The PC gaming distribution market continues to evolve as Steam maintains dominance while Epic Games Store pursues aggressive growth strategies. Steam controls approximately 75% of the PC digital distribution market with 132 million monthly active users and $10.8 billion in revenue for 2024.
Epic Games Store reached 295 million registered users with $1.09 billion in total spending, though its third-party revenue share remains around 3% of the market.
The platform set a new concurrent user record in March 2025 with 40.27 million simultaneous users. This milestone reflects continued growth despite increasing competition from alternative PC gaming platforms.
Total spending on Epic Games Store increased 15% to $1.09 billion in 2024. However, third-party revenue through Epic's payment system declined 18% to $255 million, suggesting users primarily spend on first-party titles like Fortnite and Rocket League.
While the sheer volume of releases creates discoverability challenges, Steam game statistics show that established titles and live service games continue dominating user engagement, with only 15% of total playtime spent on 2024 releases.
Epic's Free Games Program distributed 89 titles in 2024 worth approximately $2,055, with users claiming 595 million free games. This aggressive user acquisition strategy mirrors broader trends in cross-platform gaming adoption, where platforms compete for player attention across multiple devices.
Steam's 75% share of PC distribution translates to approximately $31 billion in market influence, while Epic's 3-7.5% share represents $1.2-3 billion of the PC gaming market. The gap demonstrates Steam's entrenched position despite Epic's developer-friendly policies.
The revenue split debate extends beyond PC gaming, influencing discussions about platform economics across gaming hardware preferences and digital distribution models industry-wide.
Epic Games Store does not regularly publish concurrent user statistics, focusing instead on registered user counts and monthly active user metrics. This reporting difference makes direct engagement comparisons challenging, though Steam's higher spending per user suggests stronger monetization.
Both platforms face increasing competition from cloud gaming services and subscription models. However, Steam's established ecosystem and Epic's developer incentives position them to capture significant portions of this expanding market alongside emerging technologies.
Epic Games Store reached 295 million registered users with $1.09 billion in total spending, though its third-party revenue share remains around 3% of the market.
Steam Market Share and Revenue Performance in 2025
Steam achieved record-breaking performance in 2024 with revenue reaching $10.8 billion, representing a 24.14% increase from the previous year's $8.7 billion. The platform maintains 132 million monthly active users with 69 million daily active users, demonstrating engagement rates exceeding 52%.The platform set a new concurrent user record in March 2025 with 40.27 million simultaneous users. This milestone reflects continued growth despite increasing competition from alternative PC gaming platforms.
Metric | Steam (2024-2025) |
Total Revenue (2024) | $10.8 billion |
Monthly Active Users | 132 million |
Daily Active Users | 69 million |
Peak Concurrent Users | 40.27 million |
PC Market Share | ~75% |
Developer Revenue Share | 70% |
Epic Games Store Market Performance and Growth
Epic Games Store reached 295 million registered PC users by the end of 2024, with 67.2 million monthly active users representing 6% year-over-year growth. The platform's daily active users averaged 31.5 million, with peaks reaching 37.2 million during high-traffic periods.Total spending on Epic Games Store increased 15% to $1.09 billion in 2024. However, third-party revenue through Epic's payment system declined 18% to $255 million, suggesting users primarily spend on first-party titles like Fortnite and Rocket League.
How Epic Games Store Revenue Split Attracts Developers?
Epic offers an 88/12 revenue split compared to Steam's 70/30 model. Starting June 2025, Epic provides 100% revenue share on the first $1 million in annual net revenue per product, making it particularly attractive for indie developers.Steam vs Epic Games Store: Direct Comparison
Platform Feature | Steam | Epic Games Store |
Market Share | ~75% | ~3-7.5% |
Monthly Active Users | 132 million | 67.2 million |
Total Revenue (2024) | $10.8 billion | $1.09 billion |
Third-Party Revenue | $8-10 billion | $255 million |
Developer Revenue Share | 70% | 88% |
Game Library Size | 100,000+ titles | 4,000+ titles |
Steam Game Library Growth and Content Expansion
Steam added 15,422 new games in 2024, representing a 33.14% increase over 2023's 11,583 releases. The platform surpassed 100,000 total titles, driven by its open publishing model and robust developer tools that appeal to indie studios and AAA publishers alike.While the sheer volume of releases creates discoverability challenges, Steam game statistics show that established titles and live service games continue dominating user engagement, with only 15% of total playtime spent on 2024 releases.
