Starfield Steam key art
Starfield cover art

Steam revenue analysis

Starfield Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

Bethesda Game Studios · Bethesda Softworks

$197.5MEst. Gross Revenue

5,131,337 estimated sales, 57% positive reviews, and $155,004,128.90 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Rpg57% Positive$49.99

Revenue Overview

$197.5M

Gross Revenue

$155M

Developer Revenue

5,131,337

Est. Copies Sold

$65.8M

Revenue / Year (avg. 3 yr)

$127.4MLow estimate
$197.5MBest estimate
$382.3MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$197,505,161
− Steam Platform Fee(21.5%)
−$42,501,032
Developer Revenue
$155,004,129

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 78.5%($155,004,129)Steam: 21.5%($42,501,032)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$3,000,000
Tier 2 ($10M–$50M) (25%)$10,000,000
Tier 3 ($50M+) (20%)$29,501,032

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

How we estimate this

57%positive
165,527Total Reviews
94,350positive (57%)
71,177negative (43%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    165,527 reviews and a 57% 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 Starfield, we use a midpoint multiplier of ×31 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 $50, we estimate a realized average sale price of $38 to account for discounting over time.

  4. 4

    Translate gross revenue into developer revenue

    We then apply Steam's effective fee rate of 21.5%. That turns an estimated $197,505,161 in gross revenue into roughly $155,004,129 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$38.49

List price $49.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×31

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

21.5%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for Starfield use the Boxleiter method with a broad range from x20 to x60. For the best estimate we use a calibrated midpoint of x31 and a calibrated average sale price of $38 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: $197,505,161

To developer

$155,004,129

To developer: 78.5%

$155,004,129

Platform fee: 21.5%

$42,501,032

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $197,505,161

To developer

$173,924,542

To developer: 88.1%

$173,924,542

Platform fee: 11.9%

$23,580,619

Epic: 0% on the first $1M in annual per-app revenue, then 12%. Effective here: 11.9%.

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $197,505,161

To developer

$138,253,613

To developer: 70.0%

$138,253,613

Platform fee: 30.0%

$59,251,548

* 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 Rpg
5%

Top 5% of Rpg games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

38

Top Games Tracked

$11.5M

Median (tracked top games)

$63M

Mean (tracked top games)

Starfield ranks in the top 5% of 38 tracked rpg top-sellers, with estimated revenue 17× 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

72.1h avg36.4h median

72.1h

Average Playtime

36.4h

Median Playtime

10.5h

Recent Activity (2 Weeks)

Starfield keeps players engaged for an average of 72.1 hours – solid engagement for a rpg game.

Current Activity15% still active

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

DeveloperBethesda Game Studios
PublisherBethesda Softworks
Release DateSeptember 4, 2023
Years on Market3 years
Current Price$49.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$38.49
GenreRpg
Peak Players3,725
SteamSpy Owners2,000,000 .. 5,000,000
SteamView on Store

Features

Single-playerSteam AchievementsFull controller supportSteam Trading CardsColor AlternativesPlayable without Timed InputStereo SoundSurround SoundSteam CloudFamily Sharing

More by Bethesda Game Studios

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has Starfield earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate Starfield's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $197,505,161.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $127,422,685
  • Calibrated midpoint (x31): $197,505,161
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $382,268,054

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

How many copies has Starfield sold on Steam?

With 165,527 Steam reviews and a 57% positive rating, we estimate Starfield has sold between 3,310,540 and 9,931,620 copies, with a best estimate of 5,131,337.

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 x31 that adjusts for the title's age, price tier, genre, and review profile.

How much does Bethesda Game Studios earn from Starfield?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 21.5%, Bethesda Game Studios keeps an estimated $155,004,129 from Starfield's gross revenue of $197,505,161.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $197,505,161
  • Steam's Fee (21.5%): -$42,501,032
  • Developer Revenue: $155,004,129

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

What percentage does Steam take from Starfield?

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 Starfield, with an estimated gross revenue of $197,505,161, this results in an effective rate of 21.5%. Steam keeps approximately $42,501,032 and Bethesda Game Studios receives $155,004,129.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for Starfield?

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 ($127,422,685 to $382,268,054) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x31) and a calibrated ASP of $38.

What would Starfield earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If Starfield generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, Bethesda Game Studios would keep approximately $173,924,542 - that's $18,920,413 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $23,580,619. 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 $138,253,613.

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 Starfield?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 72.1 hours in Starfield, with a median playtime of 36.4 hours. This indicates solid player engagement.