New Steam survey shows Windows 7 is now the most popular OS among gamers

[midian182]

While Windows 10 has been most Steam users’ OS of choice for quite some time, the last few months have seen Windows 7 slowly gaining ground on the leader. Despite this trend, October’s Steam hardware and software survey data brought some very surprising news: the two operating systems suddenly swapped positions after Windows 7 users increased 22.45 percent while Windows 10 fell by just over 18 percent.

Worldwide, Windows 7 remains the most popular version of Microsoft’s OS, but that’s primarily due to its huge number of enterprise users. The opposite had been true of Steam gamers; so, why the sudden change? It turns out that it's mostly down to one game: PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. Or more specifically, it’s a result of the Battle Royale title's popularity in China and the number of people who use Windows 7 in the country.

The language stats in Steam’s survey back up the theory. They show that the number of people using simplified Chinese increased 27 percent to 56.37 percent last month. During the same period, English dropped 13.4 percent to 21.24 percent.

Despite the privacy enhancements introduced by Microsoft since its release, some people still eye Windows 10 with suspicion when it comes to spying on users. In China, the OS is banned from government systems—Microsoft launched a customized version for authorities earlier this year—and many Chinese consumers prefer to remain on Windows 7.

Just your weekly reminder on how Asia is driving PUBG to the new heights, even as US players are dropping out pic.twitter.com/MNcc0meVBB

— Steam Spy (@Steam_Spy) October 30, 2017

Battlegrounds has sold around 13 million copies worldwide, so it’s no surprise to see it exert such an influence on the Steam survey. And while it may be extremely popular in China, that didn’t stop many players from the country review bombing the title last month; a result of the in-game ads that had been introduced.

Windows 10 could eventually retake the top position on the Steam survey, though, especially if China carries out its threat to ban Battlegrounds because of the excessive violence and a design that “goes against Chinese values and ethical norms.”

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/71732-new-steam-survey-shows-windows-7-has-suddenly.html

 

[Jeff Schmidt]

Why does this feel/look like its fake or a mistake from steam. Millions of Windows 7 computers just appeared over a month.

 

[NimbusTLD]

Why does this feel/look like its fake or a mistake from steam. Millions of Windows 7 computers just appeared over a month.

Did you read the article? Or even the sub-heading?

On another note, SteamSpy shows ~20 million PUBG owners. Where does the 13 million sold figure come from?

 

[Nobina]

Why does this feel/look like its fake or a mistake from steam. Millions of Windows 7 computers just appeared over a month.

I don't know. Would be nice if we had an article talking about this exact thing, wouldn't it?

 

[Kraemepoo]

Why does this feel/look like its fake or a mistake from steam. Millions of Windows 7 computers just appeared over a month.

Good catch. Nothing gets by you.

 

[mrjgriffin]

Anything newer than windows 7 sucks. I don't know why people say they "don't mind" windows 10.....that's just the sheep talking right there. windows 10 is horrible. I STILL can't get madVR and mpchc-be to run properly on windows 10. damn picture doesn't even show when I maximize the player window and it lags like complete poop......like 20 fps. windows 7, not a problem running it. weird stuttering issues in my games on windows 10 too. perhaps my motherboard isn't properly supported, but I don't care. screw that operating system.

i5 4690k
gtx 980
ddr3 1866 cas 8
1tb mushkin reactor ssd

I should have no issues running anything in any scenario.

 

[hqxt1964]

In order to ensure system compatibility (for all kinds of games), Chinese Internet cafes tend to choose Windows 7, which is only a temporary phenomenon.

 

[texasrattler]

I have no issues with Windows 10. Those that do, it's called user error.

Love how TechSpot puts Pubg and China in small print below the main title which is very deceiving. We all know that's its one game and one country that's causing this. No one cares about China and it's hackers.

US players are leaving the game because PUBG cant stop or fix all the problems or the cheating. Not because of anything else. Maybe once all the fixes come at Xmas things will get better, we will see. Until then people continue to walk away. Sure the game will make money but from some sorry country that allows hackers n cheaters to do what they want. But they want to ban the game cause the world sees what they really are, losers that need to hack and cheat in a game cause the suck at it.

 

[cliffordcooley]

I STILL can't get madVR and mpchc-be to run properly on windows 10.

Please tell me you are basing your complaint on more than those two issues. Which by the way sound like third party problems. I say that because I don't have any issues with mpc-hc64 player. I can minimize, maximize, full-screen, and even span across monitors full-screen.

