Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak Steam key art
Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak cover art

Steam revenue analysis

Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

Blackbird Interactive · Gearbox Publishing

$8.3MEst. Gross Revenue

315,203 estimated sales, 80% positive reviews, and $5,844,809.23 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Strategy80% Positive$4.99

Revenue Overview

$8.3M

Gross Revenue

$5.8M

Developer Revenue

315,203

Est. Copies Sold

$835K

Revenue / Year (avg. 10 yr)

$4.5MLow estimate
$8.3MBest estimate
$13.5MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$8,349,727
Steam Platform Fee(30.0%)
−$2,504,918
Developer Revenue
$5,844,809

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 70.0%($5,844,809)Steam: 30.0%($2,504,918)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$2,504,918
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

80%positive
8,519Total Reviews
6,815positive (80%)
1,704negative (20%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    8,519 reviews and a 80% 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 Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, we use a midpoint multiplier of ×37 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 $5, we estimate a realized average sale price of $26 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 $8,349,727 in gross revenue into roughly $5,844,809 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$26.49

List price $4.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×37

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

30.0%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak use the Boxleiter method with a broad range from x20 to x60. For the best estimate we use a calibrated midpoint of x37 and a calibrated average sale price of $26 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: $8,349,727

To developer

$5,844,809

To developer: 70.0%

$5,844,809

Platform fee: 30.0%

$2,504,918

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $8,349,727

To developer

$7,467,760

To developer: 89.4%

$7,467,760

Platform fee: 10.6%

$881,967

Epic: 0% on the first $1M in annual per-app revenue, then 12%. Effective here: 10.6%.

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $8,349,727

To developer

$5,844,809

To developer: 70.0%

$5,844,809

Platform fee: 30.0%

$2,504,918

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

Genre Market Position

Top 57% by revenue in Strategy
57%

Top 57% of Strategy games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

28

Top Games Tracked

$11.6M

Median (tracked top games)

$32.7M

Mean (tracked top games)

Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak ranks in the top 57% of 28 tracked strategy 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

11.3h avg6h median

11.3h

Average Playtime

6h

Median Playtime

Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak keeps players engaged for an average of 11.3 hours – solid engagement for a strategy game.

Game Details

Dataset updated: June 11, 2026

DeveloperBlackbird Interactive
PublisherGearbox Publishing
Release DateJanuary 19, 2016
Years on Market10 years
Current Price$4.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$26.49
GenreStrategy
Peak Players23
SteamSpy Owners500,000 .. 1,000,000

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $8,349,727.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $4,513,366
  • Calibrated midpoint (x37): $8,349,727
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $13,540,099

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

How many copies has Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak sold on Steam?

With 8,519 Steam reviews and a 80% positive rating, we estimate Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak has sold between 170,380 and 511,140 copies, with a best estimate of 315,203.

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 x37 that adjusts for the title's age, price tier, genre, and review profile.

How much does Blackbird Interactive earn from Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 30.0%, Blackbird Interactive keeps an estimated $5,844,809 from Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak's gross revenue of $8,349,727.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $8,349,727
  • Steam's Fee (30.0%): -$2,504,918
  • Developer Revenue: $5,844,809

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

What percentage does Steam take from Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak?

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 Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, with an estimated gross revenue of $8,349,727, this results in an effective rate of 30.0%. Steam keeps approximately $2,504,918 and Blackbird Interactive receives $5,844,809.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak?

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 ($4,513,366 to $13,540,099) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x37) and a calibrated ASP of $26.

What would Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, Blackbird Interactive would keep approximately $7,467,760 - that's $1,622,951 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $881,967. 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 $5,844,809.

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 Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 11.3 hours in Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, with a median playtime of 6 hours. This indicates solid player engagement.