Death and Taxes Steam key art
Death and Taxes cover art

Steam revenue analysis

Death and Taxes Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

Placeholder Gameworks · Placeholder Gameworks, Hawthorn Games

$2.4MEst. Gross Revenue

203,812 estimated sales, 87% positive reviews, and $1,686,340.49 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Action87% Positive$12.99

Revenue Overview

$2.4M

Gross Revenue

$1.7M

Developer Revenue

203,812

Est. Copies Sold

$2.4M

Revenue / Year (avg. 1 yr)

$1.7MLow estimate
$2.4MBest estimate
$5MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$2,409,058
− Steam Platform Fee(30.0%)
−$722,717
Developer Revenue
$1,686,340

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 70.0%($1,686,340)Steam: 30.0%($722,717)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$722,717
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

87%positive
7,028Total Reviews
6,114positive (87%)
914negative (13%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    7,028 reviews and a 87% 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 Death and Taxes, 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 $13, we estimate a realized average sale price of $12 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 $2,409,058 in gross revenue into roughly $1,686,340 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$11.82

List price $12.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×29

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

30.0%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for Death and Taxes 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 $12 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: $2,409,058

To developer

$1,686,340

To developer: 70.0%

$1,686,340

Platform fee: 30.0%

$722,717

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $2,409,058

To developer

$2,239,971

To developer: 93.0%

$2,239,971

Platform fee: 7.0%

$169,087

Epic: 0% on the first $1M in annual per-app revenue, then 12%. Effective here: 7.0%.

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $2,409,058

To developer

$1,686,340

To developer: 70.0%

$1,686,340

Platform fee: 30.0%

$722,717

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

Genre Market Position

Top 82% by revenue in Action
82%

Top 82% of Action games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

2,141

Top Games Tracked

$6M

Median (tracked top games)

$20.8M

Mean (tracked top games)

Death and Taxes ranks in the top 82% 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

3.9h avg2.8h median

3.9h

Average Playtime

2.8h

Median Playtime

Death and Taxes keeps players engaged for an average of 3.9 hours – solid engagement for a action game.

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

DeveloperPlaceholder Gameworks
PublisherPlaceholder Gameworks, Hawthorn Games
Release Date—
Years on Market1 year
Current Price$12.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$11.82
GenreAction
Peak Players30
SteamSpy Owners500,000 .. 1,000,000
SteamView on Store

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has Death and Taxes earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate Death and Taxes's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $2,409,058.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $1,661,419
  • Calibrated midpoint (x29): $2,409,058
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $4,984,258

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

How many copies has Death and Taxes sold on Steam?

With 7,028 Steam reviews and a 87% positive rating, we estimate Death and Taxes has sold between 140,560 and 421,680 copies, with a best estimate of 203,812.

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 Placeholder Gameworks earn from Death and Taxes?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 30.0%, Placeholder Gameworks keeps an estimated $1,686,340 from Death and Taxes's gross revenue of $2,409,058.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $2,409,058
  • Steam's Fee (30.0%): -$722,717
  • Developer Revenue: $1,686,340

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

What percentage does Steam take from Death and Taxes?

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 Death and Taxes, with an estimated gross revenue of $2,409,058, this results in an effective rate of 30.0%. Steam keeps approximately $722,717 and Placeholder Gameworks receives $1,686,340.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for Death and Taxes?

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 ($1,661,419 to $4,984,258) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x29) and a calibrated ASP of $12.

What would Death and Taxes earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If Death and Taxes generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, Placeholder Gameworks would keep approximately $2,239,971 - that's $553,630 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $169,087. 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 $1,686,340.

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 Death and Taxes?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 3.9 hours in Death and Taxes, with a median playtime of 2.8 hours. This indicates solid player engagement.