Windows 11 Overtakes Windows 10 in PC Gaming: Key Trends & Future Outlook

As the sunset of Windows 10 support nears—a landmark date set by Microsoft for October 14, 2025—an increasing number of gamers are making the leap to Windows 11. Valve’s recent Steam Hardware and Software survey for April 2025 provides revealing insights into this evolving landscape, shedding light on the choices of millions of PC gamers worldwide. This migration is shaping not only platform market shares but also the conversation about compatibility, hardware adoption, and the future of PC gaming.

The Shift: Windows 11 Surpasses 57% on Steam​

Valve’s Steam survey, widely considered a bellwether for global PC gaming trends, now reports Windows 11 at 57.84% market share among Windows-based gamers—a rise of 2.5% in just the past month. In stark contrast, Windows 10 has dipped below the 40% mark, landing at 38.09% following a 2.49% monthly decline. While the survey is optional, and thus not fully representative, the directional trend is consistent with broader industry reports and Microsoft’s own analytics.
Windows 10’s looming end of support (EoS) is undoubtedly a major catalyst for this migration. With the final update, version 22H2, already established as the system’s swan song, many users recognize the urgent need to upgrade for continued access to security patches, feature enhancements, and compatibility with the latest software and hardware.

Why Gamers Are Flocking to Windows 11​

Several factors underpin the shift toward Windows 11 among gamers:

• Long-Term Updates & Security: Microsoft has clarified that, after October 2025, Windows 10 will no longer receive security updates for the vast majority of users. This increases the risk of vulnerabilities, particularly for always-online gaming setups.
• DirectStorage and Gaming Features: Windows 11 touts enhancements like DirectStorage, Auto HDR, and improved scheduling for hybrid CPUs—features that directly impact loading times and visual fidelity in supported titles.
• Developer and Game Support: While major platforms like Steam and many publishers have pledged to maintain Windows 10 compatibility for some time, Windows 11 is quickly becoming the target baseline for future optimizations and feature rollouts.
• Performance and Driver Optimization: GPU and chipset manufacturers increasingly prioritize Windows 11 for new driver releases, meaning gamers are more likely to receive timely performance upgrades and bug fixes.

It’s important to note, however, that the move comes with some caveats. Adoption may be driven as much by necessity as enthusiasm; not everyone is convinced that Windows 11 delivers significant day-one gains for every gaming setup. Reports of mixed performance in legacy titles, occasional compatibility issues with specialized hardware, and the mandatory requirements for features like TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot have sparked lively debates across user communities and forums.

Valve’s Influence: The Steam Survey as a Bellwether​

Valve’s Steam Hardware and Software Survey is a major source of insight, given Steam’s dominant market share in PC game distribution. According to their latest data, Windows as an OS overall commands a staggering 96.1% of Steam’s base. Linux holds second place at 2.27% (a slight drop), and macOS ekes out a modest 1.62% (a slight gain).
While survey participation remains optional, trends captured over time tend to closely track larger shifts in the Windows user base. This makes Valve’s findings especially useful for observing both the pace and flavor of migration—whether voluntary or accelerated by necessity.

Hardware: RTX 4060 Leads the Pack​

The survey also spotlights notable shifts in PC hardware preferences. For the first time, the NVIDIA RTX 4060 Laptop GPU claims the top usage spot, with 4.8% of surveyed gamers running the chip. The RTX 3060 follows close behind at 4.57%, with the desktop RTX 4060 just after at 4.35%. This marks a decisive transition toward newer-gen NVIDIA hardware among mainstream gamers, suggesting that users are both ready and able to upgrade alongside Windows 11 adoption.
The rest of the typical gaming system, according to Valve's survey, is characterized by:

• RAM: 16GB - The standard for smooth modern gaming (43.86% of users)
• CPU: 6-core processors (30.26% of users)
• VRAM: 8GB of video memory (34.25%)
• Storage: Primary drives of up to 250GB
• Display: 1080p resolution (55.27% - still the sweet spot for competitive and budget-conscious gamers)

Intriguingly, the NVIDIA RTX 5090, recently launched and widely touted as the ultimate gaming GPU, is expected to begin affecting these statistics over time as more users invest in ultra-high-performance setups. For now, however, mainstream adoption of upper-midrange GPUs continues to run the market.

Windows 10 Support: How Long Will It Linger?​

While Windows 10’s end of support deadline is definitive for consumer and most business variants, it doesn’t mean that support within the gaming ecosystem will disappear overnight. Key developers, including Valve, have indicated plans to support Windows 10 for as long as feasible—and certainly beyond October 2025 for running existing games. However, as new technologies and APIs become exclusive to Windows 11, and as development resources shift, gamers may find themselves increasingly nudged toward upgrading.
Organizations reliant on Windows 10 for non-gaming uses (such as enterprises with legacy workflows) face further decisions: purchasing extended security updates, virtualizing legacy environments, or making the leap to Windows 11 en masse. For gamers, however, delay becomes less defensible as game support and hardware innovation increasingly target the new OS.

