diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index fcf344d..b0c466e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 * Fix: `Deus Ex` using the wrong protocol (#621)
 * Fix: `Soldier ff Fortune` using the wrong protocol (#623)
 * Feat: For the Quake2 protocol `version`'s field, also look for `version` in the raw object
+* Feat: Add option `requestPlayers`, defaults to `true`.
 
 ## 5.1.2
 * Added Vintage Story support via the master server (#606)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 894a5ff..144593b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ Confused on how this works, or you want to see more? Checkout the [examples](/ex
 | **ipFamily**               | number  | 0         | IP family/version returned when looking up hostnames via DNS, can be 0 (IPv4 and IPv6), 4 (IPv4 only) or 6 (IPv6 only).                                                                                                       |
 | **debug**                  | boolean | false     | Enables massive amounts of debug logging to stdout.                                                                                                                                                                           |
 | **requestRules**           | boolean | false     | Valve games only. Additional 'rules' may be fetched into the `raw` key.                                                                                                                                                       |
+| **requestPlayers**         | boolean | true      | Valve games only. Disable this if you don't want to fetch players data.                                                                                                                                                       |
 | **requestRulesRequired**   | boolean | false     | Valve games only. `requestRules` is always required to have a response or the query will timeout.                                                                                                                             |
 | **requestPlayersRequired** | boolean | false     | Valve games only. Querying players is always required to have a response or the query will timeout. Some [games](GAMES_LIST.md) may not provide a players response.                                                           |
 | **stripColors**            | boolean | true      | Enables stripping colors for protocols: unreal2, savage2, quake3, nadeo, gamespy2, doom3, armagetron.                                                                                                                         |
diff --git a/bin/gamedig.js b/bin/gamedig.js
index 38ed1ec..20ea44b 100644
--- a/bin/gamedig.js
+++ b/bin/gamedig.js
@@ -6,11 +6,12 @@ import Minimist from 'minimist'
 import { GameDig } from './../lib/index.js'
 
 const argv = Minimist(process.argv.slice(2), {
-  boolean: ['pretty', 'debug', 'givenPortOnly', 'requestRules', 'requestRulesRequired', 'requestPlayersRequired', 'stripColors', 'portCache', 'noBreadthOrder', 'checkOldIDs'],
+  boolean: ['pretty', 'debug', 'givenPortOnly', 'requestRules', 'requestPlayers', 'requestRulesRequired', 'requestPlayersRequired', 'stripColors', 'portCache', 'noBreadthOrder', 'checkOldIDs'],
   string: ['guildId', 'serverId', 'listenUdpPort', 'ipFamily', 'token'],
   default: {
     stripColors: true,
-    portCache: true
+    portCache: true,
+    requestPlayers: true
   }
 })
 
diff --git a/lib/QueryRunner.js b/lib/QueryRunner.js
index b193704..2cfe79d 100644
--- a/lib/QueryRunner.js
+++ b/lib/QueryRunner.js
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ const defaultOptions = {
   stripColors: true,
   portCache: true,
   noBreadthOrder: false,
-  ipFamily: 0
+  ipFamily: 0,
+  requestPlayers: true
 }
 
 export default class QueryRunner {
diff --git a/protocols/valve.js b/protocols/valve.js
index 2a25082..30b4fd1 100644
--- a/protocols/valve.js
+++ b/protocols/valve.js
@@ -163,6 +163,10 @@ export default class valve extends Core {
   async queryPlayers (/** Results */ state) {
     state.raw.players = []
 
+    if (!this.options.requestPlayers) {
+      return
+    }
+
     this.logger.debug('Requesting player list ...')
     const b = await this.sendPacket(
       this.goldsrcInfo ? undefined : 0x55,