Steam Data Breach: What Happened and How to Protect Your Account

Steam Data Breach? Not Quite—Let’s Talk About the 89 Million Steam Accounts “Leaked”

If you’ve been doom-scrolling through Reddit or gaming forums this week, you’ve probably seen something wild: rumors that 89 million Steam accounts were leaked in some massive data breach. Google Trends exploded with searches like “steam hacked,” “steam accounts leaked,” and “steam 89 million accounts leaked.” It sounds like every gamer’s worst nightmare—like someone just stole your entire library of 800-hour saves, plus that one rare knife skin you never use but secretly love.

But let’s take a breath and break this down. Was Steam hacked? Is your account at risk? Do you need to start from scratch with a new password, email, and maybe a new identity in the digital world? Not exactly. Here’s what’s really going on, what Valve (Steam’s parent company) had to say about it, and how you can still protect your precious loot.

What Was the Steam Data Leak, Actually?

First off, this wasn’t a breach of Steam’s internal systems. Steam was quick to shut that rumor down in an official statement titled “A note about the security of your Steam account.”

“The recent leak being reported did NOT breach Steam systems.
You may have seen reports of leaks of older text messages that had previously been sent to Steam customers. We have examined the leak sample and have determined this was NOT a breach of Steam systems.”

According to Steam—and confirmed by outlets like The Verge—the leaked data making the rounds did not come from Steam servers. Instead, the so-called “89 million Steam accounts” were actually a collection of old text messages that had been sent to users as part of Steam’s two-factor authentication (2FA) system.

So, what got leaked?

And that’s it. No usernames, no account names, no passwords, and no payment info. Steam and Valve emphasized that these codes were only valid for 15 minutes and weren’t tied to actual Steam account data in any direct way. Basically, unless someone has figured out how to hijack an SMS from 2019 and time-travel back to when the code was live, the leaked data is useless to attackers.

So… Why Was “Steam Hacked” Trending?

Partly because “Steam SMS metadata leak involving expired codes” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue or make great clickbait. And let’s face it—”Steam data breach” or “Steam hacked” is way more clickbaity. Add the mysterious number 89 million, and you’ve got the perfect cocktail of gamer panic and algorithmic chaos.

So, how did this all kick off? It all started with a post on LinkedIn from Underdark.ai, claiming that a massive Steam dataset, containing over 89 million user records, was being sold on a dark web forum for a cool $5,000. The post quickly made its way to Twitter, thanks to Mellow_Online1, who revealed that the leak allegedly included real-time SMS logs from Twilio—a communication service that Steam uses to send those all-important 2FA codes.

According to the post, these logs weren’t just random data: they contained message contents (yep, those 2FA codes), delivery status, metadata, and even routing costs. Talk about a treasure trove of information.

What Valve had to say

Well, Valve quickly responded to the claims, telling the X user that they don’t even use Twilio (though, let’s be honest, who really knows?). However, the company did admit that a leak did indeed happen. But here’s the kicker: the leak isn’t as fresh as it might sound. The one-time codes and the respective phone numbers were scraped from mobile carriers or third-party SMS providers, not directly from Steam. Valve went on to clarify that the SMS messages didn’t link phone numbers to Steam accounts. Plus, they’re investigating how these unencrypted messages got out into the wild in the first place.

Because the leaked data didn’t include anything that could directly compromise your Steam account, you don’t need to change your password or ditch your phone number. Still, this is a good excuse to do a quick security check-up—and maybe ditch SMS 2FA for something stronger.

However, these leaked numbers could still be used in phishing attacks or scams. If you suddenly get a shady text pretending to be from Valve asking you to “confirm your Steam login,” don’t fall for it. That’s where the real threat lies, not in the leak itself, but in how attackers might try to use it.

Why Would a Potential Steam Data Breach Raise Hairs?

You see, Steam, run by Valve Corporation, is the heavyweight champ of digital gaming platforms. With nearly 30,000 games in its library, it’s the ultimate playground for gamers, from huge AAA titles to quirky indie hits you’ve probably never heard of (but should definitely check out).

