Dead Cells Steam key art
Dead Cells cover art

Steam revenue analysis

Dead Cells Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

Motion Twin

$67.1MEst. Gross Revenue

4,885,456 estimated sales, 97% positive reviews, and $50,700,932.35 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Action97% Positive$24.99MC 89

Revenue Overview

$67.1M

Gross Revenue

$50.7M

Developer Revenue

4,885,456

Est. Copies Sold

$8.4M

Revenue / Year (avg. 8 yr)

$46.3MLow estimate
$67.1MBest estimate
$138.9MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$67,126,165
Steam Platform Fee(24.5%)
−$16,425,233
Developer Revenue
$50,700,932

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 75.5%($50,700,932)Steam: 24.5%($16,425,233)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$3,000,000
Tier 2 ($10M–$50M) (25%)$10,000,000
Tier 3 ($50M+) (20%)$3,425,233

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

How we estimate this

97%positive
168,464Total Reviews
163,410positive (97%)
5,054negative (3%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    168,464 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 Dead Cells, we use a midpoint multiplier of ×29 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 $25, we estimate a realized average sale price of $14 to account for discounting over time.

  4. 4

    Translate gross revenue into developer revenue

    We then apply Steam's effective fee rate of 24.5%. That turns an estimated $67,126,165 in gross revenue into roughly $50,700,932 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$13.74

List price $24.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×29

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

24.5%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for Dead Cells use the Boxleiter method with a broad range from x20 to x60. For the best estimate we use a calibrated midpoint of x29 and a calibrated average sale price of $14 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: $67,126,165

To developer

$50,700,932

To developer: 75.5%

$50,700,932

Platform fee: 24.5%

$16,425,233

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $67,126,165

To developer

$59,191,026

To developer: 88.2%

$59,191,026

Platform fee: 11.8%

$7,935,140

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

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $67,126,165

To developer

$46,988,316

To developer: 70.0%

$46,988,316

Platform fee: 30.0%

$20,137,850

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

Genre Market Position

Top 6% by revenue in Action
6%

Top 6% of Action games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

2,141

Top Games Tracked

$6M

Median (tracked top games)

$20.8M

Mean (tracked top games)

Dead Cells ranks in the top 6% of 2141 tracked action top-sellers, with estimated revenue 11× 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

34.7h avg15.1h median

34.7h

Average Playtime

15.1h

Median Playtime

7.9h

Recent Activity (2 Weeks)

A median playtime of 15.1h and average of 34.7h suggest a dedicated core community playing this action game well beyond the typical player.

Current Activity23% still active

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

DeveloperMotion Twin
PublisherMotion Twin
Release DateAugust 5, 2018
Years on Market8 years
Current Price$24.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$13.74
GenreAction
Peak Players2,559
SteamSpy Owners5,000,000 .. 10,000,000

Features

Single-playerSteam AchievementsFull controller supportSteam Trading CardsSteam WorkshopSteam CloudRemote Play on PhoneRemote Play on TabletRemote Play on TVFamily Sharing

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has Dead Cells earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate Dead Cells's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $67,126,165.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $46,293,907
  • Calibrated midpoint (x29): $67,126,165
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $138,881,722

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

How many copies has Dead Cells sold on Steam?

With 168,464 Steam reviews and a 97% positive rating, we estimate Dead Cells has sold between 3,369,280 and 10,107,840 copies, with a best estimate of 4,885,456.

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 x29 that adjusts for the title's age, price tier, genre, and review profile.

How much does Motion Twin earn from Dead Cells?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 24.5%, Motion Twin keeps an estimated $50,700,932 from Dead Cells's gross revenue of $67,126,165.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $67,126,165
  • Steam's Fee (24.5%): -$16,425,233
  • Developer Revenue: $50,700,932

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

What percentage does Steam take from Dead Cells?

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 Dead Cells, with an estimated gross revenue of $67,126,165, this results in an effective rate of 24.5%. Steam keeps approximately $16,425,233 and Motion Twin receives $50,700,932.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for Dead Cells?

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 ($46,293,907 to $138,881,722) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x29) and a calibrated ASP of $14.

What would Dead Cells earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If Dead Cells generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, Motion Twin would keep approximately $59,191,026 - that's $8,490,093 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $7,935,140. 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 $46,988,316.

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 Dead Cells?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 34.7 hours in Dead Cells, with a median playtime of 15.1 hours. The large gap between average and median suggests a dedicated core community playing well beyond the typical player.

What is Dead Cells's Metacritic score?

Dead Cells has a Metacritic score of 89/100, which is considered "generally favorable" by critics. The Steam community rates the game 97% positive based on 168,464 user reviews.