Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Steam key art
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel cover art

Steam revenue analysis

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

2K Australia, Gearbox Software, Aspyr (Linux) · 2K, Aspyr (Linux)

$40.2MEst. Gross Revenue

1,059,475 estimated sales, 79% positive reviews, and $29,687,091.44 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Action79% Positive$3.99MC 75

Revenue Overview

$40.2M

Gross Revenue

$29.7M

Developer Revenue

1,059,475

Est. Copies Sold

$40.2M

Revenue / Year (avg. 1 yr)

$32.2MLow estimate
$40.2MBest estimate
$96.6MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$40,249,455
− Steam Platform Fee(26.2%)
−$10,562,364
Developer Revenue
$29,687,091

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 73.8%($29,687,091)Steam: 26.2%($10,562,364)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$3,000,000
Tier 2 ($10M–$50M) (25%)$7,562,364
Tier 3 ($50M+) (20%)—

More context in the Steam game revenue hub or in the Steam revenue calculator.

How we estimate this

79%positive
42,379Total Reviews
33,479positive (79%)
8,900negative (21%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    42,379 reviews and a 79% positive rating are used as the starting point because Steam review counts correlate strongly with paid ownership.

  2. 2

    Apply a calibrated Boxleiter multiplier

    For Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, we use a midpoint multiplier of ×25 and show a wider range from ×20 to ×60 to reflect uncertainty.

  3. 3

    Use a realistic realized sale price instead of only list price

    Rather than relying only on the current price of $4, we estimate a realized average sale price of $38 to account for discounting over time.

  4. 4

    Translate gross revenue into developer revenue

    We then apply Steam's effective fee rate of 26.2%. That turns an estimated $40,249,455 in gross revenue into roughly $29,687,091 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$37.99

List price $3.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×25

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

26.2%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel use the Boxleiter method with a broad range from x20 to x60. For the best estimate we use a calibrated midpoint of x25 and a calibrated average sale price of $38 instead of a flat 30x/0.75 model. Factors like age, price tier, discount history, genre, and review profile all affect the true reviews-to-sales ratio.

Platform Comparison

Hypothetical: What would the developer earn at the same gross revenue?

Steam

Gross revenue baseline: $40,249,455

To developer

$29,687,091

To developer: 73.8%

$29,687,091

Platform fee: 26.2%

$10,562,364

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $40,249,455

To developer

$35,539,521

To developer: 88.3%

$35,539,521

Platform fee: 11.7%

$4,709,935

Epic: 0% on the first $1M in annual per-app revenue, then 12%. Effective here: 11.7%.

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $40,249,455

To developer

$28,174,619

To developer: 70.0%

$28,174,619

Platform fee: 30.0%

$12,074,837

* Actual sales on Epic and GOG are not estimated. Steam's larger user base typically drives substantially higher sales volumes.

Genre Market Position

Top 11% by revenue in Action
11%

Top 11% of Action games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

2,141

Top Games Tracked

$6M

Median (tracked top games)

$20.8M

Mean (tracked top games)

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel ranks in the top 11% of 2141 tracked action top-sellers, with estimated revenue 7× this group's median.

Baseline: HelpfulCalculator's curated set of top-grossing Steam games, not the entire Steam catalog. Niche genres may have small samples.

Playtime & Engagement

23.2h avg8h median

23.2h

Average Playtime

8h

Median Playtime

3.3h

Recent Activity (2 Weeks)

A median playtime of 8h and average of 23.2h suggest a dedicated core community playing this action game well beyond the typical player.

Current Activity14% still active

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

Developer2K Australia, Gearbox Software, Aspyr (Linux)
Publisher2K, Aspyr (Linux)
Release Date—
Years on Market1 year
Current Price$3.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$37.99
GenreAction
Peak Players437
SteamSpy Owners2,000,000 .. 5,000,000
SteamView on Store

Features

Single-playerMulti-playerCo-opSteam AchievementsFull controller supportSteam Trading CardsSteam CloudRemote Play on TVFamily Sharing

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $40,249,455.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $32,199,564
  • Calibrated midpoint (x25): $40,249,455
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $96,598,693

The actual revenue may vary due to regional pricing, seasonal discounts, and refund rates.

How many copies has Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel sold on Steam?

With 42,379 Steam reviews and a 79% positive rating, we estimate Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel has sold between 847,580 and 2,542,740 copies, with a best estimate of 1,059,475.

This is based on the Boxleiter method, which uses the observation that roughly 1 in every 20 to 60 buyers leaves a Steam review. For the midpoint we do not assume a universal 30x value; we use a calibrated multiplier of x25 that adjusts for the title's age, price tier, genre, and review profile.

How much does 2K Australia, Gearbox Software, Aspyr (Linux) earn from Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 26.2%, 2K Australia, Gearbox Software, Aspyr (Linux) keeps an estimated $29,687,091 from Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel's gross revenue of $40,249,455.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $40,249,455
  • Steam's Fee (26.2%): -$10,562,364
  • Developer Revenue: $29,687,091

Note: This doesn't account for publisher shares, taxes, or development costs.

What percentage does Steam take from Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel?

Steam uses a tiered revenue sharing model that reduces the platform's cut as a game earns more:

  • First $10 million: 30% to Steam, 70% to developer
  • $10M to $50M: 25% to Steam, 75% to developer
  • Above $50M: 20% to Steam, 80% to developer

For Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, with an estimated gross revenue of $40,249,455, this results in an effective rate of 26.2%. Steam keeps approximately $10,562,364 and 2K Australia, Gearbox Software, Aspyr (Linux) receives $29,687,091.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel?

These estimates use the Boxleiter method, a widely-used industry approach that estimates game sales from the number of Steam reviews.

Factors that affect accuracy:

  • Review-to-purchase ratio varies by genre
  • Discount history - games with frequent deep sales may have higher ratios
  • Regional pricing - different prices in different markets are not captured
  • Refunds - Steam's return policy means some counted sales were refunded
  • Bundled sales - keys sold through third-party bundles may not generate reviews

We provide a confidence range ($32,199,564 to $96,598,693) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x25) and a calibrated ASP of $38.

What would Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, 2K Australia, Gearbox Software, Aspyr (Linux) would keep approximately $35,539,521 - that's $5,852,429 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $4,709,935. Epic charges 0% on the first $1 million in annual per-app revenue and then 12% on the remaining amount. On GOG (30% cut), the developer would earn approximately $28,174,619.

Note: This is a hypothetical comparison. Actual sales volumes differ significantly between platforms, and Steam's larger user base typically drives substantially higher sales.

How long do players spend in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 23.2 hours in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, with a median playtime of 8 hours. The large gap between average and median suggests a dedicated core community playing well beyond the typical player.

What is Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel's Metacritic score?

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel has a Metacritic score of 75/100, which is considered "generally favorable" by critics. The Steam community rates the game 79% positive based on 42,379 user reviews.