Majority of Game Developers Perceive Steam as Having a Monopoly on the PC Gaming Market

A significant proportion of game developers feel overly dependent on Steam for game distribution, with a substantial 72% believing that the platform holds a monopoly over the PC gaming industry. This finding is based on a recent whitepaper titled 'The State of PC Game Distribution' published by Rokky, a PC game distribution platform. The study, which was conducted by Atomik Research, surveyed 306 industry executives in the UK and USA between May 18 and May 22, 2025. The majority of respondents, 75%, held senior management or C-suite positions, and 77% were from studios with more than 50 employees. The study's findings indicate that Steam accounts for over 75% of revenue for most studios. However, it also notes that developers are starting to utilize other platforms, including the Epic Games Store and the Xbox PC Games store. Almost half of the surveyed developers, 48%, have distributed games to both stores, while 10% have used GOG and 8% have used Itch.io. The study's results also show that 32% of developers release some of their games on physical media. Additionally, marketplaces like G2A and Kinguin, as well as E-stores such as Fanatical and Humble Bundle, are being used by developers. The benefits of using these platforms include ease of use, pricing control, promotional support, and international reach. The data also reveals that 80% of surveyed developers expect to use alternative channels alongside Steam within the next five years, with 75% predicting a revenue increase of at least 10% from using marketplaces and E-stores. However, concerns regarding the gray market and potential loss of control were also expressed by respondents. According to Rokky co-founder and CEO Vadim Andreev, 'The PC game distribution landscape is more diverse and complex than ever, with both new opportunities and challenges emerging. Understanding the nuances of this landscape has never been more crucial, which is why we created this report to highlight the key trends.'