On the PC gaming platform Steam, indie games account for the vast majority of annual video game releases. In 2024 so far, nearly 99 percent of game releases were independently created and published gaming titles. However, indie titles only accounted for 58 percent of the over 500 million units sold and only 48 percent of total platform revenue during the measured period. The strong increase in indie game revenue in 2024 was mainly driven by hit titles Back Myth: Wukong and Palworld.
Market share of indie games released on Steam from 2018 to 2024 YTD
based on source metrics, wider industry figures may vary; full game revenue on this and other slides includes only revenue from copies sold. It does not include in-game spend
Supplementary notes
No data is available for missing periods.
Publisher definition according to the source:
AAA Publishers Publishers who have over $7.5m revenue per game released, over $250m lifetime revenues on Steam, average game price of over $17 and has an average game complexity above a VGI defined threshold. This list has then been manually refined by VGI to adjust for generally accepted classifications
AA Publishers Publishers who have $1-7.5m revenue per game released, $50-250m lifetime revenue on Steam, average game price of $10-17 and has an average game complexity above a VGI defined threshold. This list has then been manually refined by VGI to adjust for generally accepted classifications.
Indie Publishers Publishers who don't fit the AA criteria. This categorie includes some bigger names as well as tiny 1 person self published games.
The source defines the indie market into further segments:
Triple I Indies Big and well-funded teams working on games that match AAA quality.
Middle Market Professional companies that don’t have the AAA level of funding.
Small Teams Small teams of people with some level of professionalization.
Hobbyists Typically solo developers where the focus is more on creativity than business.
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VG Insights, & Game World Observer. (October 13, 2024). Market share of indie games released on Steam from 2018 to 2024 YTD [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 04, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1535485/steamsteam-annual-indie-game-share/
VG Insights, und Game World Observer. "Market share of indie games released on Steam from 2018 to 2024 YTD." Chart. October 13, 2024. Statista. Accessed May 04, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1535485/steamsteam-annual-indie-game-share/
VG Insights, Game World Observer. (2024). Market share of indie games released on Steam from 2018 to 2024 YTD. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 04, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1535485/steamsteam-annual-indie-game-share/
VG Insights, and Game World Observer. "Market Share of Indie Games Released on Steam from 2018 to 2024 Ytd." Statista, Statista Inc., 13 Oct 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1535485/steamsteam-annual-indie-game-share/
VG Insights & Game World Observer, Market share of indie games released on Steam from 2018 to 2024 YTD Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1535485/steamsteam-annual-indie-game-share/ (last visited May 04, 2025)
Market share of indie games released on Steam from 2018 to 2024 YTD [Graph], VG Insights, & Game World Observer, October 13, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1535485/steamsteam-annual-indie-game-share/
