Do indie games on Steam make money?

91.5% of all titles earned less than $250,000; 96% of all games generated less than $1,000,000.

How much do small indie games make on Steam?

According to VG Insights, only 15% of all solo game developers take home more than $100,000 annually. VG Insights also reported that only the top 5% of indie games released each year make over half a million dollars each, and the average game only makes $13,000.

Do indie games make money?

It's possible to make money off of indie games. In Eric Barone's experience, he worked diligently for four years on the beloved Stardew Valley by himself. All while holding down another job and living off of more meager savings.

How much is the average indie game on Steam?

According to his SteamSpy data, the median ("middle", not average) price of a game on Steam is $5.99; for comparison, the median price of an indie game on the platform is $3.99, and the median price of an indie game released on Steam in 2017 is $2.99.

Do games make money on Steam?

The real top earners on the platform are those that create and sell their own games. The fastest way to make money on Steam is to sell your own game. If you have already developed a game, you can bring it to the Steam platform and post it for sale.

How much MONEY I've made selling my indie GAMES on STEAM? | Indie Game

How do free games make money Steam?

Sometimes free games have trading cards on Steam and the developer makes money whenever a trading trade is sold or traded. There could be something with that. You can't add steam trading cards to a game that's free/has no microtransactions.

Is Steam a good place to sell games?

Whether you're an up-and-coming game developer or experienced video game enthusiast, Steam presents one of the best platforms for you to make good money selling your game. However, it can take quite a while before you can finally market your game on Steam, and the process can be a little bit daunting.

What percentage of indie games are successful?

Yes, only 3% of indie developers ever make more than $1m, but that's still over 1,500 indies who have done so. Let's see what they do that others don't.

Who is the richest indie game developer?

1 Minecraft

The success of Minecraft did so well that Notch ended up selling Mojang to Microsoft for a $2.5 billion cash deal. This makes him the richest indie game developer.

How do indie games succeed?

Spend a lot of time on marketing and community building.

Ultimately, this is the key to success. Everything else is a waste of time if you don't nail this. None of the top selling indie games did it without a great marketing strategy.

Why are indie games so successful?

Indie developers do not have the opportunity to create large and technological games, so they make games with unique gameplay. As a result, indie games are small in size, have low system requirements, and have extraordinary gameplay.

How to monetize indie games?

Is it worth becoming an indie game developer?

Some of the most captivating and innovative video game experiences have come from passionate and dedicated indie developers. So to say that small game projects can't be good is a lie. However, as an indie developer you'll never get the chance to work on the biggest projects in the industry.

How much does it cost to start an indie game?

An average indie game will cost between $50,000 and $700,000 to make, from start to finish. A single developer usually makes titles that cost around $50,000 and take up to a year to finish. Naturally, as the project complexity increases, the team size and costs will increase as well.

How much funding does an indie game need?

The average cost to make an indie game is about $250,000, but some small projects can cost as low as nothing + time you spend on development.

How much money does Steam make per game?

Steam Cut. Steam takes its 30% cut, although some developers may have negotiated a smaller cut, for example for exclusivity. But this number is probably the standard for indie game developers. Steam also has a 100$ fee per game, which may be more relevant for lower numbers.

Why do some indie games fail?

Indie games fail sometimes because of a poor marketing strategy: Either the team didn't build an audience or didn't find a way to interest the gaming world enough to make it play the game. The second reason comes from the game itself: The lack of game design skills or the level of immersion is too low.

Why are indie games so much better than AAA games?

Another fundamental difference between AAA studios and indie studios is the amount of money invested in each. AAA studios tend to have multimillion-dollar budgets, whereas indie studios have a much slimmer budget, often relying on crowdfunding, like Kickstarter or Indiegogo, to help finance their projects.

How hard is it to sell a game on Steam?

As long as your game complies with the Steam Terms of Service, you will only need to create an account and pay a one-time fee of US$100 to publish your game on Steam. They will, however, give you the money back if your game makes $1,000 in gross revenue from sales on the Steam store.

How to profit on Steam?

How much does it cost to put a game on Steam?

Steam Publishing Costs

Steam charges a fee of $100 for each game you submit on Steam Direct. Although nonrefundable, this fee can be recouped once your product has generated at least $1,000 adjusted gross revenue from the Steam Store and in-app purchases.

How do free games make money without ads?

Freemium. Most mobile apps are now monetized through the freemium model as it enables the product to drive the marketing. Users are enticed to join and experience the features at no upfront cost. If they like it, they'll stick around.

How do Steam developers make money?

Most company revenue comes from the commissions Steam charges on the sale of a game. The exact commission depends on the game's net sales volume: Net sales volume of under $10 million – 30% commission. Net sales volume between $10-50 million – 25% commission.