Does Steam take a cut for distribution?
Comment on I make games and this literally happened to me this morning
Road_Warrior_10@lemmy.world 2 months ago
For context: I make indie games and have released two so far and I’m currently working on the third one which is weird as fuck. So the way that Steam works is, they don’t send you money anytime you make a sale, but they send all of it at the end of every month. Now September is almost over and I got an e-mail titled “Steam Payment Notification” and I get all hyped up. I open it and read it that the Payment Notification is actually that there is no Payment since I didn’t make $100 in sales. Way to hype me up and bring me down, Steam.
SirDerpy@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Road_Warrior_10@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Yes, their cut is 30% which is a lot, but they are pretty much the only big platform out there. Epic games has been trying to get in the game but so far they are not close. Their cut is 15%.
SirDerpy@lemmy.world 2 months ago
I want to note that you’d need about $143 in gross sales to meet the threshold of $100 in net profit.
On the surface that sounds like a lot. But, they’re providing a service without any guarantee of any income. Epic can only compete because they’ve few users and are willing to operate at a near loss in attempt to garner market share.
This will be a difficult one for others to understand as a “good deal”. Gamers are usually correct when they pull out their pitchforks. This should not be one of those times.
Zedstrian@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 months ago
While I’m no fan of Epic Games for bribing companies to keep games off of Steam for a year or more, Valve’s market dominance in PC game sales isn’t a good thing for developers or consumers.
Serinus@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Epic can only compete because they’ve few users and are willing to operate at a near loss
Bullshit. Epic’s loses are in paying for exclusives and giving away games while ruining their PR.
Steam could operate at 15% if they wanted to. But… why would they do that?
ichbinjasokreativ@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Steam only charges that for larger developers though iirc
JimmyMcGill@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Isn’t it free up to a certain amount?
Also aren’t you able to create steam keys for free and resell them wherever you want and they won’t take a cut off those?
reshuffle6655@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 months ago
Other games include “be a rock” and “pizza synthwave” and this is the weird one.
Wish listed.
crimsoncobalt@lemmy.world 2 months ago
I see you settled on a design for the toaster. Love the mustache.
Road_Warrior_10@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Thank you : )
moody@lemmings.world 2 months ago
You raised my hopes, and dashed them quite expertly sir! Bravo!
Korrok@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 months ago
Oooh, I remember seeing you post about the toaster
a_wild_mimic_appears@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 months ago
Since i’m a sucker for weird games and very bad at following simple rules i wishlisted your new game lol
choss@sh.itjust.works 2 months ago
Ayy I remember that toaster! This looks great! The sign with “Do not bite yourself to check whether you are a cake” got me smiling good
indomara@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Whats the game? :)
Zoot_@lemm.ee 2 months ago
Youtube and twitch work this same way. When I was starting there were months where I didnt make any money because I didn’t meet the minimum. Hoping next month meets the requirement for you boss 🙏
IrateAnteater@sh.itjust.works 2 months ago
Does the balance at least accumulate until you do hit the threshold, or is the money just gone?
Zoot_@lemm.ee 2 months ago
It accumulates, so there is no money lost. It does kinda suck though that as you start, even though you can make money and did make a bit you don’t get to see it yet
Halosheep@lemm.ee 2 months ago
It does make sense from a payment processing standpoint. It doesn’t make sense to spend more money on creating the transaction than is actually being sent.
AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 2 months ago
It accumulates