When you’re Valve, 2026 has been an excellent 12 months for the checking account, all because of the cash Steam makes. Based on new evaluation, the PC storefront has made $15bn (~£11.10bn) already this 12 months, representing Valve’s reduce from promoting video games, DLC and software program on its platform.
So what was Steam’s largest revenue-generating new recreation launch? That may be Forza Horizon 6, primarily based on new Alinea Analytics data. The agency’s evaluation exhibits the open-world racing recreation has generated an estimated $210.5m (~£155.74m) in income for Valve.
Horizon 6 is adopted carefully by one other main 2026 hit, Crimson Desert, itself having introduced Valve $203.3m (~£150.42m) in income. Rounding out to the highest three is Resident Evil Requiem, which made Valve $200.9m (~£148.64m) in income.
Based on Alinea analyst Rhys Elliott, the highest six highest-grossing new releases on Steam solely amounted to only $1bn (~£735.8m) of that $15bn, or simply 6.6 %. By the way, two video games within the prime six – Crimson Desert and Meccha Chameleon – come from new mental properties (IPs).
Increasing the scope additional to incorporate the highest 100 highest-grossing new releases in 2026, we see the worth grows to $2.4bn (~£1.78bn) or a extra respectable 15.9 % of the shop’s general income to date.
The information is skewed a bit, nevertheless, as Crimson Desert is liable for 18 % ($203m) of the brand new IP income of that due to how profitable it was. Take Crimson Desert out, and that 63 % drops to only 39 %.
There are many upcoming, highly-anticipated releases but left in 2026, nevertheless. Simply final week we noticed the discharge of two hits in Onimusha: Way of the Sword and The Blood of Dawnwalker. Gears of Conflict: E-Day, Name of Responsibility: Trendy Warfare 4 and Phantom Blade Zero are among the many prime video games due later this 12 months.