Another month begins, meaning we have fresh Steam Deck playtime charts to pour over. Summer is always an interesting time for the handheld, as it’s a perfect companion in the face of warmer days. However, it seems the community longs for otherworldly climates as No Man’s Sky climbs the charts.
No Man’s Sky hasn’t cracked the Steam Deck top 20 since October 2023. In my continued coverage of the list, I’ve keenly felt its absence as it frequently appeared in months prior. With this in mind, it pleases me greatly to see it enjoy a meteoric rise up the charts. The game’s 5.0 update, its biggest ever, is undoubtedly spurring this renewed interest. It’s unclear whether its current popularity is a flash in the pan but it’s worth celebrating in the here and now.
Reliable as ever, OnDeck (Valve) shared the official list of the most played Steam Deck games for July 2024. These rankings are full of movement, even with Elden Ring continuing to reign supreme for two consecutive months. While the majority of titles are familiar faces, there’s a surprise newcomer among the crowd of 20.
Steam Deck most played August 2024
- #01 – Elden Ring (no change)
- #02 – Stardew Valley (no change)
- #03 – Balatro (up from #4)
- #04 – Baldur’s Gate 3 (up from #5)
- #05 – No Man’s Sky (new)
- #06 – Dave the Diver (up from #9)
- #07 – Hades (no change)
- #08 – Grand Theft Auto (up from #12)
- #09 – Vampire Survivors (up from #11)
- #10 – Fallout 4 – (down from #6)
- #11 – Red Dead Redemption (up from #14)
- #12 – Slay the Spire (up from #15)
- #13 – Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor (up from #19)
- #14 – Cyberpunk 2077 (down from #13)
- #15 – Hades 2 (down from #3)
- #16 – Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (new)
- #17 – Forza Horizon 4 (new)
- #18 – Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX (down from #10)
- #19 – Binding of Isaac: Rebirth (new)
- #20 – Hogwarts Legacy (down from #17)
Aside from No Man’s Sky, the only other surprising entry in the list is Forza Horizon 4. The 2021 racing game will sadly disappear from digital storefronts on December 15. In light of this news, its player count soared and remains relatively high despite a steady decline. I also gave it a spin on my Steam Deck last month, picking it up during Steam’s Summer Sale. Whether you’re racing across the countryside or smashing through surprisingly fragile stone walls, it’s great fun. It particularly comes recommended to Brits like me, given its setting in Old Blighty.
Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Binding of Isaac: Rebirth round off the other new entries to this month’s list. Like No Man’s Sky, though, these are longstanding Steam Deck favourites. This partly explains their relatively low positions in the face of fresher alternatives. Both are absolutely worthy of their places here though and make for solid additions to any Steam library.
Other notable entries include Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor and Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX. The former climbs up six places from last month, while the latter sees a sharp decline of eight positions. On a personal note, it pleases me to see Baldur’s Gate 3 maintain a prestigiously high ranking on the chart.
Next month will mark two years since Valve began sharing Steam Deck playtime data. It’s unclear whether the company will mark the occasion, but I’ll certainly do my best to do so.
For more Steam Deck coverage, check out the handheld’s built-in game recorder that’s available on desktop too. It’s currently only accessible as part of a beta client, but we suspect it’ll see a mainstream release soon.