[Update]: The list of the most successful and popular Steam games of 2022 has now arrived, and it's full of surprises!

In celebration of the quality games released this year, as well as old ones that have managed to stay relevant despite fierce competition, Valve has now revealed the most successful and popular games of 2021. The list covers everything from the top sellers to the best received controller games, so it's quite an interesting read!

While there are some repeats from last year, especially from the AAA camp, I'm pleased to say that there's a solid variety of indie games sprinkled throughout the various categories. I especially have to highlight Valheim here as it's a relatively small, microtransaction-free game that has managed to stand shoulder to shoulder with giants like Destiny 2, Dota 2 and even Apex Legends in terms of revenue.

I was also incredibly surprised to see Farming Simulator 22 among the very top in terms of playtime, right there next to Path of Exile and Battlefield 2042. I knew these types of simulators were popular among their target audience, but this is the first time I've seen the full scope of it. Consider me impressed!

The last category I would like to bring attention to is the Early Access Graduates as it pretty much exclusively features indie games, and good ones at that! So if you're looking for something to pick up during the currently ongoing Winter Sale, going through the Early Access Graduates would certainly not be a bad idea.

Enjoy browsing through the lists, and if you're curious about what the previous ones looked like, you'll find them all neatly linked at the bottom of the this year's announcement blog.