The Ascent Steam key art
The Ascent cover art

Steam revenue analysis

The Ascent Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

Neon Giant · KRAFTON, Inc.

$17.9MEst. Gross Revenue

640,752 estimated sales, 74% positive reviews, and $12,902,929.96 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Action74% Positive$29.99

Revenue Overview

$17.9M

Gross Revenue

$12.9M

Developer Revenue

640,752

Est. Copies Sold

$17.9M

Revenue / Year (avg. 1 yr)

$12.8MLow estimate
$17.9MBest estimate
$38.3MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$17,870,573
− Steam Platform Fee(27.8%)
−$4,967,643
Developer Revenue
$12,902,930

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 72.2%($12,902,930)Steam: 27.8%($4,967,643)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$3,000,000
Tier 2 ($10M–$50M) (25%)$1,967,643
Tier 3 ($50M+) (20%)—

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

How we estimate this

74%positive
22,884Total Reviews
16,934positive (74%)
5,950negative (26%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    22,884 reviews and a 74% 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 The Ascent, 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 $30, we estimate a realized average sale price of $28 to account for discounting over time.

  4. 4

    Translate gross revenue into developer revenue

    We then apply Steam's effective fee rate of 27.8%. That turns an estimated $17,870,573 in gross revenue into roughly $12,902,930 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$27.89

List price $29.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×28

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

27.8%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for The Ascent 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 $28 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: $17,870,573

To developer

$12,902,930

To developer: 72.2%

$12,902,930

Platform fee: 27.8%

$4,967,643

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $17,870,573

To developer

$15,846,104

To developer: 88.7%

$15,846,104

Platform fee: 11.3%

$2,024,469

Epic: 0% on the first $1M in annual per-app revenue, then 12%. Effective here: 11.3%.

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $17,870,573

To developer

$12,509,401

To developer: 70.0%

$12,509,401

Platform fee: 30.0%

$5,361,172

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

Genre Market Position

Top 23% by revenue in Action
23%

Top 23% of Action games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

2,141

Top Games Tracked

$6M

Median (tracked top games)

$20.8M

Mean (tracked top games)

The Ascent ranks in the top 23% of 2141 tracked action top-sellers, with estimated revenue 3× 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

6.7h avg3.5h median

6.7h

Average Playtime

3.5h

Median Playtime

2.9h

Recent Activity (2 Weeks)

The Ascent keeps players engaged for an average of 6.7 hours – solid engagement for a action game.

Current Activity43% still active

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

DeveloperNeon Giant
PublisherKRAFTON, Inc.
Release Date—
Years on Market1 year
Current Price$29.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$27.89
GenreAction
Peak Players211
SteamSpy Owners1,000,000 .. 2,000,000
SteamView on Store

Features

Single-playerMulti-playerCo-opOnline Co-opShared/Split Screen Co-opShared/Split ScreenSteam AchievementsFull controller supportCamera ComfortColor AlternativesCustom Volume ControlsAdjustable DifficultyPlayable without Timed InputSave AnytimeSubtitle OptionsSteam CloudRemote Play TogetherFamily Sharing

Related Games

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has The Ascent earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate The Ascent's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $17,870,573.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $12,764,695
  • Calibrated midpoint (x28): $17,870,573
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $38,294,086

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

How many copies has The Ascent sold on Steam?

With 22,884 Steam reviews and a 74% positive rating, we estimate The Ascent has sold between 457,680 and 1,373,040 copies, with a best estimate of 640,752.

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 Neon Giant earn from The Ascent?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 27.8%, Neon Giant keeps an estimated $12,902,930 from The Ascent's gross revenue of $17,870,573.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $17,870,573
  • Steam's Fee (27.8%): -$4,967,643
  • Developer Revenue: $12,902,930

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

What percentage does Steam take from The Ascent?

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 The Ascent, with an estimated gross revenue of $17,870,573, this results in an effective rate of 27.8%. Steam keeps approximately $4,967,643 and Neon Giant receives $12,902,930.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for The Ascent?

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 ($12,764,695 to $38,294,086) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x28) and a calibrated ASP of $28.

What would The Ascent earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If The Ascent generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, Neon Giant would keep approximately $15,846,104 - that's $2,943,175 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $2,024,469. 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 $12,509,401.

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 The Ascent?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 6.7 hours in The Ascent, with a median playtime of 3.5 hours. This indicates solid player engagement.