November 5, 2025
Monopoly or Monopol-LOL?
72% of devs believe Steam has a monopoly on PC games, according to study
Devs call Steam a monopoly; commenters clap back: it's just the best
TLDR: A study says 72% of devs view Steam as a monopoly and most revenue flows through it. Commenters push back: Steam is dominant but not a gatekeeper, rivals like GOG and Epic exist, and network effects drive loyalty—so the real fight is over power, choice, and payouts.
A new study by PC distributor Rokky says 72% of developers think Steam has a monopoly, and most studios say over 75% of their revenue comes from Valve’s mega-store. Cue the comments: the thread lit up with “dominant, not monopoly” takes and a chorus of “better Steam than the rest.” One user cheered that GOG—the DRM-free store—proves competitors can survive, while another pulled out Antitrust 101, arguing monopoly means blocking rivals, not just being wildly popular. Others compared Steam’s “everyone’s already here” pull to social apps, with a spicy nod to possible rules for making stores talk to each other. Meanwhile, folks pointed out Steam isn’t built into Windows and doesn’t gatekeep installs like some mobile app stores, making it harder to call it a true monopoly. The study itself says devs are spreading out—using Epic and Xbox PC—with 80% planning more alternative channels, though the gray market (key resellers like G2A) spooks many. Humor was nonstop: “Praise Gaben” chants, Monopoly board jokes (“Valve owns Boardwalk, everyone else stuck on Baltic”), and quips that Steam sales are basically mind control. Drama level: medium spicy, maximum memes.
Key Points
- •72% of surveyed developers believe Steam has a monopoly on the PC games market.
- •For most studios, Steam accounts for over 75% of revenue.
- •The survey covered 306 UK and US industry executives in May 2025, with 75% at senior or C‑suite level and 77% from studios with 50+ employees.
- •48% have distributed titles to both the Epic Games Store and the Xbox PC Games store; 10% used GOG and 8% used Itch.io.
- •80% expect to use alternative channels alongside Steam within five years, and 75% predict at least a 10% revenue uplift from marketplaces and E‑stores.