As for MadVR, I suspect all VR projects are still in beta stages. I mean seriously why would you think any VR project to be a polished product? Maybe you have a point if this all works on Windows 7, but that doean't make it Microsoft's fault.

With that said I to have issues with Windows 10. But in general all the issues I have, I had with Windows 7 as well. Automatic updating is the most annoying issue I have with Windows 10. That's only because I don't have the bandwidth for all my machines to be downloading at the same time. I need the freedom to update manually at my leisure.

 

[Evernessince]

Why does this feel/look like its fake or a mistake from steam. Millions of Windows 7 computers just appeared over a month.

Steam's method for surveying computers is the opposite of transparent. It isn't a reliable source of information because they don't release their methods used to obtain the data.

 

[J spot]

Why does this feel like fake news from the main stream media? I call shenanigans.

I'm only joking, I read the article.

 

[Evernessince]

I have no issues with Windows 10. Those that do, it's called user error.

Love how TechSpot puts Pubg and China in small print below the main title which is very deceiving. We all know that's its one game and one country that's causing this. No one cares about China and it's hackers.

US players are leaving the game because PUBG cant stop or fix all the problems or the cheating. Not because of anything else. Maybe once all the fixes come at Xmas things will get better, we will see. Until then people continue to walk away. Sure the game will make money but from some sorry country that allows hackers n cheaters to do what they want. But they want to ban the game cause the world sees what they really are, losers that need to hack and cheat in a game cause the suck at it.

Companies will put up with anything so long as they are making money. It's exactly why Amazon allows Chinese sellers to get away with selling counterfeit goods.

 

[holdum323]

This looks like a fun thread, but I really don't know how to reply. W7 has always been a great OS; but times change and is necessary to adjust, and you have to adjust, or you fall behind. I loved W7, but I'm adjusting to W10, and I'm going to make it work one way or another. I do have several W7 images I can revert back to if I ever need to. How about you? You still have time to upgrade for free. Make a back up image of W7 before you upgrade to W10 with a 3rd party program and you'll be good to go. That's my advise and it's free.
PS If you want to keep W7. It will be supported for another 3 years. (y)
Cheers!
Anyone have a problem with my reply; please post where I'm wrong and I'll try to correct my post.

 

[Puiu]

Anything newer than windows 7 sucks. I don't know why people say they "don't mind" windows 10.....that's just the sheep talking right there. windows 10 is horrible. I STILL can't get madVR and mpchc-be to run properly on windows 10. damn picture doesn't even show when I maximize the player window and it lags like complete poop......like 20 fps. windows 7, not a problem running it. weird stuttering issues in my games on windows 10 too. perhaps my motherboard isn't properly supported, but I don't care. screw that operating system.

i5 4690k
gtx 980
ddr3 1866 cas 8
1tb mushkin reactor ssd

I should have no issues running anything in any scenario.

This is most likely just user error or some driver problems, I have no problem using MadVR and mpchc. Try switching to PotPlayer and see if that works.
As for games, they run better on windows 10 compared to windows 7, especially if you turn of the DVR feature.

 

[dirtyferret]

Here is the reason for the win7 increase

https://www.techpowerup.com/238516/...layers-windows-7-now-most-popular-os-on-steam

 

[ET3D]

Here is the reason for the win7 increase

https://www.techpowerup.com/238516/...layers-windows-7-now-most-popular-os-on-steam

So you link to an article that got its news from this TechSpot article. Classy.

 

[Kender]

I have no issues with Windows 10. Those that do, it's called user error.

I'm happy you are having no issues with Windows 10. That being said, your statement is pretentious, uninformed, and insulting. A good number of people who are WAY more intelligent, tech savvy, and qualified to make such statements than you have had problems with Windows 10. To begin with, Microsoft also dropped support for DRM software making many previously purchased games unplayable without applying DRM hacks. Windows 10 is also notorious for having buggy updates that break hardware and software. User error in no way explains my web-cam not working after an automatic, forced update. User error in no way explains the web-cam suddenly beginning to work again after a fix was pushed out to the system a month or two later. User error does not explain corruption of my DNS cache after updates. User error does not explain altered settings after forced updates. User error does not explain system instability directly following an update (again, fixed a couple weeks later by another update). There are a lot of problems with that operating system that affect people all over the world. Some of these are hardware specific, some dependant on specific pieces of software or even certain network configurations.

