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New World becomes Steam's most played 2021 release

The release of New World couldn't have come at a better time, as players flock to the game despite server woes.

Sam Chandler

September 28, 2021 5:45 PM

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New World has been a long time coming, and now that it’s finally here, it’s become Steam’s most played video game released in 2021. The title has soared up the charts, overtaking heavy-hitters like DOTA 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, while also beating 2021 phenomenon, Valheim.

As of writing, New World’s all-time peak player count sits at 707,230, which puts it as the 2021 video game with the highest player count. The previous 2021 game that surged in popularity was Valheim, a Viking-themed survival game created by a small indie team of five. Valheim skyrocketed in popularity this year, reaching an all-time peak of 502,387

The number of players engaging with New World can likely be attributed to not only the push by Amazon but also a sort of “perfect storm” of circumstances. New World has released at a time where there is a gap in the huge, triple-A releases; World of Warcraft has seen a drop in sub count since Shadowlands launched, and New World offers a reasonable entry fee with no monthly subscription. For players looking for something to sink their time into, New World has arrived at the perfect moment.

While the Steam stats are impressive, the game has also drawn in more than 800,000 viewers on Twitch. No doubt these are both viewers and players alike, as players have been struggling to actually get into the game. A look at the game’s server status site shows that more than 400,000 players in Europe were trying to access the game earlier today. As of writing, some 150,000 players on the east coast of the US are sitting in queues trying to get in.

All of this is to say that New World is proving to be a popular title on launch day. Do you have plans to jump into Amazon Games’ first major release or are you already in there, bringing some order to the New World?

Sam Chandler

Head of Guides

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as Head of Guides. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler