Steam’s financial momentum continues to accelerate, with the platform posting the strongest half-year revenue performance in its history. Newly released estimates indicate that the PC gaming storefront has achieved a record $11.1 billion in gross revenue during the first six months of 2026, underscoring its enduring dominance in the digital distribution landscape.
Record Half Surpasses Holiday Peaks
The $11.1 billion total for the first half of 2026 represents a 14.5% increase when measured against the same period in 2025. Even more striking, the figure sits 8% above the revenue recorded in the second half of 2025—a timeframe that normally captures the seasonal boost from major holiday and year-end sales. This growth trajectory builds on a remarkable long-term expansion that has seen Steam’s estimated full-year gross revenue climb from roughly $5.5 billion in 2017 to approximately $20 billion in 2025.
To put the current pace into perspective, the first half of 2026 alone has generated more total revenue than Steam did throughout the entire year of 2020, a period already amplified by surging game purchases as global audiences turned heavily to interactive entertainment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shifting Sources of Income
A notable pattern is emerging beneath the headline revenue numbers. The contribution from newly released titles continues to shrink as a proportion of total earnings. In the first half of 2024, games launched during that same year accounted for 29% of Steam’s revenue. That share fell to 27% in the first half of 2025 and has further declined to 21% in the first half of 2026, suggesting that the platform’s vast back catalog and live-service titles are driving an increasingly large share of consumer spending.
Standout Performers in 2026
Despite the broader trend of smaller contributions from recent launches, several high-profile 2026 releases have generated substantial individual returns. Among the strongest new earners on Steam this year:
- Forza Horizon 6 delivered approximately $197.7 million in revenue within less than two months of availability.
- Resident Evil Requiem reached around $194.5 million in gross earnings while selling 3.4 million copies on the platform.
- Crimson Desert, released in March, surpassed $190 million in revenue.
These blockbuster performances occurred even as the overall revenue mix continues to tilt away from day-and-date launches, reflecting an ecosystem where enduring favorites and perennial sellers command growing commercial importance alongside select new blockbusters.
Source: alineaanalytics.substack.com