Yesterday, data from NetMarketShare revealed that Windows 10 is now being used by one in every four PCs. However, things do not look so well on the gaming end for Microsoft. Valve"s latest survey results indicate that Steam usage on Windows 10 has once again dipped below 50%.
Last month, the company"s report cited that Windows 10 usage on Steam had finally surpassed 50%, 17 months after launch. However, the latest statistics indicate that the operating system is used by 49.67% of Steam users - a drop of 0.68 percentage points compared to last month. This figure consists of 48.49% of gamers who use the 64-bit version of the OS and 1.18% who utilize the 32-bit edition.
On the other hand, it might be worrying for Microsoft that both Windows 7 and XP have gained user base. The former is being used by 35.11% of the Steam user base, whereas the OS that refuses to die is being utilized by 1.24% of gamers. All other iterations of Microsoft"s operating system remained stagnant or declined in terms of user base.
Apple"s OS X user base remained idle at 3.31%. The only versions of the operating system which boasted an increase were version 10.12.2 and 10.12.3. Linux had a similar story to share, with a stagnant user base of 0.80%.
Meanwhile, all other hardware statistics remained more or less the same. 8GB of RAM maintained its position as the most-used configuration by Steam gamers. The display resolution for primary displays and multi-monitor setups was 1920x1080 and 3840x1080 respectively.
The latest Steam report holds some concern for Microsoft. While many would regard a 0.7 percentage point dip as a minuscule one, it is important to note that the company is looking to entice gamers to upgrade to Windows 10 as soon as possible. With the upcoming "Game Mode" and the release of AAA titles in the Windows Store, Microsoft will be hoping that the situation improves soon.