System Shock Steam key art
System Shock cover art

Steam revenue analysis

System Shock Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

Nightdive Studios · Atari, Nightdive Studios

$11MEst. Gross Revenue

289,683 estimated sales, 91% positive reviews, and $7,753,792.88 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Action91% Positive$39.99

Revenue Overview

$11M

Gross Revenue

$7.8M

Developer Revenue

289,683

Est. Copies Sold

$11M

Revenue / Year (avg. 1 yr)

$8.2MLow estimate
$11MBest estimate
$24.5MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$11,005,057
− Steam Platform Fee(29.5%)
−$3,251,264
Developer Revenue
$7,753,793

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 70.5%($7,753,793)Steam: 29.5%($3,251,264)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$3,000,000
Tier 2 ($10M–$50M) (25%)$251,264
Tier 3 ($50M+) (20%)—

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

How we estimate this

91%positive
10,729Total Reviews
9,763positive (91%)
966negative (9%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    10,729 reviews and a 91% 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 System Shock, we use a midpoint multiplier of ×27 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 $38 to account for discounting over time.

  4. 4

    Translate gross revenue into developer revenue

    We then apply Steam's effective fee rate of 29.5%. That turns an estimated $11,005,057 in gross revenue into roughly $7,753,793 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$37.99

List price $39.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×27

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

29.5%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for System Shock use the Boxleiter method with a broad range from x20 to x60. For the best estimate we use a calibrated midpoint of x27 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: $11,005,057

To developer

$7,753,793

To developer: 70.5%

$7,753,793

Platform fee: 29.5%

$3,251,264

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $11,005,057

To developer

$9,804,450

To developer: 89.1%

$9,804,450

Platform fee: 10.9%

$1,200,607

Epic: 0% on the first $1M in annual per-app revenue, then 12%. Effective here: 10.9%.

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $11,005,057

To developer

$7,703,540

To developer: 70.0%

$7,703,540

Platform fee: 30.0%

$3,301,517

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

Genre Market Position

Top 32% by revenue in Action
32%

Top 32% of Action games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

2,141

Top Games Tracked

$6M

Median (tracked top games)

$20.8M

Mean (tracked top games)

System Shock ranks in the top 32% 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

9.8h avg5h median

9.8h

Average Playtime

5h

Median Playtime

21.9h

Recent Activity (2 Weeks)

System Shock keeps players engaged for an average of 9.8 hours – solid engagement for a action game.

Current Activity100% still active

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

DeveloperNightdive Studios
PublisherAtari, Nightdive Studios
Release Date—
Years on Market1 year
Current Price$39.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$37.99
GenreAction
Peak Players86
SteamSpy Owners500,000 .. 1,000,000
SteamView on Store

Features

Single-playerSteam AchievementsPartial Controller SupportSteam CloudFamily Sharing

Related Games

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has System Shock earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate System Shock's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $11,005,057.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $8,151,894
  • Calibrated midpoint (x27): $11,005,057
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $24,455,683

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

How many copies has System Shock sold on Steam?

With 10,729 Steam reviews and a 91% positive rating, we estimate System Shock has sold between 214,580 and 643,740 copies, with a best estimate of 289,683.

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 x27 that adjusts for the title's age, price tier, genre, and review profile.

How much does Nightdive Studios earn from System Shock?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 29.5%, Nightdive Studios keeps an estimated $7,753,793 from System Shock's gross revenue of $11,005,057.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $11,005,057
  • Steam's Fee (29.5%): -$3,251,264
  • Developer Revenue: $7,753,793

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

What percentage does Steam take from System Shock?

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 System Shock, with an estimated gross revenue of $11,005,057, this results in an effective rate of 29.5%. Steam keeps approximately $3,251,264 and Nightdive Studios receives $7,753,793.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for System Shock?

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 ($8,151,894 to $24,455,683) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x27) and a calibrated ASP of $38.

What would System Shock earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If System Shock generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, Nightdive Studios would keep approximately $9,804,450 - that's $2,050,657 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $1,200,607. 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 $7,703,540.

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 System Shock?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 9.8 hours in System Shock, with a median playtime of 5 hours. This indicates solid player engagement.