Steam's INSANE Data Usage in 2025 Revealed 🤯

Why It Matters

The scale of Steam’s traffic highlights growing infrastructure costs and regulatory attention, shaping how developers, publishers, and network providers plan future PC gaming services.

Key Takeaways

• Steam transferred 100 exabytes of data in 2025.
• 100 exabytes equals 100 million terabytes globally in 2025.
• Data flow equates to roughly three terabytes per second.
• Storing that data on NVMe SSDs would cost over $20 billion.
• Shows ballooning game sizes and Steam’s dominant PC gaming position.

Summary

Valve’s 2025 year‑in‑review revealed Steam moved roughly 100 exabytes of data worldwide, a staggering figure that underscores the platform’s massive traffic.

One exabyte equals one thousand petabytes, so 100 exabytes translates to 100 million terabytes. With an active monthly base of over 130 million users, Steam’s downloads and updates averaged about three terabytes per second, illustrating unprecedented bandwidth consumption.

Valve noted that storing this volume on consumer‑grade NVMe SSDs would cost more than $20 billion—almost twice co‑founder Gabe Newell’s net worth. The amount also likely exceeds the total global data storage capacity at Steam’s 2003 launch, according to Rivery.io estimates.

The data surge signals escalating game file sizes and heightened infrastructure demands, pressuring ISPs and cloud providers while reinforcing Steam’s dominant position in PC gaming, a factor that may influence ongoing antitrust scrutiny.

Original Description

Check out XDA on https://twitter.com/xdadevelopers https://www.facebook.com/xda.developers and https://www.instagram.com/xdasocial/

When you make a purchase using links in the description or comments, we may earn an affiliate commission. See more: https://www.xda-developers.com/page/terms-of-use/