Player Metrics
Ongoing coverage on Player Metrics.
Latest coverage
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 beta's first weekend numbers are in, and they're good - just not as high as Modern Warfare 2
The first weekend of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 beta saw a peak of 115,145 concurrent players on Steam. While considered good, these numbers are lower than the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 beta's peak of 168,330 players. The data also lags behind Battlefield 6's open beta performance, though console and other PC client numbers are not included in this analysis.
Vague Patch Notes: The bad data problem with MMOs
This article discusses the pervasive issue of 'bad data' in the MMORPG genre, particularly concerning player metrics. It argues that attempts to derive accurate player counts or financial data from sources like Steam Charts or financial reports are often misleading and lead to worse conclusions. The author emphasizes that only official data released by game companies can provide reliable figures, but even then, the necessity of knowing exact player numbers is questioned.
'This Is Big Unemployed Behaviour': Overwatch Dev Roasts SteamDB Fanatics
An Overwatch developer criticized the intense focus on Steam concurrent player numbers within gaming communities, calling it 'big unemployed, maidenless behaviour.' The developer highlighted how these metrics are often misinterpreted and lack context, especially for multiplatform releases where data from PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo is unavailable.
Flop FPS Highguard's Stats Show Steam Concurrents Are Just One Piece of the Puzzle
The failed FPS Highguard's player data indicates that PlayStation 5 was its largest platform, challenging the industry's heavy reliance on Steam concurrent player statistics. Despite better performance on PS5, the game is shutting down on March 12th due to an insufficient audience across all platforms.