Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition Steam key art
Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition cover art

Steam revenue analysis

Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

Rare Ltd · Xbox Game Studios

$258.5MEst. Gross Revenue

9,946,664 estimated sales, 89% positive reviews, and $203,811,037.89 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Action89% Positive$39.99

Revenue Overview

$258.5M

Gross Revenue

$203.8M

Developer Revenue

9,946,664

Est. Copies Sold

$43.1M

Revenue / Year (avg. 6 yr)

$184.7MLow estimate
$258.5MBest estimate
$554MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$258,513,797
Steam Platform Fee(21.2%)
−$54,702,759
Developer Revenue
$203,811,038

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 78.8%($203,811,038)Steam: 21.2%($54,702,759)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$3,000,000
Tier 2 ($10M–$50M) (25%)$10,000,000
Tier 3 ($50M+) (20%)$41,702,759

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

How we estimate this

89%positive
355,238Total Reviews
316,162positive (89%)
39,076negative (11%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    355,238 reviews and a 89% 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 Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition, we use a midpoint multiplier of ×28 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 $26 to account for discounting over time.

  4. 4

    Translate gross revenue into developer revenue

    We then apply Steam's effective fee rate of 21.2%. That turns an estimated $258,513,797 in gross revenue into roughly $203,811,038 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$25.99

List price $39.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×28

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

21.2%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition use the Boxleiter method with a broad range from x20 to x60. For the best estimate we use a calibrated midpoint of x28 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: $258,513,797

To developer

$203,811,038

To developer: 78.8%

$203,811,038

Platform fee: 21.2%

$54,702,759

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $258,513,797

To developer

$227,612,142

To developer: 88.0%

$227,612,142

Platform fee: 12.0%

$30,901,656

Epic: 0% on the first $1M in annual per-app revenue, then 12%. Effective here: 12.0%.

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $258,513,797

To developer

$180,959,658

To developer: 70.0%

$180,959,658

Platform fee: 30.0%

$77,554,139

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

Genre Market Position

Top 1% by revenue in Action
1%

Top 1% of Action games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

2,141

Top Games Tracked

$6M

Median (tracked top games)

$20.8M

Mean (tracked top games)

Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition ranks in the top 1% of 2141 tracked action top-sellers, with estimated revenue 43× 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

68.9h avg20.4h median

68.9h

Average Playtime

20.4h

Median Playtime

9.9h

Recent Activity (2 Weeks)

A median playtime of 20.4h and average of 68.9h suggest a dedicated core community playing this action game well beyond the typical player.

Current Activity14% still active

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

DeveloperRare Ltd
PublisherXbox Game Studios
Release DateJune 2, 2020
Years on Market6 years
Current Price$39.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$25.99
GenreAction
Peak Players5,437
SteamSpy Owners5,000,000 .. 10,000,000

Features

Multi-playerPvPOnline PvPCo-opOnline Co-opCross-Platform MultiplayerSteam AchievementsSteam Trading CardsIn-App PurchasesPartial Controller SupportRemote Play on PhoneRemote Play on TabletFamily Sharing

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $258,513,797.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $184,652,712
  • Calibrated midpoint (x28): $258,513,797
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $553,958,137

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

How many copies has Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition sold on Steam?

With 355,238 Steam reviews and a 89% positive rating, we estimate Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition has sold between 7,104,760 and 21,314,280 copies, with a best estimate of 9,946,664.

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 x28 that adjusts for the title's age, price tier, genre, and review profile.

How much does Rare Ltd earn from Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 21.2%, Rare Ltd keeps an estimated $203,811,038 from Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition's gross revenue of $258,513,797.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $258,513,797
  • Steam's Fee (21.2%): -$54,702,759
  • Developer Revenue: $203,811,038

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

What percentage does Steam take from Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition?

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 Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition, with an estimated gross revenue of $258,513,797, this results in an effective rate of 21.2%. Steam keeps approximately $54,702,759 and Rare Ltd receives $203,811,038.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition?

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 ($184,652,712 to $553,958,137) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x28) and a calibrated ASP of $26.

What would Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, Rare Ltd would keep approximately $227,612,142 - that's $23,801,104 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $30,901,656. 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 $180,959,658.

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 Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 68.9 hours in Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition, with a median playtime of 20.4 hours. The large gap between average and median suggests a dedicated core community playing well beyond the typical player.