Analyst Reveals Steam Users Purchase Games They Often Never Play

Steam’s Dominance in the Online Gaming Marketplace

Despite significant efforts from Epic Games to carve out a share of the online gaming market, Steam continues to be the leading platform for PC gaming sales. It remains the preferred choice for developers, even though Valve retains a hefty 30% of sales revenue, compared to Epic’s more developer-friendly 12%.Notably, Epic has recently adjusted its revenue model; creators now only incur fees after surpassing the first million in earnings.

Understanding Developer Preferences

But what accounts for this preference among game developers? According to Chris Zukowski, an analyst in the gaming industry, Valve has effectively fostered a community of players who are less likely to actually engage with the games they purchase. Many users hoard titles, amassing libraries with minimal intention of playing.

A Lesson from Netflix

This unique consumer behavior resembles a challenge that Netflix has grappled with: how to market entertainment to audiences overwhelmed with opportunities. Valve appears to have solved this dilemma for the gaming sector by creating an environment where users feel as if they possess boundless hours to explore content, even when they frequently don’t.

The Steam Marketplace Dynamics

Game developers are often willing to concede 30% of their earnings to Valve because the Steam platform attracts a particular demographic of enthusiastic gamers. Many of these players invest in titles without the intention of ever playing them. In a survey I conducted involving participants from Steam Next Fest, it was revealed that, on average, most players simply add games to their wishlists without attempting to play even the free demos. If interest is so high, why not play?

A Personal Example

To illustrate this hoarding phenomenon, consider the case of our own team member, Chris Wray, who boasts a staggering collection of 6, 062 games on Steam. Remarkably, he has only played around 20% of them, as you can verify on SteamDB. This backlog has become somewhat legendary within our circle. Although not all titles were his purchases—some were provided for review—the majority were indeed bought at his own discretion.

Maximizing Discounts on Steam

Steam frequently offers some of the most attractive discounts in the gaming industry, particularly during events like the Summer Sale presently underway. Just a note for those considering new purchases: this sale concludes tomorrow, so if you’re looking to acquire games that may remain unplayed, now is the time!