The Most Popular Languages on Steam in 2023

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The Most Popular Languages on Steam in 2023

Which language should you choose to localize your game and promote it successfully on Steam? We’ve collected some statistics on the most popular languages used by gamers on this massively popular platform.

The data is from November 2023

The Most Popular Languages on Steam in November 2023

Change of Language popularity on Steam in November 2023

 

LANGUAGE

PERCENTAGE

CHANGE

1

English

36.02%

+9.62%

2

Simplified Chinese

25.96%

-19.97%

3

Russian

9.98%

+2.69%

4

Spanish - Spain

4.67%

+1.08%

5

Portuguese-Brazil

3.74%

+0.75%

6

German

3.12%

+0.81%

7

Japanese

2.60%

+1.08%

8

French

2.23%

+0.57%

9

Polish

1.77%

+0.38%

10

Turkish

1.55%

+0.44%

11

Korean

1.40%

+0.59%

12

Traditional Chinese

1.37%

+0.52%

13

Thai

0.96%

+0.32%

14

Ukrainian

0.70%

+0.20%

15

Italian

0.64%

+0.16%

16

Czech

0.57%

+0.14%

17

Portuguese - Portugal

0.42%

+0.08%

18

Hungarian

0.41%

+0.11%

19

Spanish - Latin America

0.38%

+0.08%

20

Dutch

0.30%

+0.08%

21

Swedish

0.29%

+0.06%

22

Danish

0.26%

+0.06%

23

Finnish

0.17%

+0.04%

24

Romanian

0.16%

+0.04%

25

Norwegian

0.13%

+0.03%

26

Vietnamese

0.10%

+0.04%

27

Greek

0.07%

+0.02%

28

Bulgarian

0.05%

+0.01%

29

Indonesian

0.01%

0.00%

30

Arabic

0.00%

0.00%

Keep in mind that even if you localize your game into the most popular languages, that doesn’t necessarily guarantee that your project will be successful. You also need to take the unique characteristics of the video game market in your target country — or even entire region — into account. You can learn more about them by following the links below.

When choosing a region for localizing a game, you need to know how much players there are willing to spend on in-app purchases. This number will be a lot lower in developing countries than in South Korea or Japan. You can read about how to increase a game’s monetization in less affluent countries in this article.

We’ve mentioned in a number of previous articles that it’s not uncommon for a game to get the most downloads in one region, but earn most of its revenue from a completely different one. However, revenue and download indicators are definitely interrelated — the more downloads a game gets in one country, the higher the chance it will get noticed in another country with a more affluent audience.

To track which languages are always at the top of the list on Steam and which are steadily gaining popularity, take a look at the statistics for previous time periods.

October 2023

The Most Popular Languages on Steam

Changing of language populatity

 

LANGUAGE

PERCENTAGE

CHANGE

1

Simplified Chinese

45.93%

+13.71%

2

English

26.40%

-5.93%

3

Russian

7.29%

-2.01%

4

Spanish - Spain

3.59%

-0.70%

5

Portuguese-Brazil

2.99%

-0.52%

6

German

2.31%

-0.43%

7

French

1.66%

-0.32%

8

Japanese

1.52%

-1.01%

9

Polish

1.39%

-0.34%

10

Turkish

1.11%

-0.37%

11

Traditional Chinese

0.85%

-0.46%

12

Korean

0.81%

-0.53%

13

Thai

0.64%

-0.31%

14

Ukrainian

0.50%

-0.10%

15

Italian

0.48%

-0.09%

16

Czech

0.43%

-0.10%

17

Portuguese - Portugal

0.34%

-0.07%

18

Hungarian

0.30%

-0.08%

19

Spanish - Latin America

0.30%

-0.04%

20

Swedish

0.23%

-0.05%

21

Dutch

0.22%

-0.04%

22

Danish

0.20%

-0.05%

23

Finnish

0.13%

-0.04%

24

Romanian

0.12%

-0.04%

25

Norwegian

0.10%

-0.02%

26

Vietnamese

0.06%

-0.04%

27

Greek

0.05%

-0.01%

28

Bulgarian

0.04%

-0.01%

29

Indonesian

0.01%

0.00%

30

Arabic

0.00%

0.00%

September 2023

 

