Crusader Kings III Steam key art
Crusader Kings III cover art

Steam revenue analysis

Crusader Kings III Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

Paradox Development Studio · Paradox Interactive

$114.8MEst. Gross Revenue

3,426,543 estimated sales, 90% positive reviews, and $88,803,940.06 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Rpg90% Positive$49.99MC 91

Revenue Overview

$114.8M

Gross Revenue

$88.8M

Developer Revenue

3,426,543

Est. Copies Sold

$19.1M

Revenue / Year (avg. 6 yr)

$85MLow estimate
$114.8MBest estimate
$255MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$114,754,925
Steam Platform Fee(22.6%)
−$25,950,985
Developer Revenue
$88,803,940

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 77.4%($88,803,940)Steam: 22.6%($25,950,985)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$3,000,000
Tier 2 ($10M–$50M) (25%)$10,000,000
Tier 3 ($50M+) (20%)$12,950,985

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

How we estimate this

90%positive
126,909Total Reviews
114,218positive (90%)
12,691negative (10%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    126,909 reviews and a 90% 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 Crusader Kings III, 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 $50, we estimate a realized average sale price of $33 to account for discounting over time.

  4. 4

    Translate gross revenue into developer revenue

    We then apply Steam's effective fee rate of 22.6%. That turns an estimated $114,754,925 in gross revenue into roughly $88,803,940 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$33.49

List price $49.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×27

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

22.6%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for Crusader Kings III 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 $33 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: $114,754,925

To developer

$88,803,940

To developer: 77.4%

$88,803,940

Platform fee: 22.6%

$25,950,985

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $114,754,925

To developer

$101,104,334

To developer: 88.1%

$101,104,334

Platform fee: 11.9%

$13,650,591

Epic: 0% on the first $1M in annual per-app revenue, then 12%. Effective here: 11.9%.

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $114,754,925

To developer

$80,328,448

To developer: 70.0%

$80,328,448

Platform fee: 30.0%

$34,426,478

* 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 Rpg
11%

Top 11% of Rpg games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

38

Top Games Tracked

$11.5M

Median (tracked top games)

$63M

Mean (tracked top games)

Crusader Kings III ranks in the top 11% of 38 tracked rpg top-sellers, with estimated revenue 10× 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

151.4h avg41.2h median

151.4h

Average Playtime

41.2h

Median Playtime

11.4h

Recent Activity (2 Weeks)

A median playtime of 41.2h and average of 151.4h suggest a dedicated core community playing this rpg game well beyond the typical player.

Current Activity8% still active

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

DeveloperParadox Development Studio
PublisherParadox Interactive
Release DateAugust 31, 2020
Years on Market6 years
Current Price$49.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$33.49
GenreRpg
Peak Players14,302
SteamSpy Owners2,000,000 .. 5,000,000

Features

Single-playerMulti-playerPvPOnline PvPSteam AchievementsSteam Trading CardsSteam WorkshopAdjustable Text SizeCamera ComfortCustom Volume ControlsAdjustable DifficultyMouse Only OptionPlayable without Timed InputSave AnytimeSteam CloudRemote Play on TabletFamily Sharing

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has Crusader Kings III earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate Crusader Kings III's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $114,754,925.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $85,003,648
  • Calibrated midpoint (x27): $114,754,925
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $255,010,945

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

How many copies has Crusader Kings III sold on Steam?

With 126,909 Steam reviews and a 90% positive rating, we estimate Crusader Kings III has sold between 2,538,180 and 7,614,540 copies, with a best estimate of 3,426,543.

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 Paradox Development Studio earn from Crusader Kings III?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 22.6%, Paradox Development Studio keeps an estimated $88,803,940 from Crusader Kings III's gross revenue of $114,754,925.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $114,754,925
  • Steam's Fee (22.6%): -$25,950,985
  • Developer Revenue: $88,803,940

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

What percentage does Steam take from Crusader Kings III?

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 Crusader Kings III, with an estimated gross revenue of $114,754,925, this results in an effective rate of 22.6%. Steam keeps approximately $25,950,985 and Paradox Development Studio receives $88,803,940.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for Crusader Kings III?

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 ($85,003,648 to $255,010,945) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x27) and a calibrated ASP of $33.

What would Crusader Kings III earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If Crusader Kings III generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, Paradox Development Studio would keep approximately $101,104,334 - that's $12,300,394 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $13,650,591. 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 $80,328,448.

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 Crusader Kings III?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 151.4 hours in Crusader Kings III, with a median playtime of 41.2 hours. The large gap between average and median suggests a dedicated core community playing well beyond the typical player.

What is Crusader Kings III's Metacritic score?

Crusader Kings III has a Metacritic score of 91/100, which is considered "generally favorable" by critics. The Steam community rates the game 90% positive based on 126,909 user reviews.