Steam Scorches to Nearly $1 Billion in Revenue
Steam Scorches to Nearly $1 Billion in Revenue
Posted 02/04/2011 at 9:28am
| by Paul Lilly
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We realize we're preaching to the choir here, but PC gaming is alive and well, folks. Nay, PC gaming is thriving and well. Sure, your local GameStop/Babbages likely reduced the PC game section to a sad looking rack situated between walls of console titles, but while brick and mortar store shelves are getting smaller, virtual shelves keep growing. No one knows this better than Valve, who's Steam platform raked in nearly $1 billion ($970 million) in revenue in 2010, according to Forcasting and Analyzing Digital Entertainment (FADE).
"Steam's growth has been remarkable during the year," said Benjamin Schlichter, Director of Research & Analysis. "Over 180 titles were estimated reaching over $1 million USD in revenue for the year, painting a very healthy market for developers and publishers, with more room for growth in the future."
Activision's Call of Duty franchise dominated the top 2 spots with Black Ops (No. 1) pulling in $98.2 million and Modern Warfare 2 (No. 2) earning $39.4 million. Both because of the popularity of the franchise and expansion packs, Activision was the most successful publisher on Steam in 2010, raking in an estimated $153 million, FADE said.
Other titles on the top 10 list, in order from No. 3 to No. 10, including Left 4 Dead 2 ($36 million), Battlefield: Bad Company 2 ($25.4 million), Sid Meier's Civilization V ($21.9 million), Portal ($20 million), Fallout: New Vegas ($17 million), Metro 2033 ($13.4 million), Mafia II ($11.9 million), and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II: Chaos Rising ($10.8 million).
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krash3x
February 04, 2011 at 10:16pm
Wasn't about a month ago Maximum pc published an artical about how pc gaming is dying and consoles are the way to the future in gaming? I think you guys need to pick a side and stay on it.
VaMage
February 04, 2011 at 12:07pm
DRM? Connect to a server, they "lose" your license(s), they start charging any monthy service charge they like, they go belly up = No Games.
Most of my store bought games I can play, any time or place I like, and they can't have any of the above happen to them.
So, I will continue to avoid the ievitable as long as possible, same goes for Blue-Ray & music CD's, I know stone-age, until they make that which I BUY something I BUY, as in own, forever, leave to my kids type own or they make it the only choice I have.
Ghok
February 04, 2011 at 1:26pm
I was reluctant to use Steam at first, back when Half Life 2 came out. But then I realized that I very rarely go back to play old games, and half the time they don't work on newer systems anyway. So there really wasn't much point in collecting them on hard media. If Valve ever did any of the things you suggest (and they won't)I'd just pirate any of the older games I felt like playing. I already bought them anyway. Most games on physical media have horrible DRM and don't come with manuals or extras the way they used to. I still like physical media for things like music and movies (though they automatically get ripped to the PC), but games have always been a different ball of yarn for me.
Opterongeek
February 04, 2011 at 11:58am
someuid echoes my sentiments exactly, I'm in the same boat. I stopped buying games because of the outrageous DRM requirements of some games out there. They ruined it for me, so I did what MaxPC and others suggested - I spoke with my wallet. Game Developers, you listening?
I'm 100% for supporting the efforts of these game designers, programmers, even their lazy bosses, for the games I'm interested in. Steam lets me do that, and I can play them wherever I want. Flexibility, freedom, valuing my investment. Steam is win win. /end preaching
someuid
February 04, 2011 at 10:44am
Steam has revived video game playing for me. I didn't go to consoles, I had simply slowed down my purchases because (1) I couldn't find squat in the local places (2) was tired of trying to avoid DRM'ed CD and DVD titles so I simply stopped buying games and (3) it became such a pain to find screenshots, demos, ratings and reviews all in a single place without a gazillion "$1billion mortgage for $39.99/month!!OMG!!!WTF!!!!" ads in my face.
Steam changed all that. I hope they continue to plow forward and turn the video game industry up on it's head.
On a side not, did anyone notice how much money Left 4 Dead 2 made? Wow. I really enjoy that game, and don't consider it a true Heavy Weight Title, probably because most of its value is in multiplayer and I bought it for $20. Other game houses need to take notice of that and maybe adjust their prices. I'm not bashing the game or the hard work the developers put into it. Maybe that is why I like it so much - great levels, simple plot line, lots of action, and the right price got me to fork over the cashola, while I still have yet to pick up Starcraft II.
LatiosXT
February 04, 2011 at 10:07am
I think I'll save this as a bookmark the next time someone tells me PC gaming is a dying fad.
I Jedi
February 04, 2011 at 11:28am
Anyone, and I mean anyone, who tells you that PC gaming is dead has no idea what the hell they're talking about, and should be GENERALLY considered a complete moron to all things PC related. Gaming is a huge part of the PCs success, along with the Internet.
D00dlavy
February 04, 2011 at 10:17am
Simply an anecdote: Most the people in my life who tell me that PC gaming sucks or that it’s dead or that it was never good... they have sh1t for brains.
Unemployable, shallow sh1t for brains.
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