LANGUAGE

PERCENTAGE

CHANGE

1

English

32.33%

-3.24%

2

Simplified Chinese

32.22%

+5.36%

3

Russian

9.30%

-0.37%

4

Spanish - Spain

4.29%

-0.36%

5

Portuguese-Brazil

3.51%

-0.26%

6

German

2.74%

-0.28%

7

Japanese

2.53%

-0.05%

8

French

1.98%

-0.24%

9

Polish

1.73%

-0.08%

10

Turkish

1.48%

-0.04%

11

Korean

1.34%

-0.03%

12

Traditional Chinese

1.31%

-0.11%

13

Thai

0.95%

0.00%

14

Ukrainian

0.60%

-0.04%

15

Italian

0.57%

-0.04%

16

Czech

0.53%

-0.03%

17

Portuguese - Portugal

0.41%

-0.02%

18

Hungarian

0.38%

-0.02%

19

Spanish - Latin America

0.34%

-0.03%

20

Swedish

0.28%

-0.02%

21

Dutch

0.26%

-0.04%

22

Danish

0.25%

-0.03%

23

Finnish

0.17%

-0.01%

24

Romanian

0.16%

0.00%

25

Norwegian

0.12%

-0.02%

26

Vietnamese

0.10%

-0.01%

27

Greek

0.06%

0.00%

28

Bulgarian

0.05%

0.00%

29

Indonesian

0.01%

+0.01%

30

Arabic

0.00%

0.00%

August 2023

 

LANGUAGE

PERCENTAGE

CHANGE

1

English

35.57%

-2.34%

2

Simplified Chinese

26.86%

+2.74%

3

Russian

9.67%

+0.27%

4

Spanish - Spain

4.65%

-0.53%

5

Portuguese-Brazil

3.77%

-0.49%

6

German

3.02%

-0.14%

7

Japanese

2.58%

+0.36%

8

French

2.22%

-0.07%

9

Polish

1.81%

-0.11%

10

Turkish

1.52%

-0.07%

11

Traditional Chinese

1.42%

+0.20%

12

Korean

1.37%

+0.21%

13

Thai

0.95%

+0.04%

14

Ukrainian

0.64%

+0.02%

15

Italian

0.61%

-0.04%

16

Czech

0.56%

-0.01%

17

Portuguese - Portugal

0.43%

-0.02%

18

Hungarian

0.40%

-0.01%

19

Spanish - Latin America

0.37%

-0.01%

20

Swedish

0.30%

0.00%

21

Dutch

0.30%

0.00%

22

Danish

0.28%

+0.02%

23

Finnish

0.18%

0.00%

24

Romanian

0.16%

-0.01%

25

Norwegian

0.14%

0.00%

26

Vietnamese

0.11%

0.00%

27

Greek

0.06%

-0.01%

28

Bulgarian

0.05%

0.00%

29

Arabic

0.00%

0.00%

30

Indonesian

0.00%

0.00%

July 2023

 

LANGUAGE

PERCENTAGE

CHANGE

1

English

37.91%

+3.42%

2

Simplified Chinese

24.12%

-3.47%

3

Russian

9.40%

-0.11%

4

Spanish - Spain

5.18%

+0.22%

5

Portuguese-Brazil

4.26%

+0.45%

6

German

3.16%

+0.36%

7

French

2.29%

+0.10%

8

Japanese

2.22%

-0.60%

9

Polish

1.92%

+0.04%

10

Turkish

1.59%

-0.03%

11

Traditional Chinese

1.22%

-0.13%

12

Korean

1.16%

-0.37%

13

Thai

0.91%

-0.24%

14

Italian

0.65%

+0.02%

15

Ukrainian

0.62%

+0.06%

16

Czech

0.57%

+0.04%

17

Portuguese - Portugal

0.45%

+0.02%

18

Hungarian

0.41%

+0.05%

19

Spanish - Latin America

0.38%

+0.08%

20

Dutch

0.30%

+0.02%

21

Swedish

0.30%

+0.02%

22

Danish

0.26%

+0.02%

23

Finnish

0.18%

+0.02%

24

Romanian

0.17%

+0.01%

25

Norwegian

0.14%

+0.02%

26

Vietnamese

0.11%

-0.02%

27

Greek

0.07%

-0.01%

28

Bulgarian

0.05%

0.00%

29

Arabic

0.00%

0.00%

June 2023

 

LANGUAGE

PERCENTAGE

CHANGE

1

English

34.49%

-1.42%

2

Simplified Chinese

27.59%

+2.05%

3

Russian

9.51%

-0.65%

4

Spanish - Spain

4.96%

-0.58%

5

Portuguese-Brazil

3.81%

-0.23%

6

Japanese

2.82%

+0.71%

7

German

2.80%

-0.07%

8

French

2.19%

-0.16%

9

Polish

1.88%

-0.20%

10

Turkish

1.62%

-0.09%

11

Korean

1.53%

+0.29%

12

Traditional Chinese

1.35%

+0.33%

13

Thai

1.15%

+0.10%

14

Italian

0.63%

-0.06%

15

Ukrainian

0.56%

+0.01%

16

Czech

0.53%

+0.02%

17

Portuguese - Portugal

0.43%

-0.02%

18

Hungarian

0.36%

+0.04%

19

Spanish - Latin America

0.30%

-0.05%

20

Swedish

0.28%

0.00%

21

Dutch

0.28%

0.00%

22

Danish

0.24%

0.00%

23

Finnish

0.16%

0.00%

24

Romanian

0.16%

+0.02%

25

Vietnamese

0.13%

-0.03%

26

Norwegian

0.12%

0.00%

27

Greek

0.08%

0.00%

28

Bulgarian

0.05%

+0.01%

29

Arabic

0.00%

0.00%

May 2023

The Most Popular Languages on Steam in June

 

