Valve's latest Steam Hardware and Software Survey shows Linux gaming marketshare dropped to 2.23% in February 2026, down 1.15 percentage points from January's 3.38%. The decline follows a peak of 3.58% in December 2025 and 3.2% in November 2025, marking a significant reversal after Linux gaming reached all-time highs on the platform.
The drop appears tied to a reporting anomaly rather than an actual exodus of Linux users. The survey data shows Simplified Chinese language use jumped 30% month over month, a pattern that has historically coincided with temporary dips in Linux marketshare measurements. Previous instances of similar language distribution shifts have resulted in deflated Linux numbers that Valve later corrected.
Valve frequently publishes revised figures when reporting anomalies are identified, so the February data may be updated in coming weeks. The Steam Survey collects voluntary hardware and software configuration data from users across the platform to track trends in operating systems, graphics cards, processors, and other components.
