Steam, the popular digital PC storefront, has released its annual end-of-year charts, revealing the games that have generated the most revenue. While some popular titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Starfield were expected to be chart-toppers, there were also surprises from lesser-known games like Sons of the Forest and Goose Goose Duck.
The Tiered Ranking System
Valve, the company behind Steam, categorizes its year-end lists into seven categories: Top Sellers, New Releases, Most Played, Early Access, Steam Deck, Controller, and VR. Interestingly, instead of ranking the entries in order, the games are grouped into platinum, gold, silver, and bronze tiers based on their performance.
Platinum Performers
Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, Hogwarts Legacy, and Sons of the Forest were the standout new games of the year, appearing in the platinum tier across both the Top Sellers and Most Played categories. Additionally, these games dominated multiple charts, with Baldur’s Gate 3 making an appearance in every group except for the best-performing VR games.
Evergreen Favorites
Apart from the aforementioned new releases, the Most Played category features perennial favorites like Destiny 2, PUBG, Counter-Strike 2, Apex Legends, Dota 2, Lost Ark, and Goose Goose Duck. These games have maintained their popularity and continued to attract a high number of concurrent Steam players.
Starfield, the highly anticipated game from Microsoft, made a significant impact on the charts, landing on the most-played controller and Steam Deck games lists. The company hopes to replicate the success it had with Skyrim, which still maintains a place on the top sellers charts, despite its age. Microsoft aims to capitalize on the momentum of Starfield and create a long-lasting hit.
The Best of 2023
Other notable games that performed well in 2023 include Star Wars Jedi Survivor, Street Fighter 6, Resident Evil 4 Remake, EA Sports FC, Remnant 2, Armored Core 6, Payday 3, and Cities Skylines 2. These titles garnered attention and sales, contributing to the success of the gaming industry.
Early Access Graduates
Several games that participated in Steam’s Early Access program achieved platinum status, demonstrating their popularity and successful development. Some of these titles include Baldur’s Gate 3, My Time At Sandrock, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Marvel Snap, Ready Or Not, Sun Haven, Everspace 2, Wartales, Dave The Diver, Demonologist, Against The Storm, and Farlight 84. These games captivated players even in their unfinished state, generating excitement for their full releases.
In the VR category, platinum games included Beat Saber, Blade & Sorcery, Pavlov, VTOL VR, Into The Radius, Bone Lab, Ghosts Of Tabor, Gorilla Tag, Fight Nights At Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2, Half-Life: Alyx, and the eternal favorite, Skyrim VR. These games showcased the immersive capabilities of virtual reality technology and captured the attention of gamers looking for a unique and interactive experience.
Steam’s end-of-year charts provide valuable insights into the best-selling PC games of the year. From highly anticipated new releases to long-standing favorites, these games have captivated players and driven significant revenue for the industry. As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, it will be exciting to see which titles will dominate the charts in the future.
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