In the first half of 2026, Steam earned $11.1 billion, according to data from the analytics firm Alinea Analytics. Never before has its half-year revenue been this large.
Forza Horizon 6
Analysts report that the previous record was set in 2025, but since then, Steam's revenue has grown by 14.5%. Alinea Analytics also calculated that over the last 10 years, the store has increased its earnings nearly fivefold, and it's likely that these figures will continue to rise in the future.
According to experts, Steam is currently setting record after record due to a variety of reasons. One of them is the influx of new users from Asia, particularly from China. Additionally, the return of major publishers like Ubisoft and Electronic Arts, who experimented with their own platforms, played a role. A significant factor was also the rise in prices for new games combined with the trend of "friendslop."
However, Steam's income share from new releases is steadily declining. In 2024, games released that year accounted for 29% of the store's half-year revenue, whereas in 2026, new releases represented only 21% of the half-year revenue. This is despite an increasing number of releases each year.
As discovered by Alinea Analytics, the highest-grossing new game of 2026 on Steam so far is Forza Horizon 6 ($197.7 million). Also ranking in the top 3 are Resident Evil Requiem ($194.5 million) and Crimson Desert ($190.1 million).