DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin Steam key art
DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin cover art

Steam revenue analysis

DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

FromSoftware, Inc. · Bandai Namco Entertainment

$75.5MEst. Gross Revenue

3,851,430 estimated sales, 84% positive reviews, and $57,390,422.40 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Action84% Positive$39.99MC 79

Revenue Overview

$75.5M

Gross Revenue

$57.4M

Developer Revenue

3,851,430

Est. Copies Sold

$6.9M

Revenue / Year (avg. 11 yr)

$45.8MLow estimate
$75.5MBest estimate
$137.3MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$75,488,028
Steam Platform Fee(24.0%)
−$18,097,606
Developer Revenue
$57,390,422

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 76.0%($57,390,422)Steam: 24.0%($18,097,606)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$3,000,000
Tier 2 ($10M–$50M) (25%)$10,000,000
Tier 3 ($50M+) (20%)$5,097,606

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

How we estimate this

84%positive
116,710Total Reviews
98,036positive (84%)
18,674negative (16%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    116,710 reviews and a 84% 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 DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin, we use a midpoint multiplier of ×33 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 $20 to account for discounting over time.

  4. 4

    Translate gross revenue into developer revenue

    We then apply Steam's effective fee rate of 24.0%. That turns an estimated $75,488,028 in gross revenue into roughly $57,390,422 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$19.60

List price $39.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×33

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

24.0%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin use the Boxleiter method with a broad range from x20 to x60. For the best estimate we use a calibrated midpoint of x33 and a calibrated average sale price of $20 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: $75,488,028

To developer

$57,390,422

To developer: 76.0%

$57,390,422

Platform fee: 24.0%

$18,097,606

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $75,488,028

To developer

$66,549,465

To developer: 88.2%

$66,549,465

Platform fee: 11.8%

$8,938,563

Epic: 0% on the first $1M in annual per-app revenue, then 12%. Effective here: 11.8%.

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $75,488,028

To developer

$52,841,620

To developer: 70.0%

$52,841,620

Platform fee: 30.0%

$22,646,408

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

Genre Market Position

Top 5% by revenue in Action
5%

Top 5% of Action games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

2,141

Top Games Tracked

$6M

Median (tracked top games)

$20.8M

Mean (tracked top games)

DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin ranks in the top 5% of 2141 tracked action top-sellers, with estimated revenue 13× 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

60.1h avg32.9h median

60.1h

Average Playtime

32.9h

Median Playtime

2.6h

Recent Activity (2 Weeks)

DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin keeps players engaged for an average of 60.1 hours – solid engagement for a action game.

Current Activity4% still active

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

DeveloperFromSoftware, Inc.
PublisherBandai Namco Entertainment
Release DateMarch 31, 2015
Years on Market11 years
Current Price$39.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$19.60
GenreAction
Peak Players1,612
SteamSpy Owners2,000,000 .. 5,000,000

Features

Single-playerMulti-playerCo-opSteam AchievementsFull controller supportRemote Play on PhoneRemote Play on TabletRemote Play on TVFamily Sharing

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $75,488,028.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $45,750,320
  • Calibrated midpoint (x33): $75,488,028
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $137,250,960

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

How many copies has DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin sold on Steam?

With 116,710 Steam reviews and a 84% positive rating, we estimate DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin has sold between 2,334,200 and 7,002,600 copies, with a best estimate of 3,851,430.

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 x33 that adjusts for the title's age, price tier, genre, and review profile.

How much does FromSoftware, Inc. earn from DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 24.0%, FromSoftware, Inc. keeps an estimated $57,390,422 from DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin's gross revenue of $75,488,028.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $75,488,028
  • Steam's Fee (24.0%): -$18,097,606
  • Developer Revenue: $57,390,422

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

What percentage does Steam take from DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin?

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 DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin, with an estimated gross revenue of $75,488,028, this results in an effective rate of 24.0%. Steam keeps approximately $18,097,606 and FromSoftware, Inc. receives $57,390,422.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin?

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 ($45,750,320 to $137,250,960) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x33) and a calibrated ASP of $20.

What would DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, FromSoftware, Inc. would keep approximately $66,549,465 - that's $9,159,042 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $8,938,563. 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 $52,841,620.

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 DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 60.1 hours in DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin, with a median playtime of 32.9 hours. This indicates solid player engagement.

What is DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin's Metacritic score?

DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin has a Metacritic score of 79/100, which is considered "generally favorable" by critics. The Steam community rates the game 84% positive based on 116,710 user reviews.