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$70 Games Are Riskier Than Ever As Cheaper Games Dominate On Steam

By Febspot • 1 min read
$70 Games Are Riskier Than Ever As Cheaper Games Dominate On Steam — Kotaku
Source: Kotaku

Newzoo's 2026 PC & Gaming Report, released March 12, highlights a 156 percent increase in sub-$30 purchases on PC between 2022 and 2025. The firm projects Steam-led PC growth will push PC game sales past the combined game-purchase revenue of the Nintendo Switch 2, the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series S/X by 2028; that projection covers only game purchases, not subscription income.

The report identifies cheaper full-price releases—games retailing below $30, not sale items—as the main driver. In 2025, new sub-$30 releases made up roughly 9 percent of PC's total revenue and accounted for 32 percent of PC’s revenue distribution by launch MSRP.

That year, Schedule I, PEAK, R.E.P.O. combined for 3.2 percent of PC’s top sub-$30 titles. Newzoo notes console markets move in generation-driven cycles that change spending patterns over time.

newzoo, pc gaming, steam, sub-$30, $70 games, switch 2, playstation 5, xbox series, launch msrp, subscription income