By As the gaming sector battles to vie against other forms of entertainment, as well as its own free-to-play segment, game marketing analyst Chris Zukowski suggests that developers’ lifeline is Steam.
In a recent blog entry (via GamesRadar), Zukowski contends that Valve has unraveled the issue that other entertainment platforms like Netflix encounter, where success is evaluated based on the duration consumers engage with the content. This is primarily because gamers are not merely consumers, but also collectors.
“The strength of Steam as a platform lies in its capacity to facilitate hoarding,” he states, drawing parallels between gaming and other pastimes—be it Lego, Warhammer, or knitting—that are comprised of a devoted audience, “very passionate about a subject and unconcerned about how much they are expending on it.”
Zukowski delves deeper into Valve’s 30% revenue share from Steam sales, which has received criticism. However, he posits that developers are inclined to concede such a significant cut to Valve because they generate revenue regardless of whether their audience actively engages with their game: “Understanding that Steam players are hoarders elucidates why you concede that 30%: You gain access to numerous spendthrifts who part with money indiscriminately.”
Developers might find reassurance in this perspective when contending with older live-service games like Fortnite and GTA Online that remain the leading titles, even if this implies their revenue stems from games that may go unplayed.
“Don’t let that discourage you! This is entirely commonplace for Steam,” Zukowski adds. “If Steam consumers were logical and solely purchased games they intended to play, we would sell significantly fewer titles. Half of this industry might vanish.”
He does include a stipulation for this theory, stating that it applies more to games with a “distinct genre.” “If players can glance at your title and identify the genre, they’re more inclined to make an impulse purchase because they say, ‘Ah, I adore open-world survival-crafting games! I recognize this! I am definitely going to play this once I’m done with the other 20 OWSC titles in my library.’ If your genre lacks clarity, you won’t attract hoarders.”
If this has sparked thoughts of accumulating your collection, the Steam Summer Sale is still underway.
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