games. It also highlights upcoming releases and demos, providing players with a preview of future titles in the genre.

AppWizard

May 16, 2025

The first ever third-party game to come to Steam probably doesn’t get the respect it deserves—mostly because no one remembers it

Steam's automated monthly top-seller list has highlighted Rag Doll Kung Fu, the first third-party title on the Steam platform, which debuted in 2005. Developed by Mark Healey, the game is available on Steam for one dollar and has a Mostly Positive rating of 73% based on 68 reviews. It remains accessible two decades later, although it is labeled "Unsupported" on Steam Deck. The game launched eight years before the introduction of Steam reviews, which may explain its limited feedback.

AppWizard

May 15, 2025

Valve refutes reports of massive Steam hack

Valve addressed concerns about alleged breaches of user data, refuting claims of a significant hack involving Steam account information. The company clarified that reports of leaked two-factor authentication text messages do not indicate any compromise of its internal systems. The source of the leak is under investigation, and it involved older text messages containing one-time codes valid for 15 minutes, without linking phone numbers to Steam accounts or exposing sensitive information like passwords or payment details. Valve emphasized that old text messages cannot compromise account security and that attempts to change account details via SMS will trigger additional confirmation steps. Allegations from Underdark.ai about a dataset containing over 89 million Steam user records are questioned due to the low asking price for the data.

AppWizard

May 15, 2025

No, your Steam info isn’t being sold on the dark web: Valve confirms the Steam leak was just a bunch of old, harmless texts and “you do not need to change your passwords”

Valve addressed concerns about a potential data leak affecting Steam accounts, confirming that while a data leak did occur, it was limited to outdated text messages containing one-time validation codes that expire after 15 minutes. The only information potentially accessed was the phone numbers to which these messages were sent, which poses minimal risk. Valve stated that users do not need to change their passwords or phone numbers due to this event.

AppWizard

May 14, 2025

PC gamers urged to change Steam password following breach of 89 million users’ data

Steam is facing a potential data breach that may affect millions of users, reportedly linked to a third-party company associated with Valve, its parent organization. Discussions indicate that Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) data may have been leaked, with a user claiming to sell over 89 million user records on a dark web forum for ,000. Twilio, a company mentioned in connection with the breach, has denied any wrongdoing, stating there is no evidence of a breach on their end. Users are advised to enable 2FA, change passwords, and monitor email accounts for suspicious activity to protect against potential phishing attacks and account takeovers.

AppWizard

May 14, 2025

Stonking Half-Life remake Black Mesa is the cheapest it’s ever been on Steam, offering Barney Calhoun in glorious 4K for a mere 2 bucks

The fan-made remake of Valve's 1998 first-person shooter, Half-Life, titled Black Mesa, is currently available on Steam for £1.70 until May 19. The game features a mute scientist navigating chaotic scenarios, including a confrontation with a giant baby in space. The recent "Resonance Decade" update, celebrating the game's 10-year anniversary, includes various technical improvements.