Steam closed out 2025 with historically high revenue for December, fueled by successful game sales and year-end promotions. Notably, the third-person extraction shooter ARC Raiders played a significant role in driving player spending and engagement during the Winter Sale.
Steam's Best December on Record
Image credit: Alinea Analytics
Revenue Growth and Market Performance
Steam generated approximately $1.6 billion in gross revenue in December 2025, marking its strongest December yet and a notable year-over-year increase. This figure represents a roughly 22.7 percent rise compared to the same month in 2024 and surpasses previous pandemic-era performance.
Holiday Sales Impact
The Winter Sale and holiday discounts helped boost sales across multiple titles. Deep price cuts on select games encouraged new purchases, with many discounted titles recording high unit sales.
ARC Raiders' Contribution to Sales
Sales Volume and Platform Success
ARC Raiders, developed by Embark Studios, continued its strong momentum into the holiday season. Since its October 2025 launch, the game has exceeded 12 million copies sold across all platforms, with an estimated 7 million of those on Steam alone. It remained one of Steam's most popular premium games throughout the period.
During the holiday window, ARC Raiders achieved high daily and concurrent player numbers, consistently maintaining tens of thousands of players and selling over 250,000 copies on Boxing Day.
Revenue Rankings and Competitive Context
By revenue on Steam over the holiday period, ARC Raiders ranked as the second-highest performer, trailing only Counter-Strike 2, which benefits from its free-to-play model and sustained popularity.
Other Standout Titles and Sales Trends
Discounted Titles Driving Volume
Several titles experienced surges in unit sales due to steep Winter Sale discounts. For example, Detroit: Become Human sold close to one million copies after its price dropped significantly, highlighting how price promotions can drive volume and platform revenue.
Player Engagement Across Games
Beyond ARC Raiders, other titles also contributed meaningfully to Steam's revenue and engagement metrics, demonstrating a broad distribution of player interest during the holiday period.
Editor's Comments
The impressive December performance underscores the effectiveness of seasonal promotions and strong first-party and third-party titles in driving platform revenue. ARC Raiders' high sales and sustained engagement reflect both player interest in new premium releases and effective pricing strategies during high-traffic sales events.
Follow Us on Facebook
