Currently, the Steam plugin for Playnite only syncs the playtime that was recorded while the Steam client was online. This makes the statistics inaccurate for users who occasionally play in offline mode (e.g., due to unstable internet connections, during travel, or on Steam Deck).
Steam support confirms that the platform tracks playtime in two different ways:
- Online playtime: Time spent playing while connected to Steam servers. This syncs instantly.
- Offline playtime: Time spent playing offline. It is cached locally on the device and added to the total playtime upon the next connection to the network.
How it appears in the Steam UI
The issue is compounded by the fact that Steam displays different values in different parts of its interface:
Total time (online + offline):
- In the user's profile.
- In the library (before launching a game).
Online-only time:
- On the specific game's store page.
- In reviews for the game.
- In the mobile app (library view).
- In the library after launching a game. If Steam is online, the displayed time switches from the total (online+offline) to the time spent strictly in online mode immediately after the game is launched. Example. This creates confusion, as the user sees different numbers within the same interface.
The Core Issue
Playnite imports the second option (online-only time), which does not reflect the actual hours spent in a game for users who sometimes play without an internet connection.
For example, a user might have played 120 hours total, with 20 of those hours played offline. In their Steam profile and in the library before launching the game, they will see the correct 120 hours. However, Playnite will only show 100 hours, making the statistics in Playnite unrepresentative compared to the data displayed within Steam itself.
Proposed Solution
It would be logical to add an option in the plugin's settings to import the total playtime (online + offline). This figure is the most complete and accurate for display in the Playnite library, and it's the number the user sees in the majority of Steam's interface.
Currently, the Steam plugin for Playnite only syncs the playtime that was recorded while the Steam client was online. This makes the statistics inaccurate for users who occasionally play in offline mode (e.g., due to unstable internet connections, during travel, or on Steam Deck).
Steam support confirms that the platform tracks playtime in two different ways:
How it appears in the Steam UI
The issue is compounded by the fact that Steam displays different values in different parts of its interface:
Total time (online + offline):
Online-only time:
The Core Issue
Playnite imports the second option (online-only time), which does not reflect the actual hours spent in a game for users who sometimes play without an internet connection.
For example, a user might have played 120 hours total, with 20 of those hours played offline. In their Steam profile and in the library before launching the game, they will see the correct 120 hours. However, Playnite will only show 100 hours, making the statistics in Playnite unrepresentative compared to the data displayed within Steam itself.
Proposed Solution
It would be logical to add an option in the plugin's settings to import the total playtime (online + offline). This figure is the most complete and accurate for display in the Playnite library, and it's the number the user sees in the majority of Steam's interface.