Can you see how long a game session was on Steam?
As a passionate PC gamer and streamer with over 4,000 hours logged in games like Civilization and Rocket League, I’m constantly analyzing my playtime across game sessions to improve performance and balance gaming with real life.
Steam provides awesome built-in tools for seeing your time played. Here’s my guide to understanding Steam’s tracking with power user tips mixed in!
Finding Your Playtime Stats on Steam
It’s easy to view your per-game playtime on Steam:
- Open your Steam library
- Click the game
- Check "Playtime" section
This shows total hours played when Steam was running. It accurately tracks in-game and excludes menu idling based on data sent from the game executable.
Steam also has great aggregate tracking under your account details:
- Profile overview showing top recent games
- 2022 yearly wrap-up via Steam Replay
- Charts for genres and achievements
Third party sites like WastedOnSteam offer alternative views too.
How Long Have You *Really* Gamed? Understanding Steam‘s Tracking
Steam playtime isn’t perfect though. Since the tracking began in 2009, it doesn’t include older games you played prior. Classics like Half-Life 2 or Counter-Strike won’t reflect hundreds of hours from LAN parties back in the day!
Playing offline also impacts tracking. I keep a spreadsheet with +50 hours from offline flights to get my "real" game time.
Internet outages, reformats etc. can also lead number being lower than your complete playthroughs. But all things considered, Valve has the most accurate native tracking solution out there.
What Pro Gamers‘ Playtime Looks Like
For most hobbyist gamers, anything over 500 hours in a game means its special to you. But streamers and pros take it to the extreme:
"I just passed 9000 hours in DotA 2 alone!", @Dendi, famous streamer.
The longest gaming marathon ever was 135 hours 50 minutes playing Call of Duty: Black Ops. Insane!
I try to average 30-40 hours weekly while making time for other aspects of health like exercise. Anything over 80 can be fatiguing long-term.
Gaming Hours vs. Health Guidelines
Most health guidance suggests limiting total recreational screen time to under 2 hours daily for adults.
Can gaming be done safely beyond that? Absolutely, with moderation. Taking breaks, keeping sleep regular, and balancing gaming with off-screen activities lets me happily game for hours while feeling great. But bingeing can take a toll.
Prioritizing gaming because of passion and aspirations like going pro is fine too. Just be self-aware!
Comparing Steam to Xbox, PlayStation Tracking
Steam is miles ahead of Xbox and PlayStation for tracking gamers‘ playtime based on my research.
No manual logging or estimation needed – it‘s all automatic. And Valve keeps improving things (nod to the 2022 Replay feature!).
So for in-depth playtime data, Steam is the clear winner in my book. Whether you game a few hours across multiple titles or no-life your favorite game, the metrics provided are awesome.
Over to you now gamers…how does your playtime stack up? What game has your highest hours logged? Let the friendly debate begin!
