Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) Steam key art
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) cover art

Steam revenue analysis

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games · Activision

$36MEst. Gross Revenue

948,825 estimated sales, 89% positive reviews, and $26,534,396.31 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Action89% Positive$39.99

Revenue Overview

$36M

Gross Revenue

$26.5M

Developer Revenue

948,825

Est. Copies Sold

$36M

Revenue / Year (avg. 1 yr)

$28.8MLow estimate
$36MBest estimate
$86.5MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$36,045,862
− Steam Platform Fee(26.4%)
−$9,511,465
Developer Revenue
$26,534,396

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 73.6%($26,534,396)Steam: 26.4%($9,511,465)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$3,000,000
Tier 2 ($10M–$50M) (25%)$6,511,465
Tier 3 ($50M+) (20%)—

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

How we estimate this

89%positive
37,953Total Reviews
33,778positive (89%)
4,175negative (11%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    37,953 reviews and a 89% 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 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011), 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 $40, 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 26.4%. That turns an estimated $36,045,862 in gross revenue into roughly $26,534,396 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$37.99

List price $39.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×25

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

26.4%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) 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: $36,045,862

To developer

$26,534,396

To developer: 73.6%

$26,534,396

Platform fee: 26.4%

$9,511,465

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $36,045,862

To developer

$31,840,358

To developer: 88.3%

$31,840,358

Platform fee: 11.7%

$4,205,503

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

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $36,045,862

To developer

$25,232,103

To developer: 70.0%

$25,232,103

Platform fee: 30.0%

$10,813,759

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

Genre Market Position

Top 12% by revenue in Action
12%

Top 12% of Action games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

2,141

Top Games Tracked

$6M

Median (tracked top games)

$20.8M

Mean (tracked top games)

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) ranks in the top 12% of 2141 tracked action top-sellers, with estimated revenue 6× 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.

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

DeveloperInfinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games
PublisherActivision
Release Date—
Years on Market1 year
Current Price$39.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$37.99
GenreAction
SteamSpy Owners2,000,000 .. 5,000,000
SteamView on Store

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)'s total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $36,045,862.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $28,836,689
  • Calibrated midpoint (x25): $36,045,862
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $86,510,068

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

How many copies has Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) sold on Steam?

With 37,953 Steam reviews and a 89% positive rating, we estimate Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) has sold between 759,060 and 2,277,180 copies, with a best estimate of 948,825.

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 Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games earn from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 26.4%, Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games keeps an estimated $26,534,396 from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)'s gross revenue of $36,045,862.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $36,045,862
  • Steam's Fee (26.4%): -$9,511,465
  • Developer Revenue: $26,534,396

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

What percentage does Steam take from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)?

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 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011), with an estimated gross revenue of $36,045,862, this results in an effective rate of 26.4%. Steam keeps approximately $9,511,465 and Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games receives $26,534,396.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)?

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 ($28,836,689 to $86,510,068) 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 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games would keep approximately $31,840,358 - that's $5,305,962 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $4,205,503. 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 $25,232,103.

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