Epic Games Store Content Strategy and Free Games Program
Epic added approximately 1,100 new games in 2024, maintaining a curated approach focused on quality over quantity. The platform's total library reached 4,000+ titles, significantly smaller than Steam's catalog but strategically selected for higher average quality.Epic's Free Games Program distributed 89 titles in 2024 worth approximately $2,055, with users claiming 595 million free games. This aggressive user acquisition strategy mirrors broader trends in cross-platform gaming adoption, where platforms compete for player attention across multiple devices.
PC Gaming Revenue Distribution in the Global Market
PC gaming generated $41.5 billion in 2024, representing 23% of the $184.3 billion global gaming market. Mobile gaming dominated with 49% market share at $92.6 billion, while console gaming captured 27% at $50.3 billion.Steam's 75% share of PC distribution translates to approximately $31 billion in market influence, while Epic's 3-7.5% share represents $1.2-3 billion of the PC gaming market. The gap demonstrates Steam's entrenched position despite Epic's developer-friendly policies.
Why Developer Revenue Share Matters for PC Gaming Platforms
Epic's 88/12 revenue split represents one of the most favorable terms in digital distribution. However, Steam's 70/30 model remains competitive due to the platform's massive user base, advanced community features, and superior discoverability tools that help drive organic sales.The revenue split debate extends beyond PC gaming, influencing discussions about platform economics across gaming hardware preferences and digital distribution models industry-wide.
Steam Concurrent Users and Engagement Metrics
Steam's peak concurrent users of 40.27 million in March 2025 represents a 3.3% increase from February's previous record. The platform consistently maintains over 30 million concurrent users during peak gaming hours, demonstrating sustained engagement across time zones.Epic Games Store does not regularly publish concurrent user statistics, focusing instead on registered user counts and monthly active user metrics. This reporting difference makes direct engagement comparisons challenging, though Steam's higher spending per user suggests stronger monetization.
Digital Game Distribution Market Forecast Through 2033
The digital game distribution market projects 4.2% compound annual growth, reaching $1.58 billion by 2033. This growth stems from increased internet penetration, cloud gaming expansion, and the continued decline of physical game sales as over 95% of purchases now occur digitally.Both platforms face increasing competition from cloud gaming services and subscription models. However, Steam's established ecosystem and Epic's developer incentives position them to capture significant portions of this expanding market alongside emerging technologies.
FAQs
What is Steam's current market share in PC gaming?
Steam controls approximately 75% of the PC digital distribution market as of 2025, with 132 million monthly active users and $10.8 billion in annual revenue.How much market share does Epic Games Store have?
Epic Games Store holds around 3-7.5% of the PC digital distribution market when measured by third-party revenue, despite having 295 million registered users globally.Which platform offers better revenue sharing for developers?
Epic Games Store offers 88/12 revenue split versus Steam's 70/30. From June 2025, Epic provides 100% revenue share on the first $1 million annually per game.What are the concurrent user records for Steam?
Steam reached 40.27 million peak concurrent users in March 2025, setting a new platform record. This represents consistent growth in simultaneous user engagement over previous years.How many games are available on Steam versus Epic Games Store?
Steam offers 100,000+ games with 15,422 new releases in 2024, while Epic Games Store maintains 4,000+ titles with approximately 1,100 new additions in the same period.Citations
- Backlinko Team. (2025). Epic Games Store User Statistics
- Cooper Board Games. (2025). Epic Games Store vs Steam Market Share (2025)
- Game Developer. (2025). Epic Games Store reached 295 million PC players in 2024
