Does Steam Pay You?

It depends on your role. While Steam does not directly pay its general users or players, it does facilitate payments to game developers and publishers who sell their content on the platform.

For General Steam Users (Players/Customers)

No, Steam does not pay its general users or players for simply using the platform, buying games, or playing them. As a consumer, you are the one paying Valve (the company behind Steam) or the game developers when you make a purchase.

However, users can sometimes acquire funds that can be spent on Steam through indirect means:

• Steam Community Market: Users can sell certain in-game items, trading cards, or other digital goods on the Steam Community Market. The proceeds from these sales are added to your Steam Wallet, which can then be used to purchase games or other items on the Steam store. These funds generally cannot be withdrawn as real money.
• Promotions and Giveaways: Occasionally, Valve or game developers might offer free games or provide Steam Wallet funds as part of promotional events, but these are not regular payments for platform usage.

For Game Developers and Publishers

Yes, Steam pays game developers and publishers who distribute and sell their games and software on its platform. Steam acts as a massive digital storefront, and when a sale occurs, the revenue is shared between the content creator and Valve.

How Developers Earn Money on Steam

Developers earn revenue from the sales of their games on Steam. Valve takes a commission from each sale, and the remainder goes to the developer.

• Standard Revenue Share: For most sales, game developers and publishers receive 70% of the revenue generated from their products. Steam (Valve) retains 30% as a commission. This commission covers services such as platform maintenance, payment processing, bandwidth, global distribution, and marketing exposure to Steam's vast user base.
  • Example: If a game is sold for $10, the developer will earn $7, and Steam will earn $3.
• Tiered Revenue Share: For highly successful titles, Valve offers more favorable revenue splits as a game's gross revenue increases:
  • If a game generates over $10 million in gross revenue, the developer's share increases to 75%, with Steam taking 25%.
  • If a game achieves over $50 million in gross revenue, the developer's share further increases to 80%, and Steam's commission reduces to 20%.

This revenue model enables developers to reach a global audience and monetize their creations through the Steam platform, which boasts hundreds of millions of active users. Payments to developers are typically made on a regular schedule, such as monthly, after all sales have been reconciled and the commission applied. Developers can find detailed information on the distribution process and revenue share on the official Steamworks Documentation.

Steam Revenue Share Breakdown