Market Share: The Numbers Behind the Trend​

Here is a summary table explaining the current market share as of April 2025 for key desktop operating systems on Steam:

OS	Market Share	Change (Monthly)
Windows 11	57.84%	+2.50%
Windows 10	38.09%	-2.49%
Other Windows	—	—
Linux	2.27%	-0.06%
macOS	1.62%	+0.04%

These shifts are not strictly deterministic—as the survey is voluntary, users with newer hardware or a greater interest in tweaking settings may be more likely to participate. Nonetheless, the overall direction is clear: Windows 11 is rapidly becoming the standard for PC gamers.

Gamers’ Perspectives: Why Upgrade Now?​

Among the gaming community, reasons for adopting Windows 11 can be grouped into several themes:

• Future-Proofing: Many users cite the desire to avoid abrupt disruptions ahead of the 2025 EoS date. By upgrading now, they ensure compatibility for incoming hardware releases and major game launches.
• Performance and Features: While day-to-day performance may be similar in some titles, features like Auto HDR and DirectStorage have demonstrably shortened load times and improved visuals in supported games. For example, DirectStorage can cut load times from 20 seconds to as little as 1–2 seconds on NVMe SSDs, according to Microsoft and independent benchmarks.
• Game Bar and Streaming Improvements: Windows 11’s built-in Xbox Game Bar and optimized window management tools provide enhanced support for creators, streamers, and competitive gamers alike.
• Mandatory Upgrade for Some: Higher-end hardware, such as certain 13th-gen Intel CPUs and new PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs, may require Windows 11 to unlock all features. As new PC builds increasingly ship with Windows 11 pre-installed, inertia favors the newer OS.

Some respondents remain skeptical, citing:

• Compatibility Concerns: Esoteric hardware, modding tools, and select older games sometimes encounter glitches or require workarounds on Windows 11.
• System Requirements: The need for TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot can block upgrades on older but otherwise capable systems.
• UI Changes: Aesthetic and workflow adjustments, such as the relocation of the Start menu and new taskbar behaviors, have produced mixed reactions.

Risks and Uncertainties: What Lies Ahead?​

While the migration seems inexorable, it’s not risk-free. There are several points of contention or uncertainty that gamers should keep in mind:

• Optional Telemetry: Both Windows 11 and the Steam survey involve sharing system data, which can be an ongoing privacy concern for some users.
• End-of-Life (EoL) Market Fragmentation: The 2025 cut-off may lead to a temporary schism, with some games or multiplayer platforms ceasing Windows 10 compatibility faster than others. Gamers with less frequent upgrade cycles or budget constraints could find themselves locked out of new releases or forced to play in less populated lobbies.
• Performance Variability: Though many AAA titles and the majority of hardware show no performance drop, edge-case scenarios exist—users have documented select older games running with lower frame rates or hitting compatibility snags post-upgrade. However, the frequency of such reports is diminishing with each Windows 11 update.
• Extended Support Pricing: Microsoft has announced Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10 enterprises, but at an additional cost. Non-business users may not have access to such lifelines, effectively accelerating the need to transition.

The Linux and macOS Picture​

While Linux continues to be championed by a vocal and technically adept minority, its market share on Steam remains flat or down slightly—suggesting that Proton and other compatibility solutions, though impressive, aren’t yet luring the mainstream gamer. macOS, on the other hand, has seen a tiny but real uptick, potentially reflecting new Apple Silicon models and optimizations for select titles.
However, both platforms remain niche compared to the Windows ecosystem, and neither offers the exhaustive breadth of game support that Windows users currently enjoy.

What Does This Mean for PC Gamers?​

For the average Steam gamer, the writing is on the wall: transitioning to Windows 11 is becoming less of a speculative upgrade and more of a necessity as both hardware and software innovation move forward. Competitive gamers, content creators, and those who invest in the latest AAA experiences stand to benefit most—and earliest—from the improved gaming stack Windows 11 delivers.
At the same time, caution is still warranted. Those with highly customized setups or older but still performant rigs may want to verify hardware support and software compatibility before leaping. Microsoft’s official compatibility checker and reports from early adopters are invaluable resources here.
For those reluctant to move, the short-term impact remains limited—but as the 2025 deadline approaches, expect a tipping point where Windows 11 is not just the majority platform, but the only real option for participating in modern PC gaming’s leading edge.

Conclusion​

The approaching end of support for Windows 10 is rapidly reshaping the landscape of PC gaming, as Valve’s April 2025 Steam survey confirms with hard numbers: more than half of Windows-based gamers have already made the leap to Windows 11, and the pace is only picking up. Driven by a potent mix of security concerns, new hardware features, and the promise of cutting-edge performance enhancements, this migration encapsulates a pivotal moment for both users and the broader industry.
But as with any transition, individual experiences will vary. For most, the upgrade path is increasingly straightforward; for some, it remains a balancing act of risk versus reward. Staying informed and planning hardware and software changes ahead of the 2025 cutoff will ensure gamers are not left behind as the ecosystem turns the page.
Whether you’re a competitive player eager for every edge, a modder with legacy tools, or a casual fan who values stability and security, one thing is clear: the time to start exploring Windows 11 for gaming has well and truly arrived. How smooth the road ahead will be depends as much on Microsoft’s continued support as on the individual choices and feedback of the community it serves.

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Source: Windows Report Gamers are migrating to Windows 11 even more as Windows 10 EoS nears