Gamers who frequently use Steam are likely familiar with the struggle of managing a growing library, often compiled through enticing sales and bundles. However, SonixLegend has taken game ownership to an extraordinary level by becoming the first person on the platform to acquire 40,000 distinct paid titles, earning a unique badge in the process.
Residing in Shanghai, SonixLegend reached this impressive milestone this week, according to data from Steam’s badge tracking system. This achievement places them in an exclusive group of just 19 users with over 30,000 paid games. Estimates from SteamDB indicate that the value of SonixLegend’s account ranges from approximately $248,000, based on the lowest historical prices, to an impressive $642,000, calculated using current game prices.
However, the total scope of SonixLegend’s collection may be even greater than this milestone suggests. Steam’s Game Collector badges do not account for many shovelware titles that fall short of Valve’s criteria for “broad player engagement and some commercial success.” Furthermore, the system reportedly excludes almost all free-to-play games, which could artificially inflate a player’s total game count.
With these limitations considered, SonixLegend’s collection likely includes the vast majority of the approximately 45,000 “full profile” paid games tracked by SteamDB. Given the continuous influx of new titles on Steam each year, it is plausible that a new badge for reaching 50,000 owned games could soon become a reality.
What’s the Status of the Collection?
Determining how much of SonixLegend’s extensive library truly qualifies as a “backlog” can be challenging. The user’s private account settings prevent a public display of playtime for most individual titles. Notably, only 261 games have garnered at least one achievement, while just 16 have received positive user reviews, all categorized as “Recommended.”
The prospect of tackling such an extensive backlog is undeniably daunting. Data from HowLongToBeat indicates that completing even the top 2,500 games in SonixLegend’s Steam collection would require over 2,463 days, equivalent to nearly seven years of non-stop gameplay.
Ironically, SonixLegend’s most played game is not part of their record-breaking tally. The user has spent 551 hours playing Valve’s 2010 free-to-play shooter Alien Swarm. This points to an interesting trend: despite having access to an extensive library of nearly every modern PC game, this user continues to find joy in a beloved title that has been available for 15 years and comes at no cost.
