Overview
Steam provides world class support for in game purchases, whether that is items, in-game currency, or anything else that you can think up, you can use the Steam Microtransaction APIs to provide customers with more choices.
If you are working to bring your title with in-game purchases to Steam, we've got a few suggestions, best practices, and resources to help you get started. Whether you have a Free to Play game, or a game that is purchased upfront, there are common elements with any game that has in-game purchases that are useful to consider when working toward your launch on Steam.
In-Game Purchase Requirements
For any in-game purchases, you'll need to use the microtransaction API so Steam customers can only make purchases from the Steam Wallet. You can learn more about how to complete this integration in the Microtransactions Implementation Guide.
You can use the Steam Wallet to purchase individual items or to purchase your in-game currency.
Anticipating Fraud
You run a risk of fraud any time you offer something of value that can be purchased. For your in-game store, Steam is providing services as a payment processor – Steam runs fraud checks, but the context in which a user makes a purchase in your game is something that only your game servers can understand.
Your game is especially vulnerable if the in-game purchases are part of an economy where virtual goods and services can be traded or gifted. If fraud is allowed to run rampant and unchecked, it can devalue the items in the economy or create game imbalance that ruins the gameplay experience of legitimate users.
Fraud often involves a user purchasing high-value currency and items with a stolen payment method (such as a credit card). The fraudsters’ goal is to move those virtual goods to other accounts, either owned by the fraudster or a player who is paying for those goods outside of the system. Alternatively, fraudsters may attempt to sell the entire account, again while being paid outside of the system.
Your team will need to find a balance within your economy that blocks bad users, yet does not impact your legitimate users. Here are some general suggestions as starting points for basic protection against easy forms of fraud:
- Use in-game knowledge of a user’s history to limit actions that can contribute to fraud. For example, if you know the player is really new, then it’s generally a good idea to limit purchase of high-value items or currency. It’s unlikely that a brand-new legitimate user is interested in buying $200 worth of items or currency. To accomplish this, it’s useful to incorporate a number of points of data about the user.
- Has the user leveled up in your game to some minimum level?
- Has the user made past purchases? Does their behavior look legitimate?
- What are typical average purchase amounts across your game for a month? Is this transaction suspiciously far outside that range?
- How many transactions do your typical paying customers make in a month? Is this user making a suspiciously large number of transactions?
- Does this user have a history of trading that looks legitimate?
- Use Steam’s knowledge of a user’s history to inform your concern about a specific transaction or user. You can get information from Steam to help you determine what actions a user should be allowed to perform. Call GetUserInfo() in the ISteamMicroTxn API to get information about the user. Three main responses may be useful in determining how much you trust the user:
- Country – returns the country where the user is connecting from to make their purchase. By itself it isn’t very informative, but can be useful in conjunction with Currency.
- Currency – returns the currency code of the user’s Steam Wallet. Commonly, this is used to determine what pricing information should be displayed to the user, but by checking the currency against the country where the request is coming from, you can see whether the currency matches what is expected for a user from that country. This doesn’t necessarily indicate fraud--users can login and make purchases while traveling, but performing this check gives you more information when looking for patterns in fraudulent activity.
- Status – returns either ‘Active’, ‘Trusted’, or ‘Locked’.
- An account is Active by default.
- Trusted accounts have a transaction over 90 days old without any chargebacks associated with the Steam account. It is important to note that a Trusted account may still be hijacked or ‘baked’ with a low value purchase to appear legitimate. This status should not be the sole determining factor to accept or reject a purchase.
- A Locked account cannot make purchases in Steam because of fraud, chargeback, a hijack, or a violation of the Steam Terms of Service. This status is not always permanent, especially in the case of hijacking or accidental chargebacks by banks.
- Catching fraudulent transactions before they can impact the economy is important.
- Steam catches most fraudulent transactions within 48 hours of the initial purchase. Call the GetReport() API at least once each day to reconcile changes to transactions according to their updated status.
- You should prevent trading or gifting of the newly purchased items for at least 72 hours from the time of purchase. This will not impact the majority of your players since most players will use funds and items purchased for themselves while fraudsters must move their fraudulent goods to profit.
- When purchases are refunded, an automatic ‘claw-back’ system removing the funds and items purchased on the fraudulent account deters further behavior. Combined with the detection time and trade restriction, the fraudster will not have profited from the fraudulent account.
- Don't display a product key for in-game purchases that could be harvested for another account. There are Steam APIs for granting packages or unlocking content without needing to display a key to customers that can potentially be duplicated.
- Don't allow users to change the linked accounts that are described in the next section: Linking Accounts.
Using the Steam Inventory Service incorporates many of these suggestions.