LANGUAGE

PERCENTAGE

CHANGE

1

English

35.91%

+0.27%

2

Simplified Chinese

25.54%

+0.51%

3

Russian

10.16%

-0.23%

4

Spanish - Spain

5.54%

+0.10%

5

Portuguese-Brazil

4.04%

-0.02%

6

German

2.87%

-0.10%

7

French

2.35%

-0.01%

8

Japanese

2.11%

-0.11%

9

Polish

2.08%

-0.04%

10

Turkish

1.71%

-0.11%

11

Korean

1.24%

+0.01%

12

Thai

1.05%

-0.09%

13

Traditional Chinese

1.02%

-0.14%

14

Italian

0.69%

+0.02%

15

Ukrainian

0.55%

-0.01%

16

Czech

0.51%

-0.02%

17

Portuguese - Portugal

0.45%

-0.01%

18

Spanish - Latin America

0.35%

+0.02%

19

Hungarian

0.32%

0.00%

20

Dutch

0.28%

+0.01%

21

Swedish

0.28%

0.00%

22

Danish

0.24%

0.00%

23

Vietnamese

0.16%

0.00%

24

Finnish

0.16%

-0.01%

25

Romanian

0.14%

-0.01%

26

Norwegian

0.12%

0.00%

27

Greek

0.08%

0.00%

28

Bulgarian

0.04%

0.00%

29

Arabic

0.00%

0.00%

April 2023

 

LANGUAGE

PERCENTAGE

CHANGE

1

English

35.64%

+12.81%

2

Simplified Chinese

25.03%

-26.60%

3

Russian

10.39%

+3.45%

4

Spanish - Spain

5.44%

+1.94%

5

Portuguese-Brazil

4.06%

+1.41%

6

German

2.97%

+0.91%

7

French

2.36%

+0.78%

8

Japanese

2.22%

+1.09%

9

Polish

2.12%

+0.77%

10

Turkish

1.82%

+0.70%

11

Korean

1.23%

+0.32%

12

Traditional Chinese

1.16%

+0.39%

13

Thai

1.14%

+0.48%

14

Italian

0.67%

+0.21%

15

Ukrainian

0.56%

+0.19%

16

Czech

0.53%

+0.17%

17

Portuguese - Portugal

0.46%

+0.17%

18

Spanish - Latin America

0.33%

+0.10%

19

Hungarian

0.32%

+0.11%

20

Swedish

0.28%

+0.09%

21

Dutch

0.27%

+0.08%

22

Danish

0.24%

+0.09%

23

Finnish

0.17%

+0.06%

24

Vietnamese

0.16%

+0.09%

25

Romanian

0.15%

+0.06%

26

Norwegian

0.12%

+0.04%

27

Greek

0.08%

+0.03%

28

Bulgarian

0.04%

+0.02%

29

Arabic

0.00%

0.00%

March 2023

 

LANGUAGE

PERCENTAGE

CHANGE

1

Simplified Chinese

51.63%

+25.35%

2

English

22.83%

-12.44%

3

Russian

6.94%

-3.14%

4

Spanish - Spain

3.50%

-1.82%

5

Portuguese-Brazil

2.65%

-1.16%

6

German

2.06%

-0.92%

7

French

1.58%

-0.87%

8

Polish

1.35%

-0.58%

9

Japanese

1.13%

-1.17%

10

Turkish

1.12%

-0.47%

11

Korean

0.91%

-0.57%

12

Traditional Chinese

0.77%

-0.35%

13

Thai

0.66%

-0.39%

14

Italian

0.46%

-0.24%

15

Ukrainian

0.37%

-0.13%

16

Czech

0.36%

-0.18%

17

Portuguese - Portugal

0.29%

-0.15%

18

Spanish - Latin America

0.23%

-0.07%

19

Hungarian

0.21%

-0.11%

20

Dutch

0.19%

-0.11%

21

Swedish

0.19%

-0.11%

22

Danish

0.15%

-0.09%

23

Finnish

0.11%

-0.06%

24

Romanian

0.09%

-0.06%

25

Norwegian

0.08%

-0.04%

26

Vietnamese

0.07%

-0.05%

27

Greek

0.05%

-0.04%

28

Bulgarian

0.02%

-0.02%

29

Arabic

0.00%

0.00%

February 2023

 

