Steam revenue reaches $11.1 billion in H1 2026, driven by Chinese market growth

Record Revenue for Steam

Valve's Steam platform reportedly grossed $11.1 billion in the first half of 2026, marking its most profitable period yet.

This figure represents a 14.5% increase over the same period in 2025 and exceeds the previous record of $10.3 billion set in H2 2025.

Key Contributing Factors

Research from Alinea Analytics outlines five major factors that contributed to this growth: an influx of Chinese players, increased pricing, popular cooperative game titles, improved categorization of legacy games by publishers, and a return of some third-party publishers to Steam.

The trend towards digital game sales has intensified, exemplified by Sony's decision to cease production of physical PlayStation discs by 2028.

Long-Term Growth Trends

Steam has demonstrated consistent revenue growth over the past decade, with projections indicating that even market downturns are often followed by recoveries.

In the first half of 2017, Steam generated approximately $2.5 billion, showcasing an increase to 4.7 times that figure by 2026.

Impact of Older Titles

For the first half of 2026, new releases accounted for only 21% of total revenue, indicating a strong reliance on established titles from previous years. "Forza Horizon 6," "Resident Evil Requiem," and "Crimson Desert" were highlighted as top drivers of this explosive growth, each earning nearly $200 million.