Linking Accounts
Do you have your own account system? If so, we strongly encourage you to use Steamworks API to automatically create or link the Steam customer's account with your system, rather than requiring the customer to manually create an account through your game or website. Creating a new account through another service can be a huge hurdle for some customers, and can significantly impact your potential audience.
Linking a user’s Steam account to your own system can be done by retrieving and verifying a user’s SteamID, which is a unique identifier for a Steam account.
Ideally, it shouldn't be possible for a customer to disassociate their Steam account from your account system and then re-link another Steam account.
For more information on account linking, please see the "Account Linking" section in the User Authentication and Ownership documentation.
Considerations for in-game economies and best practices
Steamworks provides a variety of opportunities to integrate microtransactions and in-game economies. There are a few things to consider on the topic.
Watch Kyle Davis’s presentation from Steam Dev Days for more detailed information.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHC-uGDbu7s
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Use your in-game economy to improve your product and make customers happier, not as a means to extract revenue from unhappy customers.
Artificial barriers to progress and virtual currencies that obfuscate value tend to make customers regret their purchases over the long term. If you’re viewing in-game transactions as an opportunity to halt your customer’s enjoyment to ask for money, they’ll be inclined to abandon the product over time. Paying money to eliminate frustration is not a sustainable business model, and the marketplace is competitive enough that customers have lots of better alternatives for their time and money.
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Build systems wherein customer purchases make your game better for other customers.
Many free to play products, especially multiplayer games, rely on systems where the more money one player spends, the worse the game gets for the other players. Avoid building systems where players have the ability to negatively impact other players’ experiences, and focus instead on products and items that create positive externalities within your game. We cite specific examples in the Steam Dev Days presentation, but a good starting point is a product designed around a simple concept: "I celebrate when the player next to me makes a purchase." This is feasible for games of all genres and styles, and we encourage you to run experiments around such products in your own games.
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Allow your users to create value for one another.
The Steam Workshop consists of tools that allow your customers to create content and value for one another. Customers can create models, maps, mods, or other valuable components for your game. Depending on your product and your goals, you can choose between an open or curated Workshop. In either case, the creativity and passion of your customers can greatly expand the value of your product and provide you with a great source of additional content. Check out the Steam Workshop documentation and Steamworks Developer Discussions for more information about the Steam Workshop.
Overall, being a slave to metrics like revenue-per-day or per-user can drive short-term decisions that harm your players and the longevity of your product. Watch the full Steam Dev Days talk above for specific examples and additional insights.
Getting The Most From Updates
Updates are an important part of your product's lifecycle and a critical form of communication with customers. You'll need to make updates to fix bugs and address issues, but major updates are also a huge opportunity to add new content, new modes of play, or new features to help keep customers engaged and attract new audiences.
Check out Best Practices, Marketing documentation for suggestions and best practices around getting the most from your product updates.
FAQs
First released in 2003 by Valve Corporation, Steam is one of the leading PC gaming platforms for gamers across the world. In 2021, it was estimated that platform sales accounted for 74.4 percent of Steam's gaming revenues, with in-game microtransactions making up the remaining 25.6 percent.
Does Steam take a percentage of in-game purchases? ›
Steam also allows users to decide where a portion of that 75 percent goes in the form of a few charities that steam provides as options for the users to choose from. Valve usually takes around 30 percent from every in-game purchase, whether the game is made by Valve or not, because Steam is owned by Valve.
Does Steam refund microtransactions? ›
Steam's refund policy allows users to obtain a refund for in-game purchases within 48 hours of purchase as long as none of the items purchased have been consumed, modified, or transferred.
Can you purchase in-game items through Steam? ›
You can purchase in-game items from the in-game Store, using real world currency from your Steam Wallet. For more information on Steam Wallet, check out Steam support. In-game purchases are nonrefundable.
Why does Steam take 30%? ›
"Valve, an innovator that created Steam as a platform for playing video games in 2003 and, to create an integrated customer experience, offered games for purchase starting in 2004, set the 30% rate at the beginning, at a time of 'vibrant competition' for PC digital game distribution," reads the motion.
How much of a cut does Steam take from game sales? ›
Since Steam usually takes a 30% cut from game purchases, do they also force free-to-play games to do purchases through Steam, or do they just let developers use whatever payment methods they want (which means that Steam earns no money from the game at all)?
How much money does Steam take from transactions? ›
Game developers, who are looking to put their games on Steam, are probably wondering: “What is Steam's revenue share model?” This has been the number one question for many new developers. The initial revenue split for sales on Steam is 70/30, meaning Steam takes 30% of sales and the remaining 70% goes to the developer.
