How to Make Money on Steam ?
Steam acts as the major distribution platform for gamers. It is a community platform that allows trades and transactions to take place between video game players, designers, coders, and game developers. Steam offers different ways for making money as well.
This digital platform of video game distribution is one of the largest. It is known that over 18% of sales in PC games were done through this platform. The sales in games have been about $4.3 billion. The registered users on this platform are about 150 million and more.
How to Make Money on Steam ?
This platform has two primary ways that one can make money with. One can trade or sell through the marketplace on this platform or submit a game that is created using Steam Direct. The marketplace here offers a forum where one can trade items as they play games and earn. These comprise of game collectibles such as CS: GO skins on skinwallet.com or trading cards. The money you earn goes into the Steam wallet which is not allowed to be withdrawn to any bank account.
The other forum is ‘Steam Direct’. Here one can release games created; one can profit in more ways here but transactions are different on this forum and not akin to direct buy or sell.
Trade and Sell Items on Steam
The Steam market is the easiest way one can learn how to make money on this platform. Players who save or collect trading cards and other items through different games can play and then sell through ‘Steam Market’. Money earned is deposited into the Steam wallet. The money earned cannot be transferred to any real bank account but can only be used to fund purchases that you make in this market.
- First step when you wish to earn money here is to save up on collectibles and trading cards; these can be about three cards in a game in which a player can get; some are about few cents of worthwhile others can amount to several dollars.
- The cards can be earned as per the time that one spends to play; first card is given out after fifteen minutes are spent while the second card comes in once every two hours of gaming is done.
- Some games have drops of items that can be traded on ‘Steam Market’. For instance, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and PUBG are popular games that often give away valuable collectibles. These are items that are often high in demand and help one to earn more money when they trade the same on the marketplace.
- Once there are several items for one to create an inventory list, they can visit the marketplace and list the items they wish to put for sale. Sale transactions take place smoothly as all account members have verified accounts and funds to facilitate transactions as at ‘https://www.skinwallet.com/’.
Distributing Games on Steam Direct
Those who wish to make money on this platform can use the direct method to distribute any original game they have developed on ‘Steam Direct’. Game sales generate revenue and one gets paid on the basis of certain parameters.
- Payment is as per game sales that one generates as well as in-game purchases.
- Distributing the game on ‘Steam Direct’ requires investment; once one has created a game they need to invest at least $100 to get the game onto the direct distribution platform.
- Guidelines and rules are also present when one wishes to distribute a game via this platform. There are certain guidelines that need to be fulfilled so that games here are of a certain standard. If a game gains popularity then one is able to earn money here.
- There are fees involved for generating sales on this platform; for instance, a 30% cut in sales is a requirement that one needs to fulfill for all sales they make through this platform; hence, if a gamer sells about 1000 copies at $1 each, they can earn about $700; there is a requirement of a deposit of $100 which is not refunded till one provides a payout of $1000 from the Steam platform.
Those who wish to make a successful sale of their game through this platform need to ensure some features:
- Besides adhering to the guidelines on direct, it should be a game that players like to play.
- Game and its success depends on feedback that players provide; if game has positive reviews there would be more people who would want to buy the game.
- Promotional features are also present on this platform; one can provide a trailer or quality screenshots; many wishes to see how a game looks like before they opt to purchase it.
- Integrate some features of Steam in your creation which can be Steam trading cards and achievements; players need to engage with each other in the community hub which is helpful when they are developing a game.
Other Ways to Make Money on Steam
One can sell items via the marketplace or release a game via ‘Steam Direct’. There are other indirect ways that one can make money on this platform as well.
- Skilled coders and designers can offer services to game developers; it becomes a joint project for them and they can together make money when they release games on this platform for sale.
- Freelancers also offer the services of different kinds on this platform; opportunities in different work sphere can be found by browsing the different forums and discussion threads.
- Hardcore gamers are often willing to pay commission for artwork; creating original artwork is often in demand and many are willing to spend money on the same; such activities are popular for creating in-game content as well as for developing Steam profiles for gamers.
Conclusion
Steam can provide different ways to make money which is done by selling items on the marketplace whereby earnings are placed in the wallet. The funds are then used for purchasing different collectibles or games. However, the main limitation is that the money earned cannot be withdrawn to a bank account. Besides that, it has become a trusted platform for gamers and collectible enthusiasts.
