Carto Steam key art
Carto cover art

Steam revenue analysis

Carto Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

Sunhead Games · Balor Games

$3.5MEst. Gross Revenue

264,771 estimated sales, 97% positive reviews, and $2,444,630.64 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Adventure97% Positive$19.99

Revenue Overview

$3.5M

Gross Revenue

$2.4M

Developer Revenue

264,771

Est. Copies Sold

$582.1K

Revenue / Year (avg. 6 yr)

$2.3MLow estimate
$3.5MBest estimate
$6.8MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$3,492,329
Steam Platform Fee(30.0%)
−$1,047,699
Developer Revenue
$2,444,631

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 70.0%($2,444,631)Steam: 30.0%($1,047,699)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$1,047,699
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

97%positive
8,541Total Reviews
8,285positive (97%)
256negative (3%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    8,541 reviews and a 97% 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 Carto, we use a midpoint multiplier of ×31 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 $20, we estimate a realized average sale price of $13 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 $3,492,329 in gross revenue into roughly $2,444,631 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$13.19

List price $19.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×31

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

30.0%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for Carto use the Boxleiter method with a broad range from x20 to x60. For the best estimate we use a calibrated midpoint of x31 and a calibrated average sale price of $13 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: $3,492,329

To developer

$2,444,631

To developer: 70.0%

$2,444,631

Platform fee: 30.0%

$1,047,699

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $3,492,329

To developer

$3,193,250

To developer: 91.4%

$3,193,250

Platform fee: 8.6%

$299,080

Epic: 0% on the first $1M in annual per-app revenue, then 12%. Effective here: 8.6%.

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $3,492,329

To developer

$2,444,631

To developer: 70.0%

$2,444,631

Platform fee: 30.0%

$1,047,699

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

Genre Market Position

Top 67% by revenue in Adventure
67%

Top 67% of Adventure games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

116

Top Games Tracked

$5.8M

Median (tracked top games)

$23.2M

Mean (tracked top games)

Carto ranks in the top 67% of 116 tracked adventure 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

4.8h avg3.7h median

4.8h

Average Playtime

3.7h

Median Playtime

Carto keeps players engaged for an average of 4.8 hours – solid engagement for a adventure game.

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

DeveloperSunhead Games
PublisherBalor Games
Release DateOctober 26, 2020
Years on Market6 years
Current Price$19.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$13.19
GenreAdventure
Peak Players46
SteamSpy Owners100,000 .. 200,000

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has Carto earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate Carto's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $3,492,329.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $2,253,116
  • Calibrated midpoint (x31): $3,492,329
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $6,759,347

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

How many copies has Carto sold on Steam?

With 8,541 Steam reviews and a 97% positive rating, we estimate Carto has sold between 170,820 and 512,460 copies, with a best estimate of 264,771.

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 x31 that adjusts for the title's age, price tier, genre, and review profile.

How much does Sunhead Games earn from Carto?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 30.0%, Sunhead Games keeps an estimated $2,444,631 from Carto's gross revenue of $3,492,329.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $3,492,329
  • Steam's Fee (30.0%): -$1,047,699
  • Developer Revenue: $2,444,631

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

What percentage does Steam take from Carto?

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 Carto, with an estimated gross revenue of $3,492,329, this results in an effective rate of 30.0%. Steam keeps approximately $1,047,699 and Sunhead Games receives $2,444,631.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for Carto?

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 ($2,253,116 to $6,759,347) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x31) and a calibrated ASP of $13.

What would Carto earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If Carto generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, Sunhead Games would keep approximately $3,193,250 - that's $748,619 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $299,080. 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 $2,444,631.

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 Carto?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 4.8 hours in Carto, with a median playtime of 3.7 hours. This indicates solid player engagement.