---
title: "PlayStation vs Steam: Which is more popular by branded search?"
description: "Which is more popular in search, PlayStation or Steam? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Gaming platforms set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/playstation-vs-steam"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# PlayStation vs Steam: Which is more popular by branded search?

Which is more popular in search, PlayStation or Steam? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Gaming platforms set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

## Key facts

- **Compared**: PlayStation and Steam
- **Competitive set**: Gaming platforms
- **Market**: Global
- **Month measured**: Aug 2026
- **PlayStation Share of Search**: 30.6%
- **Steam Share of Search**: 2.3%

## Which is more popular in search, PlayStation or Steam?

- In August 2026, PlayStation had more branded searches than Steam among gaming platforms worldwide. PlayStation was estimated to have 5M branded searches compared to Steam’s 368K, and held a 30.6% Share of Search versus Steam’s 2.3%.
- PlayStation was ahead of Steam in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, PlayStation’s estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide moved from 29.5% to 30.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 5M.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Steam’s estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide moved from 1.2% to 2.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 201K to 368K.

## How did search popularity change for gaming platforms worldwide in August 2026?

- In August 2026, PlayStation lost estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide, from 35.6% to 30.6%.
- In August 2026, Steam lost estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide, from 3.9% to 2.3%.

## Month by month

| Month | PlayStation estimated searches | PlayStation Share of Search | PlayStation rank | Steam estimated searches | Steam Share of Search | Steam rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | 5M | 29.5% | 2 | 201K | 1.2% | 4 |
| Nov 2025 | 6.1M | 29.6% | 2 | 246K | 1.2% | 4 |
| Dec 2025 | 7.5M | 33.7% | 2 | 368K | 1.7% | 4 |
| Jan 2026 | 5M | 30.7% | 2 | 301K | 1.8% | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | 5M | 35% | 2 | 246K | 1.7% | 4 |
| Mar 2026 | 5M | 30.2% | 3 | 246K | 1.5% | 4 |
| Apr 2026 | 5M | 33.8% | 2 | 201K | 1.4% | 4 |
| May 2026 | 5M | 32.1% | 2 | 246K | 1.6% | 4 |
| Jun 2026 | 5M | 30.3% | 2 | 550K | 3.3% | 4 |
| Jul 2026 | 6.1M | 35.6% | 2 | 673K | 3.9% | 4 |
| Aug 2026 | 5M | 30.6% | 2 | 368K | 2.3% | 4 |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |

## How each brand is measured

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using PlayStation’s and Steam’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.

- **PlayStation**: Measured on the search term “playstation”.
- **Steam**: Measured on the search term “steam games”.

- [PlayStation profile](/demand/global-en/brands/playstation)
- [Steam profile](/demand/global-en/brands/steam)
- [All gaming platforms worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/gaming-platforms): The set both shares are measured inside, 5 brands.

## Methodology

- [How is branded search demand measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is more popular in search, PlayStation or Steam?

In August 2026, PlayStation had more branded searches than Steam among gaming platforms worldwide. PlayStation was estimated to have 5M branded searches compared to Steam’s 368K, and held a 30.6% Share of Search versus Steam’s 2.3%.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "PlayStation vs Steam: Which is more popular by branded search?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/playstation-vs-steam

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/playstation-vs-steam. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.