LANGUAGE

PERCENTAGE

CHANGE

1

English

35.27%

-1.60%

2

Simplified Chinese

26.28%

+2.47%

3

Russian

10.08%

-0.23%

4

Spanish - Spain

5.32%

-0.31%

5

Portuguese-Brazil

3.81%

-0.27%

6

German

2.98%

+0.02%

7

French

2.45%

+0.07%

8

Japanese

2.30%

+0.12%

9

Polish

1.93%

+0.01%

10

Turkish

1.59%

-0.05%

11

Korean

1.48%

-0.05%

12

Traditional Chinese

1.12%

-0.01%

13

Thai

1.05%

-0.01%

14

Italian

0.70%

-0.04%

15

Czech

0.54%

0.00%

16

Ukrainian

0.50%

+0.02%

17

Portuguese - Portugal

0.44%

-0.02%

18

Hungarian

0.32%

-0.01%

19

Spanish - Latin America

0.30%

-0.02%

20

Dutch

0.30%

-0.01%

21

Swedish

0.30%

+0.01%

22

Danish

0.24%

0.00%

23

Finnish

0.17%

0.00%

24

Romanian

0.15%

-0.01%

25

Norwegian

0.12%

-0.01%

26

Vietnamese

0.12%

-0.07%

27

Greek

0.09%

0.00%

28

Bulgarian

0.04%

-0.01%

29

Arabic

0.00%

0.00%

January 2023
 

LANGUAGE

PERCENTAGE

CHANGE

1

English

36.87%

+0.78%

2

Simplified Chinese

23.81%

-1.80%

3

Russian

10.31%

+0.56%

4

Spanish - Spain

5.63%

+0.08%

5

Portuguese-Brazil

4.08%

+0.10%

6

German

2.96%

-0.02%

7

French

2.38%

-0.02%

8

Japanese

2.18%

-0.01%

9

Polish

1.92%

-0.04%

10

Turkish

1.64%

+0.13%

11

Korean

1.53%

+0.10%

12

Traditional Chinese

1.13%

+0.06%

13

Thai

1.06%

-0.01%

14

Italian

0.74%

0.00%

15

Czech

0.54%

-0.02%

16

Ukrainian

0.48%

+0.05%

17

Portuguese - Portugal

0.46%

0.00%

18

Hungarian

0.33%

0.00%

19

Spanish - Latin America

0.32%

+0.02%

20

Dutch

0.31%

0.00%

21

Swedish

0.29%

-0.01%

22

Danish

0.24%

-0.01%

23

Vietnamese

0.19%

+0.07%

24

Finnish

0.17%

0.00%

25

Romanian

0.16%

+0.01%

26

Norwegian

0.13%

0.00%

27

Greek

0.09%

0.00%

28

Bulgarian

0.05%

0.00%

29

Arabic

0.00%

0.00%

December 2022
 

LANGUAGE

PERCENTAGE

CHANGE

1

English

36.09%

+0.47%

2

Simplified Chinese

25.61%

-0.76%

3

Russian

9.75%

-0.40%

4

Spanish - Spain

5.55%

+0.27%

5

Portuguese-Brazil

3.98%

+0.21%

6

German

2.98%

+0.05%

7

French

2.40%

+0.07%

8

Japanese

2.19%

+0.01%

9

Polish

1.96%

+0.09%

10

Turkish

1.51%

-0.04%

11

Korean

1.43%

-0.02%

12

Traditional Chinese

1.07%

-0.04%

13

Thai

1.07%

-0.04%

14

Italian

0.74%

+0.02%

15

Czech

0.56%

+0.03%

16

Portuguese - Portugal

0.46%

+0.01%

17

Ukrainian

0.43%

0.00%

18

Hungarian

0.33%

+0.02%

19

Dutch

0.31%

0.00%

20

Swedish

0.30%

+0.01%

21

Spanish - Latin America

0.30%

0.00%

22

Danish

0.25%

0.00%

23

Finnish

0.17%

0.00%

24

Romanian

0.15%

+0.01%

25

Norwegian

0.13%

0.00%

26

Vietnamese

0.12%

-0.01%

27

Greek

0.09%

0.00%

28

Bulgarian

0.05%

+0.01%

29

Arabic

0.00%

0.00%


Similar materials

Game Industry Trends in 2023

Localizing Games for Southeast Asia

Localizing Games for Latin America

Localizing Games for South Korea

Game Localization: What LQA is and How It Works

Game Localization – What you need to know


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