The Messenger Steam key art
The Messenger cover art

Steam revenue analysis

The Messenger Steam Revenue & Sales Estimates

Sabotage · Devolver Digital

$6.2MEst. Gross Revenue

332,080 estimated sales, 93% positive reviews, and $4,321,357.04 potentially retained by the developer after Steam's platform fees.

Action93% Positive$19.99MC 83

Revenue Overview

$6.2M

Gross Revenue

$4.3M

Developer Revenue

332,080

Est. Copies Sold

$6.2M

Revenue / Year (avg. 1 yr)

$4.4MLow estimate
$6.2MBest estimate
$13.2MHigh estimate

How the revenue splits

Gross Revenue
$6,173,367
− Steam Platform Fee(30.0%)
−$1,852,010
Developer Revenue
$4,321,357

Developer vs. Steam

Developer: 70.0%($4,321,357)Steam: 30.0%($1,852,010)

Tiered Fee Structure

Tier 1 ($0–$10M) (30%)$1,852,010
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

93%positive
11,860Total Reviews
11,030positive (93%)
830negative (7%)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Capture Steam review volume as the primary demand signal

    11,860 reviews and a 93% 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 Messenger, 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 $20, we estimate a realized average sale price of $19 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 $6,173,367 in gross revenue into roughly $4,321,357 retained by the developer.

Calibrated inputs for this game

Avg. sale price

$18.59

List price $19.99

Boxleiter multiplier

×28

Range ×20–×60

Effective Steam fee

30.0%

Tiered 30 / 25 / 20%

Revenue estimates for The Messenger 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 $19 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: $6,173,367

To developer

$4,321,357

To developer: 70.0%

$4,321,357

Platform fee: 30.0%

$1,852,010

Epic Games Store

Gross revenue baseline: $6,173,367

To developer

$5,552,563

To developer: 89.9%

$5,552,563

Platform fee: 10.1%

$620,804

Epic: 0% on the first $1M in annual per-app revenue, then 12%. Effective here: 10.1%.

GOG

Gross revenue baseline: $6,173,367

To developer

$4,321,357

To developer: 70.0%

$4,321,357

Platform fee: 30.0%

$1,852,010

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

Genre Market Position

Top 49% by revenue in Action
49%

Top 49% 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 Messenger ranks in the top 49% 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

9.1h avg5.3h median

9.1h

Average Playtime

5.3h

Median Playtime

The Messenger keeps players engaged for an average of 9.1 hours – solid engagement for a action game.

Game Details

Dataset updated: April 18, 2026

DeveloperSabotage
PublisherDevolver Digital
Release Date—
Years on Market1 year
Current Price$19.99
Calibrated Avg. Selling Price$18.59
GenreAction
Peak Players35
SteamSpy Owners500,000 .. 1,000,000
SteamView on Store

Features

Single-playerSteam AchievementsFull controller supportSteam Trading CardsSteam CloudRemote Play on TVFamily Sharing

Related Games

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much has The Messenger earned on Steam?

Based on our analysis using the Boxleiter method, we estimate The Messenger's total gross revenue on Steam at approximately $6,173,367.

This estimate comes with a confidence range:

  • Conservative estimate (x20): $4,409,548
  • Calibrated midpoint (x28): $6,173,367
  • Optimistic estimate (x60): $13,228,644

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

How many copies has The Messenger sold on Steam?

With 11,860 Steam reviews and a 93% positive rating, we estimate The Messenger has sold between 237,200 and 711,600 copies, with a best estimate of 332,080.

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 Sabotage earn from The Messenger?

After Steam's tiered platform fee of effectively 30.0%, Sabotage keeps an estimated $4,321,357 from The Messenger's gross revenue of $6,173,367.

Here's the breakdown:

  • Gross Revenue: $6,173,367
  • Steam's Fee (30.0%): -$1,852,010
  • Developer Revenue: $4,321,357

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

What percentage does Steam take from The Messenger?

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 Messenger, with an estimated gross revenue of $6,173,367, this results in an effective rate of 30.0%. Steam keeps approximately $1,852,010 and Sabotage receives $4,321,357.

How accurate are these revenue estimates for The Messenger?

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 ($4,409,548 to $13,228,644) to reflect this uncertainty. For the best estimate we combine the Boxleiter range with a calibrated midpoint (x28) and a calibrated ASP of $19.

What would The Messenger earn on Epic Games Store instead?

If The Messenger generated the same gross revenue on the Epic Games Store, Sabotage would keep approximately $5,552,563 - that's $1,231,206 more than on Steam.

At this revenue level, Epic's concrete platform fee would be $620,804. 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 $4,321,357.

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 Messenger?

According to SteamSpy data, players spend an average of 9.1 hours in The Messenger, with a median playtime of 5.3 hours. This indicates solid player engagement.

What is The Messenger's Metacritic score?

The Messenger has a Metacritic score of 83/100, which is considered "generally favorable" by critics. The Steam community rates the game 93% positive based on 11,860 user reviews.