Study: 72% of Developers Believe Steam Has Effectively Monopolized the PC Gaming Market

A new study conducted by Atomik Research for the platform Rokky reveals that 72% of developers believe Steam holds a de facto monopoly over the PC gaming market. More than half of respondents admitted they’re heavily dependent on Valve’s service as their primary distribution channel.

The survey included 306 executives from game studios in the UK and the US, with 77% representing teams of over 50 employees. For most studios (75%), Steam accounts for more than 75% of their total revenue.

Despite Steam’s dominance, some developers are seeking alternatives. About 48% have experimented with releasing games on Epic Games Store and Xbox PC Store, while 10% used GOG and 8% turned to Itch.io. Others mentioned platforms like Fanatical and Humble Bundle, where, they say, it’s easier to manage pricing and receive marketing support.

Interestingly, 32% of respondents still release their games in physical formats — on discs, cartridges, or as boxed digital codes. Some also sell via gray-market platforms like G2A and Kinguin, though many fear losing control over their distribution.

According to forecasts, 80% of studios plan to diversify sales channels beyond Steam within the next five years, and 75% expect at least a 10% revenue increase from doing so.

Rokky co-founder Vadim Andreev emphasized that “PC game distribution has become more diverse and complex than ever before,” adding that “new opportunities are emerging everywhere — along with new risks.”

Earlier, a PC Gamer expert discussed the collapse of Amazon, Google, and Microsoft’s ambitions to challenge Steam — as even Amazon’s once-promising MMO New World has now been discontinued.