The Descendant Steam key art
The Descendant cover art

Steam revenue analysis

The Descendant Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

Gaming Corps AB · Microids Indie

$1.8MEst. Gross Revenue

263,551 estimated sales, 89% positive reviews, and $1,272,951.33 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Adventure89% Positive$14.99

Revenue Overview

$1.8M

Gross Revenue

$1.3M

Developer Revenue

263,551

Est. Copies Sold

$181.9K

Revenue / Year (avg. 10 yr)

$983KLow estimate
$1.8MBest estimate
$2.9MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$1,818,502
Steam Platform Fee(30.0%)
−$545,551
Developer Revenue
$1,272,951

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 70.0%($1,272,951)Steam: 30.0%($545,551)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$545,551
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

89%positive
7,123Total Reviews
6,339positive (89%)
784negative (11%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    7,123 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 The Descendant, 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 $15, we estimate a realized average sale price of $7 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 $1,818,502 in gross revenue into roughly $1,272,951 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$6.90

List price $14.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×37

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

30.0%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for The Descendant 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 $7 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: $1,818,502

To developer

$1,272,951

To developer: 70.0%

$1,272,951

Platform fee: 30.0%

$545,551

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $1,818,502

To developer

$1,720,282

To developer: 94.6%

$1,720,282

Platform fee: 5.4%

$98,220

Epic: 0% on the first $1M in annual per-app revenue, then 12%. Effective here: 5.4%.

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $1,818,502

To developer

$1,272,951

To developer: 70.0%

$1,272,951

Platform fee: 30.0%

$545,551

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

Genre Market Position

Top 87% by revenue in Adventure
87%

Top 87% of Adventure games

by estimated revenue

0%◆ Median100%

116

Top Games Tracked

$5.8M

Median (tracked top games)

$23.2M

Mean (tracked top games)

The Descendant ranks in the top 87% of 116 tracked adventure 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

15.7h avg4.3h median

15.7h

Average Playtime

4.3h

Median Playtime

12h

Recent Activity (2 Weeks)

A median playtime of 4.3h and average of 15.7h suggest a dedicated core community playing this adventure game well beyond the typical player.

Current Activity76% still active

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

DeveloperGaming Corps AB
PublisherMicroids Indie
Release DateMarch 23, 2016
Years on Market10 years
Current Price$14.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$6.90
GenreAdventure
Peak Players15
SteamSpy Owners2,000,000 .. 5,000,000

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has The Descendant earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate The Descendant's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $1,818,502.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $982,974
  • Calibrated midpoint (x37): $1,818,502
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $2,948,922

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

How many copies has The Descendant sold on Steam?

With 7,123 Steam reviews and a 89% positive rating, we estimate The Descendant has sold between 142,460 and 427,380 copies, with a best estimate of 263,551.

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 Gaming Corps AB earn from The Descendant?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 30.0%, Gaming Corps AB keeps an estimated $1,272,951 from The Descendant's gross revenue of $1,818,502.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $1,818,502
  • Steam's Fee (30.0%): -$545,551
  • Developer Revenue: $1,272,951

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

What percentage does Steam take from The Descendant?

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 Descendant, with an estimated gross revenue of $1,818,502, this results in an effective rate of 30.0%. Steam keeps approximately $545,551 and Gaming Corps AB receives $1,272,951.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for The Descendant?

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 ($982,974 to $2,948,922) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x37) and a calibrated ASP of $7.

What would The Descendant earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If The Descendant generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, Gaming Corps AB would keep approximately $1,720,282 - that's $447,330 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $98,220. 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 $1,272,951.

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 Descendant?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 15.7 hours in The Descendant, with a median playtime of 4.3 hours. The large gap between average and median suggests a dedicated core community playing well beyond the typical player.