Recent data from GameDiscoverCo, as reported by Simon Carless, reveals some surprising insights into the top-grossing games on Valve’s platform, Steam from January to June 2024 (H1 OF 2024).
The standout performer of 2024 so far is none other than Counter-Strike 2. Valve’s multiplayer shooter has generated a staggering $610 million in revenue during the first half of the year. This phenomenal success puts it leagues ahead of its competitors and on track to potentially break the billion-dollar mark before year’s end.
Helldivers 2 is the closest competitor to CS2 with an impressive $458 million. The substantial gap between the two games is likely due in part to the controversy surrounding the PSN Account linking, which caused a noticeable dip in its numbers at that time. Despite this setback, Helldivers 2 has managed to secure a strong second place.
Year’s surprise hit Palworld, has raked in over $378 million. Despite its release on both Xbox and Steam, the Steam version gained more traction, thanks to features like 32-player multiplayer support, faster crafting, character customization, and fewer bugs. The game attracted over 15 million users on Steam in its first month alone, even with a price tag of $30.
Among the multiplayer-dominated list, Baldur’s Gate 3 stands out as the top-grossing single-player game, earning $127 million. This achievement is particularly noteworthy considering the game was released in 2023. Another single-player success story is Dragon’s Dogma 2, which has surprised many by earning $108 million and securing eighth place, despite facing criticism for its microtransactions.
One of the most unexpected entries in the top 20 is Manor Lords, a city-building simulation game developed by a solo developer. Despite its modest origins, Manor Lords has already generated over $56 million in revenue and broken concurrent player records within its genre on Steam.
Naraka: Bladepoint, originally released in 2021, also made it into the top 20 list. The game has been a massive hit in Asia, and its popularity has continued to rise since it became free-to-play last year, with peak players reaching 268,431 in the first week of the F2P relaunch.
Here are the top 20 Steam games by gross revenue (pre-Steam cut):
- Counter-Strike 2 – $610m
- Helldivers 2 – $458m
- Palworld – $378m
- PUBG: Battlegrounds – $276m
- Apex Legends – $159m
- Baldur’s Gate 3 – $127m
- Dota 2 – $119m
- Dragon’s Dogma 2 – $108m
- Elden Ring – $100m
- Destiny 2 – $91m
- Manor Lords – $56m
- Last Epoch – $54m
- Enshrouded – $49m
- Naraka: Bladepoint – $48m
- Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut – $48m
- Warframe – $46m
- Call of Duty HQ – $41m
- Granblue Fantasy: Relink – $40m
- Tekken 8 – $40m
- War Thunder – $36m
According to the data, 12 games have surpassed the $50 million revenue mark in the first half of 2024. Interestingly, pre-2024 releases dominate this list, with 8 out of 12 games being older titles. Only four games released in 2024 – Helldivers 2, Palworld, Dragon’s Dogma 2, and Manor Lords – have managed to break into this elite group.
In the broader market, 19 games have earned between $25M to $50M, 45 games between $10M to $25M, 107 games between $5M to $10M, and over 1000 games between $500k to $5M Revenue, showcasing the thriving nature of the PC gaming ecosystem.
However, it’s important to note that while more money is being spent on PC games overall, much of this revenue is coming from the “long tail” of previous years’ hits. Many older titles continue to perform well, demonstrating the evergreen nature of certain games.
Interestingly, free-to-play games make up less than half of the top 20 grossing titles. However, many of the top earners follow a “paid with in-app purchases/DLC” model. This hybrid approach, as seen in games like Call of Duty HQ and Elden Ring with its DLC boost, continues to be particularly successful.
As we move into the second half of the year, it will be fascinating to see if Counter-Strike 2 can maintain its dominant position, or if Helldivers 2 or another title will emerge to challenge its crown.
For more information, visit the official GameDiscoverCo Report and Tech Raptor news. And remember to subscribe to Gaming Foodle for more gaming news!
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