Steam isn’t just about gaming, though—it’s a whole social experience with friend lists, chats, cloud saves, mod support, and plenty of achievements to flex. Plus, it’s got devices like the Steam Deck and Valve Index, making gaming even more immersive.

As of May 2025, Steam’s active user base is massive. We’re talking about 132 million monthly active users. At the time of writing this post, the platform saw a peak of 26.2 million concurrent users, having hit 42 million a couple of months ago. That’s some serious traffic! So, when rumors like “Steam hacked” or “Steam data breach” start popping up, it’s not just a minor tech issue; it’s a huge deal. We’re talking about millions of gamers and their treasured game libraries. Yeah, it’s that serious.

How to Check If You Were Affected

If you’re curious whether your email is part of a leak, try using HaveIBeenPwned.com. It’s a free, legit site that tracks known data breaches and tells you if your info is floating around in one of them.

But still worried your Steam account might’ve been compromised? Here are a few things to check:

To see where your account is currently logged in, visit:
store.steampowered.com/account/authorizeddevices

How to Secure Your Steam Account (for Real This Time)

Even though this Steam data leak rumor was overblown, there’s never a bad time to up your account security. Here’s your Steam account protection to-do list:

1. Ditch SMS and use Steam Mobile Authenticator

Steam says it loud and clear in its press release: the Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator is the most secure way to protect your account. It’s app-based and sends codes through a secure channel, not text messages that can be intercepted.

2. Change your password (if it’s weak or reused)

Even though this leak didn’t include passwords, if you’ve been using “123456” or “gamer4life” since high school, it’s time for a change. Use a password manager and go full chaotic good with symbols, numbers, and phrases.

3. Check your authorized devices and revoke anything suspicious

You’ll find this in your Steam account settings. If there’s a device or location you don’t recognize, boot it out like a toxic teammate.

4. Unlink old or unused payment methods

If you no longer use that Visa card from your college days, take it off your account. Fewer payment options = less to worry about.

5. Beware of phishing

Scammers may take advantage of this hype. Don’t click links in random texts or DMs claiming your Steam account is “locked.” Always go directly to the official Steam website or app.

What This Means for the Gaming World

This situation is less about Steam being hacked and more about how fragile the digital ecosystems we rely on really are. Even if Steam didn’t get breached, the fact that third-party SMS systems can leak so much data shows we need better, more encrypted ways to handle authentication.

Gaming platforms—from Steam to Epic to PlayStation—are becoming huge digital banks of personal data. Your game skins, chat history, payment info, and even your in-game friends list hold value. That means hackers will always be watching, waiting for a weak spot.

But this also reminds us that staying secure isn’t about paranoia; it’s about smart habits. A little password hygiene and two minutes of security settings can save you from hours of cleanup later.

Final Words: No, Steam Wasn’t Hacked—But Stay Sharp 

To wrap it up: no, this wasn’t a Steam data breach in the traditional sense. Valve’s systems are fine. Your passwords and purchases are safe. And you probably don’t need to panic or start canceling your credit cards.

Your Steam account is more than just a username. It’s years of memories, progress, and digital gear. Treat it like you’d treat any other online investment—with strong locks, solid passwords, and zero tolerance for shady DMs asking you to log in “urgently.” And if you’re still using SMS 2FA, consider this your wake-up call. Switch to the Steam Mobile Authenticator.

And maybe—just maybe—bookmark this post in case someone asks, “Hey, was Steam hacked?”

Ezekiel Maina

Ezekiel Maina is the brains behind ContentGenics, where he pairs creativity and strategy for B2B and B2C content. He has written for brands like House Digest, iFoundries, and BeamJobs, covering topics like home improvement, real estate, freelancing, digital marketing, and career development. By day, he’s crafting content or catching up with clients from his home office, lost in a good book, or occasionally chasing adventure outside. By late evening, he’s typically deep in a documentary rabbit hole on Netflix or YouTube.