For the last two decades, Valve’s Steam has grown into a gigantic hub for distributing PC games. It’s become one of the most important marketplaces in the entire gaming industry. Now, a new poll suggests that a majority of developers believe that Steam has a monopoly on the PC gaming business. But that doesn’t seem to be stopping any of the companies from using Steam.
Atomik Research has shared the findings of its survey, “The State of PC Game Distribution,” through the PC distribution platform Rokky (via GamesIndustry.biz). The survey was conducted in May of this year with responses from 306 industry executives in the United States and the United Kingdom.
According to the results, 72% of all responding executives felt that Steam has a monopoly on the PC games market. The survey participants also acknowledged that Steam sales provide over 75% of their revenue. But only 32% of responding executives said that their companies still support physical media of some form.
It’s interesting to see the results of the poll on Steam’s influence in the PC gaming landscape. Valve has certainly established a significant presence over the years. This discussion highlights the evolving dynamics of game distribution which is always worth exploring.
Absolutely, the poll highlights just how central Steam has become to PC gaming. It’s also worth considering how its ecosystem impacts indie developers, as many rely heavily on its platform for visibility and sales.