Steam Set to Smash $20 Billion This Year After Record September

Analyst Alinea reports Steam had its best September ever with $1.6 billion in revenue, putting Valve's store on track to exceed $20 billion for the first time in 2026.

Did you know Steam just had its biggest September ever? According to Alinea Analytics, the platform raked in $1.6 billion last month, up 13% year-over-year. That's not just a good month—it's the best September in Steam's history.

But wait, there's more. Combined with the rest of the quarter, that's $5.5 billion. And for the year so far? A whopping $16.5 billion, also up 13% from last year. Analyst Rhys Elliott from Alinea says, "Given the insane release slate for the rest of the year, it's safe to say Steam's yearly revenue will blow past $20 billion for the first time." That's a huge milestone for Valve.

So what's driving this surge? September was dominated by three games: Wardogs, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and The Blood of Dawnwalker. Wardogs alone brought in around $86.9 million, impressive considering it only launched in early access on September 10. The other two are fresh properties, with only one being multiplayer-focused—a nice mix that shows Steam's diverse appeal.

And the hits keep coming. The Witcher 3 remaster is still selling like hotcakes. Elliott notes it sold another 130K copies across Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X on a single Wednesday—the most since a $3.99 Steam discount in summer 2024. Expect another bump when Songs of the Past arrives next year.

Looking ahead, the release calendar is stacked. October brings heavy-hitters like Gears of War: E-Day, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, and Hellraiser: Revival. November has Gravhounds and Edge of Memories, though it's lighter due to a certain Rockstar release—but don't count on GTA 6 boosting Steam since it's not launching on PC immediately. Still, with Resident Evil Requiem, Crimson Desert, and Slay the Spire 2 on the horizon, there's plenty to keep the revenue flowing.

Could Rayman Legends Retold be the game that pushes Steam over the $20 billion mark? We'll have to wait and see. One thing's for sure: Valve's storefront shows no signs of slowing down.

What do you think—will Steam hit $20 billion this year? And which upcoming release are you most excited to pick up?