Market analysis firm
Steam recorded 720 game releases in a single week for the first time, yet 74% of those titles attracted fewer than ten reviews. The milestone underscores growing discoverability challenges as the platform heads toward 20,000 annual releases.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced has secured the best launch of any Assassin's Creed game on Steam, selling 701k copies and generating $35m in revenue as of July 13th, despite facing criticism for its cosmetic microtransactions. The game's success comes amidst controversy, including developer layoffs and review-bombing. Notably, it outperforms its predecessors, including Shadows, Valhalla, and Mirage, in Steam revenue.
Steam achieved a record-breaking $11 billion profit in the first half of 2026, largely attributed to the enduring popularity of older games. A staggering 79% of purchases were for titles from 2025 or earlier. This trend underscores the platform's reliance on its vast catalog of established games.
Valve's Steam Controller sold out within 30 minutes of its launch, quickly appearing on resale sites like eBay for inflated prices. Originally priced at £85, it now fetches over £150 in the UK and $300 in the US, raising concerns about market access for gamers.
