Pavel Djundik, the creator of SteamDB, recently discovered evidence that SteamDB offers a “year-in-review” feature similar to the ones offered by Spotify and Nintendo in their Steam API. Djundik shared a screenshot and a description of the feature. It is supposedly due to be available with the end-of-year Winter Sale.
Djundik provided a screenshot that includes playtime on various platforms such as Linux, Mac, Windows and the Deck. It also contains peripheral information such as controller and VR playtime. The total amount of playtime over a year is a particularly sobering metric. I spend a lot on Steam. It’s like being reminded how much time you spend sleeping or using the toilet.
Steam already stores detailed logs about users’ use of the service, something we at PC Gamer have an unhealthy obsession with. End-of-the-year wrap-ups can help you see your consumption habits in a new light, maybe to your horror.
When Nintendo informed me that Baldur’s Gate was my most-played Switch title of 2021, it felt like an indictment. I was thinking: 125 hours of twin-stick real-time with pause tactical RPG-action like a sicko. Similar to Doom (2016) and Furi soundtracks, “Video Game Music”, when you workout, might be a top Spotify playlist. This is not something I enjoy sharing with my high school friends on Instagram.
All jokes aside: I find this offering to be an uncommonly fun consequence of the constant digital surveillance that we all have. This data is not meant to be used as an advertising metric. It can provide us with a fun and possibly worthwhile look at our interactions with digital media. However, some Destiny 2 players will look at ridiculous triple-digit numbers in December.
