Steam has made a top-heavy $15 billion in gross revenue so far this year according to Alinea Analytics market analysis lead Rhys Elliott – and Crimson Desert was its most lucrative new IP by far.
Elliott describes Steam as "Valve's functional monopoly on the PC market" in a new Substack post breaking down its 2026 earnings, which are up around 15% from 2025. Actually, Steam appears to be on track for a historic payday; Elliott explains, "The first eight months of this year have already leapfrogged 2023's total. This year will almost certainly end well above $20 billion for the first time."