What percentage is taken by Steam? ›
Steam charges a "Steam Transaction Fee" of 5% item value for every item sold on the Market. For example, if somebody sold an item for $100 on the Market, the buyer would have to pay $115 for the item.
Is Steam generous with refunds? ›
Steam return limitations
Steam is pretty generous with returning games and issuing refunds, but there are a few limitations. To return a game, you must: Request a refund within 14 days of purchase. Have logged less than 2 hours of playtime in the game.
Can Steam deny a refund? ›
It is worth noting that although Valve is pretty relaxed about Steam refunds you can still be denied a game refund request if the company suspects that you are abusing the system. So don't go requesting refunds constantly or trying to use the system to speedrun games and then ask for a refund.
Valve will, upon request via help.steampowered.com, issue a refund for any title that is requested within 14 days of purchase and has been played for less than 2 hours. Even if you fall outside of the refund rules we've described, you can submit a request and we'll take a look at it.
What happens when you buy something on Steam? ›
When you buy a game from Steam, it downloads directly to your computer and automatically installs itself. After you have mastered how to buy PC games on Steam, you can uninstall and reinstall the game at any time, using your account from within the Steam software.
What is the most expensive Steam points item? ›
The most expensive by far are the so-called Points Badges, with the level 20 variant costing 20 000 points. All of this is to serve buying games on Steam and the Summer Sale itself.
What is the small purchase requirement for Steam? ›
In order to make it more difficult for these malicious users to spam, scam, and phish other users, we restrict access to certain community features until an account has spent at least $5.00 USD in Steam.
Why is Steam going down so much? ›
Sometimes, we take the servers down in order to perform maintenance. We might be patching software for security issues, updating operating systems or drivers, or installing new hardware, for example. These activities don't result in new features, but allow Steam to continue to run stably and efficiently.
Why are my Steam games sitting at 100%? ›
Steam update stuck at 100% can also indicate that it's unpacking the game files to start the installation process. However, if it is stuck for quite a long time, this glitch could be related to the integrity of game files. You can verify it in Steam.
How does Steam make money? ›
Steam makes most of its money via the commissions it charges on all game sales, with the exact commission based on total net sales volume. Steam charges a small “deposit fee” for new game developers who wish to list on the platform for distribution.
Do I get the full Steam game if I buy it in early access? ›
When customers buy an Early Access game they get to play current and all future builds. They're also entitled to the final version of the game once it releases. Most players who participate in Early Access purchases develop a sense of ownership from the moment they hit the buy button.
What happens if Steam removes a game you bought? ›
When a game disappears from Steam, the store page is still accessible through search engines, and if you know the direct URL. However, you won't be able to buy it by navigating through Steam.
What if I buy a game on Steam and I delete it? ›
Removing a Game from Your Steam Library
You'll permanently discard the game from your account when you do the former. You won't be able to redownload or launch the game anymore, making a second purchase necessary.
The buyer pays the Steam Transaction Fee. The Steam Transaction Fee is calculated based on the item cost and is shown on the confirmation page before purchase.
What percentage of Steam games are refunded? ›
The average indie game on Steam usually has a refund rate of around 10-12%. For your first indie game on Steam, it's expected you'll have a refund rate of around 15-18%.
What game has the most sales on Steam? ›
Top Currently Global Selling Steam Games
| # | Name | Peak Today |
|---|
| #1 | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | 1,351,441 |
| #2 | STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor™ | 48,029 |
| #3 | Apex Legends | 400,133 |
| #4 | Steam Deck | 0 |
106 more rowsIt Would Cost $538,000 To Buy Everything On Steam.
Does Steam give $100 refund? ›
You will be issued a full refund of your purchase within a week of approval. You will receive the refund in Steam Wallet funds or through the same payment method you used to make the purchase.
How does Steam make money on free games? ›
How do free Steam indie games make money? Usually trough micropayments or in-game ads. Though there's a lot of free Steam games that are released without the intent of making money, perhaps to gain free advertising for a studio via old games that no longer sell.
What is 80% steam quality? ›
Steam Quality can be termed as the amount of liquid contained in the steam. For instance, 100% steam quality refers to steam, without water present in it, and if the steam quality is 80%, then it contains 80% of steam and 20% of water. The water in steam can cause erosion in pipes and valves of the boiler.
How is Steam cost calculated? ›
In most companies, the reported cost of steam is the average cost of generation at a particular production rate. The total operating costs—fuel, power, water, chemical additives, labor, maintenance, depreciation, interest, and administrative overheads—are divided by the total amount of steam produced.
What percentage of Steam buyers leave reviews? ›
Very few gamers actually review the game. Though the percentage is higher the fewer players there are. Generally speaking. 10% would be a high estimate.
