Bus Simulator 18 Steam key art
Bus Simulator 18 cover art

Steam revenue analysis

Bus Simulator 18 Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

stillalive studios · astragon Entertainment

$3.9MEst. Gross Revenue

459,795 estimated sales, 81% positive reviews, and $2,748,654.51 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Simulation81% Positive$14.99

Revenue Overview

$3.9M

Gross Revenue

$2.7M

Developer Revenue

459,795

Est. Copies Sold

$490.8K

Revenue / Year (avg. 8 yr)

$2.2MLow estimate
$3.9MBest estimate
$6.7MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$3,926,649
Steam Platform Fee(30.0%)
−$1,177,995
Developer Revenue
$2,748,655

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 70.0%($2,748,655)Steam: 30.0%($1,177,995)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$1,177,995
Tier 2 ($10M–$50M) (25%)
Tier 3 ($50M+) (20%)

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

How we estimate this

81%positive
13,137Total Reviews
10,641positive (81%)
2,496negative (19%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    13,137 reviews and a 81% 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 Bus Simulator 18, we use a midpoint multiplier of ×35 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 $15, we estimate a realized average sale price of $9 to account for discounting over time.

  4. 4

    Translate gross revenue into developer revenue

    We then apply Steam's effective fee rate of 30.0%. That turns an estimated $3,926,649 in gross revenue into roughly $2,748,655 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$8.54

List price $14.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×35

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

30.0%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for Bus Simulator 18 use the Boxleiter method with a broad range from x20 to x60. For the best estimate we use a calibrated midpoint of x35 and a calibrated average sale price of $9 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: $3,926,649

To developer

$2,748,655

To developer: 70.0%

$2,748,655

Platform fee: 30.0%

$1,177,995

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $3,926,649

To developer

$3,575,451

To developer: 91.1%

$3,575,451

Platform fee: 8.9%

$351,198

Epic: 0% on the first $1M in annual per-app revenue, then 12%. Effective here: 8.9%.

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $3,926,649

To developer

$2,748,655

To developer: 70.0%

$2,748,655

Platform fee: 30.0%

$1,177,995

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

Genre Market Position

Top 75% by revenue in Simulation
75%

Top 75% of Simulation games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

40

Top Games Tracked

$17.6M

Median (tracked top games)

$45.4M

Mean (tracked top games)

Bus Simulator 18 ranks in the top 75% of 40 tracked simulation top-sellers.

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

Playtime & Engagement

22.9h avg9.3h median

22.9h

Average Playtime

9.3h

Median Playtime

A median playtime of 9.3h and average of 22.9h suggest a dedicated core community playing this simulation game well beyond the typical player.

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

Developerstillalive studios
Publisherastragon Entertainment
Release DateJune 12, 2018
Years on Market8 years
Current Price$14.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$8.54
GenreSimulation
Peak Players45
SteamSpy Owners500,000 .. 1,000,000

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has Bus Simulator 18 earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate Bus Simulator 18's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $3,926,649.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $2,243,800
  • Calibrated midpoint (x35): $3,926,649
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $6,731,399

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

How many copies has Bus Simulator 18 sold on Steam?

With 13,137 Steam reviews and a 81% positive rating, we estimate Bus Simulator 18 has sold between 262,740 and 788,220 copies, with a best estimate of 459,795.

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 x35 that adjusts for the title's age, price tier, genre, and review profile.

How much does stillalive studios earn from Bus Simulator 18?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 30.0%, stillalive studios keeps an estimated $2,748,655 from Bus Simulator 18's gross revenue of $3,926,649.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $3,926,649
  • Steam's Fee (30.0%): -$1,177,995
  • Developer Revenue: $2,748,655

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

What percentage does Steam take from Bus Simulator 18?

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 Bus Simulator 18, with an estimated gross revenue of $3,926,649, this results in an effective rate of 30.0%. Steam keeps approximately $1,177,995 and stillalive studios receives $2,748,655.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for Bus Simulator 18?

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 ($2,243,800 to $6,731,399) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x35) and a calibrated ASP of $9.

What would Bus Simulator 18 earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If Bus Simulator 18 generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, stillalive studios would keep approximately $3,575,451 - that's $826,797 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $351,198. 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 $2,748,655.

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 Bus Simulator 18?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 22.9 hours in Bus Simulator 18, with a median playtime of 9.3 hours. The large gap between average and median suggests a dedicated core community playing well beyond the typical player.