According to the research, based on responses from 306 PC game developers in the UK and the US – mostly senior managers – for the vast majority of developers (88%), Steam accounts for over 75% of their revenue, with 37% reporting that Valve’s storefront makes up over 90% of their revenue.
72.2% of those surveyed believe Steam has a monopoly on PC games, while only 8.2% disagreed, and the remaining 19.6% had no particular opinion.
Although studios do use alternative platforms to sell their games – such as the Epic Games Store (used at least once by 48% of respondents), the PC section of the Xbox Store (also 48%), GOG (10%), and Itch.io (8%) – the revenue split shows these platforms contribute relatively little, with 25% of respondents even considering all alternative marketplaces and e-stores part of the so-called gray market.
Naturally, most developers aren’t that satisfied with this all-eggs-in-one-basket situation, with 53% of respondents saying they are concerned about their level of reliance on Steam.
At the same time, 80% expect alternative platforms to become a regular part of their distribution mix within five years, indicating they either anticipate a decline in Steam’s dominance by 2030 or believe other storefronts will increasingly compete with Valve’s shop.