Caves of Qud Steam key art
Caves of Qud cover art

Steam revenue analysis

Caves of Qud Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

Freehold Games · Kitfox Games

$7.8MEst. Gross Revenue

281,070 estimated sales, 95% positive reviews, and $5,487,329.61 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Action95% Positive$29.99MC 91

Revenue Overview

$7.8M

Gross Revenue

$5.5M

Developer Revenue

281,070

Est. Copies Sold

$7.8M

Revenue / Year (avg. 1 yr)

$5.8MLow estimate
$7.8MBest estimate
$17.4MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$7,839,042
− Steam Platform Fee(30.0%)
−$2,351,713
Developer Revenue
$5,487,330

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 70.0%($5,487,330)Steam: 30.0%($2,351,713)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$2,351,713
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

95%positive
10,410Total Reviews
9,890positive (95%)
520negative (5%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    10,410 reviews and a 95% 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 Caves of Qud, we use a midpoint multiplier of ×27 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 $30, we estimate a realized average sale price of $28 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 $7,839,042 in gross revenue into roughly $5,487,330 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$27.89

List price $29.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×27

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

30.0%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for Caves of Qud use the Boxleiter method with a broad range from x20 to x60. For the best estimate we use a calibrated midpoint of x27 and a calibrated average sale price of $28 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: $7,839,042

To developer

$5,487,330

To developer: 70.0%

$5,487,330

Platform fee: 30.0%

$2,351,713

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $7,839,042

To developer

$7,018,357

To developer: 89.5%

$7,018,357

Platform fee: 10.5%

$820,685

Epic: 0% on the first $1M in annual per-app revenue, then 12%. Effective here: 10.5%.

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $7,839,042

To developer

$5,487,330

To developer: 70.0%

$5,487,330

Platform fee: 30.0%

$2,351,713

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

Genre Market Position

Top 42% by revenue in Action
42%

Top 42% of Action games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

2,141

Top Games Tracked

$6M

Median (tracked top games)

$20.8M

Mean (tracked top games)

Caves of Qud ranks in the top 42% of 2141 tracked action 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

49.5h avg8.1h median

49.5h

Average Playtime

8.1h

Median Playtime

4.4h

Recent Activity (2 Weeks)

A median playtime of 8.1h and average of 49.5h suggest a dedicated core community playing this action game well beyond the typical player.

Current Activity9% still active

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

DeveloperFreehold Games
PublisherKitfox Games
Release Date—
Years on Market1 year
Current Price$29.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$27.89
GenreAction
Peak Players425
SteamSpy Owners200,000 .. 500,000
SteamView on Store

Features

Single-playerSteam AchievementsFull controller supportSteam WorkshopSteam CloudSteam LeaderboardsIncludes level editorFamily Sharing

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has Caves of Qud earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate Caves of Qud's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $7,839,042.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $5,806,698
  • Calibrated midpoint (x27): $7,839,042
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $17,420,094

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

How many copies has Caves of Qud sold on Steam?

With 10,410 Steam reviews and a 95% positive rating, we estimate Caves of Qud has sold between 208,200 and 624,600 copies, with a best estimate of 281,070.

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 x27 that adjusts for the title's age, price tier, genre, and review profile.

How much does Freehold Games earn from Caves of Qud?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 30.0%, Freehold Games keeps an estimated $5,487,330 from Caves of Qud's gross revenue of $7,839,042.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $7,839,042
  • Steam's Fee (30.0%): -$2,351,713
  • Developer Revenue: $5,487,330

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

What percentage does Steam take from Caves of Qud?

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 Caves of Qud, with an estimated gross revenue of $7,839,042, this results in an effective rate of 30.0%. Steam keeps approximately $2,351,713 and Freehold Games receives $5,487,330.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for Caves of Qud?

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 ($5,806,698 to $17,420,094) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x27) and a calibrated ASP of $28.

What would Caves of Qud earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If Caves of Qud generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, Freehold Games would keep approximately $7,018,357 - that's $1,531,028 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $820,685. 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 $5,487,330.

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 Caves of Qud?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 49.5 hours in Caves of Qud, with a median playtime of 8.1 hours. The large gap between average and median suggests a dedicated core community playing well beyond the typical player.

What is Caves of Qud's Metacritic score?

Caves of Qud has a Metacritic score of 91/100, which is considered "generally favorable" by critics. The Steam community rates the game 95% positive based on 10,410 user reviews.