
Indie game developers are challenging Steam’s 30% revenue share, with “The Falconeer” creator Tomas Sala calling it outdated. Sala argues indie games need $500,000 in Steam sales to be profitable, often leaving developers with less than their investment.
While some defend Valve’s cut, citing platform investments, others point to competitors like Epic Games Store offering more favorable splits. Valve maintains its percentage hasn’t changed since Steam’s launch.
Despite acknowledging Steam’s quality, Sala and others argue the platform is too expensive for indie developers. The debate highlights growing tensions between platform holders and small-scale game creators in the digital distribution landscape.