TLDR
- More co-op games were launched on Steam in 2023 than any previous year, with 799 games offering co-op play between players.
- Co-op games made up 5.7% of all games launched on Steam last year, but accounted for 36% of total sales.
- So far in 2024, co-op games account for 46 percent of all games sold on Steam, thanks in large part to hits like Palworld and Helldivers 2.
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Games that offer multiplayer co-op are becoming increasingly popular. Last year, more “co-op” games were released on Steam than any previous year, and sales figures have skyrocketed.
The growth of co-op gaming has been mapped out in the A. Latest report from VG Insights. 799 games with co-op elements are reported to be launching on Steam in 2023 — up from 701 the previous year.
With nearly 14,000 launches in total, co-op games made up just 5.7 percent of all games that arrived on Steam last year. However, in terms of sales, the genre is much better represented, with a 36 percent share.
VG Insights notes that the percentage of both co-op launches and sales has declined somewhat since 2020, when the pandemic was at its worst. So far this year, co-op games account for five percent of all Steam launches, but sales numbers have risen significantly.
46 percent of all games sold on Steam in 2024 were co-op titles. This is largely due to smash hits like Palworld and Helldivers 2. VG Insights also highlights Content Warning and Grey Zone Warfare as contributors.
Over the long term, co-op games are also the best performers on Valve’s store. The average co-op game sells around 38,000 copies, compared to just 5,000 for non-co-op games. That works out to around 300,000 co-op games versus just 21,000 non-co-op games for the best performing games on Steam.
According to the report, there are several factors behind the popularity of this type of games. Among other things, they sell better because players convince their friends to join the game. They also create more moments that are shared on social media, perform better on streaming services, and have greater replay value.
Read also: Steam introduces the ability to record gameplay »
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