Before making ignorant blanket statements, you need to realize a couple things. Your experiences are in no way indicative of others'. Your understanding of the subject at hand is invariably MUCH lesser than you assume. You aren't nearly as smart as you think you are, and finally, your blanket, fallacious statement only highlights these facts, pointing them out to the world. In this case, the problem that exists between the keyboard and the chair is you.

 

[Kender]

Microsoft still hasn't fixed many of the problems with Windows 10. They still force updates that aren't adequately tested and break things. They have provided a means of removing said updates but no means of keeping the bad updates from simply reinstalling themselves the next time the OS phones home. Some (by no means, all) of the privacy concerns have been addressed but the operating system, itself, is still adware. I may eventually reinstall it on my system, but I will be using Linux and sometimes Windows 7/8 until these problems are addressed. I am by no means the only one.

 

[amstech]

W7 has always been a great OS; but times change and is necessary to adjust, and you have to adjust, or you fall behind..

This logic doesn't apply to Windows 10.

PS If you want to keep W7. It will be supported for another 3 years. (y)
Cheers!

Now your making sense.

 

[Forebode]

Why not release data for each country separately as well?

 

[dirtyferret]

So you link to an article that got its news from this TechSpot article. Classy.

They list techspot as a source of the hardware survey, their take on it is their own. If that is too difficult for you to understand then I suggest you stick to coloring your my little pony coloring books as staying with in the lines may need all your concentration.

 

[MonsterZero]

Anything newer than windows 7 sucks. I don't know why people say they "don't mind" windows 10.....that's just the sheep talking right there. windows 10 is horrible. I STILL can't get madVR and mpchc-be to run properly on windows 10. damn picture doesn't even show when I maximize the player window and it lags like complete poop......like 20 fps. windows 7, not a problem running it. weird stuttering issues in my games on windows 10 too. perhaps my motherboard isn't properly supported, but I don't care. screw that operating system.

i5 4690k
gtx 980
ddr3 1866 cas 8
1tb mushkin reactor ssd

I should have no issues running anything in any scenario.

Window7 is not optimized for SSD, that alone is a reason to bury it. Come on man, Windows 7 was released in 2009. You're running hardware manufactured in 2014 on software made for 2009 computers.

 

[MonsterZero]

All this is probably due to some hacked windows 7 product key and a bunch of Internet Cafe computers.

 

[texasrattler]

I'm happy you are having no issues with Windows 10. That being said, your statement is pretentious, uninformed, and insulting. A good number of people who are WAY more intelligent, tech savvy, and qualified to make such statements than you have had problems with Windows 10. To begin with, Microsoft also dropped support for DRM software making many previously purchased games unplayable without applying DRM hacks. Windows 10 is also notorious for having buggy updates that break hardware and software. User error in no way explains my web-cam not working after an automatic, forced update. User error in no way explains the web-cam suddenly beginning to work again after a fix was pushed out to the system a month or two later. User error does not explain corruption of my DNS cache after updates. User error does not explain altered settings after forced updates. User error does not explain system instability directly following an update (again, fixed a couple weeks later by another update). There are a lot of problems with that operating system that affect people all over the world. Some of these are hardware specific, some dependant on specific pieces of software or even certain network configurations.

Before making ignorant blanket statements, you need to realize a couple things. Your experiences are in no way indicative of others'. Your understanding of the subject at hand is invariably MUCH lesser than you assume. You aren't nearly as smart as you think you are, and finally, your blanket, fallacious statement only highlights these facts, pointing them out to the world. In this case, the problem that exists between the keyboard and the chair is you.

3 years and running, no such issues as you claim. Again, I will say user error.
I can say what I like, how I like. I've used windows for a very long time, I have rarely had such issues with any of their OSes.

A good number of ppl aren't as intelligent as you think or even as tech savvy so now your making uninformed and pretentious statements.

Altered settings, it's their software, MS can do what they like. If you or anyone have issues with that, make your own or use another OS. Stop crying about bs stuff that most users never even see.
Try reading your last sentence, those are hardly MS related problems. A good chunk of that will have to do with outdated hardware/equipment or incompatible software.
My hardware and software have not been broken. Some just love to make sensational claims when most issues are simply fixed by using common sense, if that don't work for anyone, then there is google.

 

[Vulcanproject]

Wonder what happens if China bans PUBG lol