Who loses money when you refund on Steam? ›
Steam's system mostly benefits players, but also Steam itself. Although obvious, it's important to note that Steam's return costs are minimal (as they are for any other retailer of digital goods). For each refund, Valve simply loses its 20-30% revenue share (which will depend on the game's sales).
Is there a limit to how many purchases I can request a refund for? You can submit any number of refund requests for eligible purchases.
Can Steam ban you for too many refunds? ›
yes you can be banned from steam for exploiting their refund system.
Can I refund a gifted game on Steam? ›
Can you refund gifted games? It is possible to refund a gifted game through Steam as well. You need to meet the same requirements first - i.e. not having played it for more than two hours and having it in your account for less than 14-days but if that's so then you can ask for a refund.
Are Steam refunds automated? ›
Select "I would like a refund," and then "I'd like to request a refund." You can then choose your Steam Wallet or the payment method you'd like to receive your refund through. If it's within 14 days of purchase and you've played for less than two hours, the refund request is automatically approved.
Can you return a steam deck? ›
For Steam Deck and related components and accessories (individually and collectively, the “Product”), you have 14 days from the date of receipt of the Product purchased from an authorized reseller to return the purchased Product.
Do I own my Steam games forever? ›
You do not own your games. Whether bought through Steam, Origin, or any other digital download service that requires a live account to play them, you are at best renting those games, with no guarantee that you'll be able to continue to do so.
Is it legal to sell Steam items for real money? ›
Selling GAMES from steam are against the rules and can get your account banned. Selling items and skins is technically not against the rules but Valve will offer no protection and scams run rampant. Even on legit sites someone can buy your stuff then issue a charge back and steal your items.
How much is $1 dollar in Steam points? ›
100 points for every $1.00 you spend. Buy any game, DLC, hardware, application, soundtrack, or in-game item, and get points. The Points Shop is where you'll find a variety of items to personalize your Steam presence.
How much is 1k Steam points? ›
10$ spent ~ 1000 points, so you think Valve should, for the sake of being a nice company, hand every one of their 47,000,000 daily active users half the money they pay as store credit?
How many Steam points is 5 dollars? ›
For every dollar you spend, you get 100 Steam Points added to your account.
The Steam card is available in six denominations, $5, $10, $20, $50, $75 and $100.
What is Steam key purchase? ›
A Steam key is a unique code that will allow you to download the game from the gaming platform Steam and then play it. You can download Steam here: https://store.steampowered.com/about/.
What percentage cut does Steam take? ›
Since Steam usually takes a 30% cut from game purchases, do they also force free-to-play games to do purchases through Steam, or do they just let developers use whatever payment methods they want (which means that Steam earns no money from the game at all)?
What percentage does Steam take from market? ›
Steam charges a "Steam Transaction Fee" of 5% item value for every item sold on the Market.
How much money does Steam take per purchase? ›
The fee is currently 5% (with a minimum fee of $0.01). This fee may be increased or decreased in the future. Who pays the "Steam Transaction Fee"? The buyer pays the Steam Transaction Fee.
How much does Steam take from in app purchases? ›
Steam Publishing Costs
Your “deal” with Valve Corp. also involves a revenue share agreement in which 70% of the revenue is distributed to the developer, with the remaining 30% going to Steam. You'll be allowed to release your game one month after you have paid the app fee.
What is the $5 rule on Steam? ›
In order to make it more difficult for these malicious users to spam, scam, and phish other users, we restrict access to certain community features until an account has spent at least $5.00 USD in Steam.
How much Steam takes from game sales? ›
Steam Cut. Steam takes its 30% cut, although some developers may have negotiated a smaller cut, for example for exclusivity. But this number is probably the standard for indie game developers. Steam also has a 100$ fee per game, which may be more relevant for lower numbers.
Does Steam take a cut before or after taxes? ›
We charge sales tax in states as required by applicable law. Sales tax is calculated and then added on top of the Steam Price.
Where does Steam make most of its money? ›
Steam makes most of its money via the commissions it charges on all game sales, with the exact commission based on total net sales volume. Steam charges a small “deposit fee” for new game developers who wish to list on the platform for distribution.
The average indie game on Steam usually has a refund rate of around 10-12%. For your first indie game on Steam, it's expected you'll have a refund rate of around 15-18%.
How much would it cost to own all games in Steam? ›
At the time of writing, it costs $521,909.63 to buy everything Steam has to offer - that takes into account any discounts that are currently available over there. If you were to purchase everything at full price, you'd be looking at closer to $537,192.37, which is roughly £420,000.
How much would it cost to own everything on Steam? ›
Well, at the moment it costs $855,003.49 at a discounted price which costs $902,099.29 at full price. This page was last updated 23 minutes ago, based on the price of the US region and English language.
