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How to sell games directly to players while staying compliant with Steam
May 19, 2026•6 min
The PC gaming market is big and getting bigger. In 2025, the global games industry generated nearly $189 billion, with PC accounting for about $40 billion. More than 936 million people play on PC worldwide, and a large share of them use Steam. The platform still powers most of PC distribution, handling discovery, community, and trust.
But here's what's changing: developers and publishers are starting to sell directly to players through their own websites and launchers. Not instead of Steam. Alongside it.
When studios add a direct-to-player channel, they keep more of each sale, get access to real player data, and build relationships that last beyond a single launch. A hybrid model where Steam handles scale and your own store handles ownership is quickly becoming the standard for modern PC publishing.
Why direct sales matter
Steam accounts for roughly 60 to 65 percent of all global PC game sales. It's the biggest storefront by far. But relying on a single channel comes with risks that grow over time.
When you sell through your own store, you keep up to 25% more of each sale. You collect first-party data about who's buying, where they're coming from, and what makes them come back. You get full visibility into your marketing funnel. And you give your audience a place to find you that you actually control, instead of competing with thousands of other titles for attention on someone else's platform.
This isn't about replacing Steam. It's about making sure the marketing effort you're already doing (social, influencers, ads, newsletters) leads somewhere you own.
"But won't selling outside Steam get us in trouble?"
This is the most common concern, and the short answer is: no. Based on Valve's publicly available Steamworks documentation, selling games through external channels is a supported use case. Let's clear up the biggest myths.
"Selling a game outside Steam will get it penalized." According to Steamworks documentation, Steam keys exist so developers can sell through external stores, bundles, or retail editions. Keep your prices consistent, distribute keys responsibly, and deliver them only after official release. Many developers already run D2C stores alongside Steam without issue.
Example using [Syberia-Remastered] by [Microids] "Offering discounts or bonuses outside Steam is not allowed." Price parity matters, but flexibility exists. It is reasonable to assume that Steam's concern is long-term undercutting, not short-term or value-added offers. You can run web-exclusive bundles as long as comparable deals appear on Steam within a reasonable time. The safest play is to add value rather than cut prices: include soundtracks, artbooks, or cosmetic bonuses that don't affect gameplay balance. "Selling in-game items outside Steam breaks the rules." The rule is straightforward: transactions inside the Steam client must go through the Steam Wallet. Purchases made on your website, mobile app, or any other platform outside the Steam client can use whatever payment system you want. Games like Path of Exile, Warframe, and Genshin Impact already do this successfully. "Pre-orders outside Steam are forbidden." Pre-orders through your own site are allowed. The only constraint is timing: don't deliver or activate Steam keys before the official release date. "Selling directly will cannibalize my Steam sales." For medium-sized and large publishers, data shows the opposite. Games that combine Steam and direct-to-player activity tend to see higher total revenue and stronger community engagement. According to 2024 Data40 research, titles launched on both Steam and D2C stores outperform those released exclusively on Steam. Your direct store doesn't split your audience; it grows it. Steam handles discovery, your store handles loyalty. What about wishlists and visibility? Many developers worry that pre-sales through their own store will hurt Steam wishlist counts and visibility. But that fear is largely unfounded. Wishlist-to-sales conversion isn't a stable or universal metric. It depends on price, brand strength, timing, marketing quality, seasonality, and competing releases. The top wishlist charts require massive numbers (30k to 50k+ just to appear in "Popular Upcoming"), so even a few thousand direct pre-orders won't move the needle on your Steam rankings. For a first game launched with a hybrid model, direct-to-consumer sales typically represent only 6 to 10 percent of total revenue during the early launch phase. That volume is too small to affect Steam's algorithms, but substantial enough to start building owned channels and collecting player data. The do's and don'ts at a glance What you can do:
Building a hybrid model that works
A solid publishing strategy positions your own store and Steam as complementary channels, not competing ones. Steam's reach provides credibility and audience exposure. Your direct channel builds independence, data, and recurring value.
What this looks like in practice: Steam anchors your public visibility. Your store converts attention from influencers, media, and ads into first-party relationships. Each sale on your store can save up to 25% of the game price compared to platform fees. Your site can host updates and loyalty programs that keep players engaged between launches. And because most marketing already happens off-platform, having your own store means those clicks lead to conversions you own.
From our observations, studios that have added a direct store report between 10% and 45% of total sales shifting to direct channels within the first year, with higher retention and lifetime value per player thanks to loyalty programs and personalized offers.
Getting started is easier than you think
Creating your own store doesn't require heavy engineering. Modern publishing platforms let you launch quickly and stay compliant without building everything from scratch.
With Xsolla Publishing Suite, you can set up a fully branded store for a single game or a multi-game portfolio. Add a payment solution that covers 200+ regions and 1,000+ payment methods. Build a custom launcher for betas, updates, and community content. Launch pre-orders and sell game keys globally. The whole setup can be operational in under 30 days with minimal internal dev work.
Whether you're a premium game studio, a free-to-play developer looking to sell virtual items through your own web store, or a publisher managing multiple titles, the tools exist to get started without heavy investment.
Link
Link
Ready to build your own store?
Start building a direct sales strategy that puts you in control. Explore how Xsolla Publishing Suite makes it easy to launch, scale, and monetize your brand alongside Steam.
Or download our full digital guide for everything you need to know about optimizing direct-to-player game sales.
But here's what's changing: developers and publishers are starting to sell directly to players through their own websites and launchers. Not instead of Steam. Alongside it.
When studios add a direct-to-player channel, they keep more of each sale, get access to real player data, and build relationships that last beyond a single launch. A hybrid model where Steam handles scale and your own store handles ownership is quickly becoming the standard for modern PC publishing.
Why direct sales matter
Steam accounts for roughly 60 to 65 percent of all global PC game sales. It's the biggest storefront by far. But relying on a single channel comes with risks that grow over time.
When you sell through your own store, you keep up to 25% more of each sale. You collect first-party data about who's buying, where they're coming from, and what makes them come back. You get full visibility into your marketing funnel. And you give your audience a place to find you that you actually control, instead of competing with thousands of other titles for attention on someone else's platform.
This isn't about replacing Steam. It's about making sure the marketing effort you're already doing (social, influencers, ads, newsletters) leads somewhere you own.
"But won't selling outside Steam get us in trouble?"
This is the most common concern, and the short answer is: no. Based on Valve's publicly available Steamworks documentation, selling games through external channels is a supported use case. Let's clear up the biggest myths.
"Selling a game outside Steam will get it penalized." According to Steamworks documentation, Steam keys exist so developers can sell through external stores, bundles, or retail editions. Keep your prices consistent, distribute keys responsibly, and deliver them only after official release. Many developers already run D2C stores alongside Steam without issue.
Example using [Syberia-Remastered] by [Microids] "Offering discounts or bonuses outside Steam is not allowed." Price parity matters, but flexibility exists. It is reasonable to assume that Steam's concern is long-term undercutting, not short-term or value-added offers. You can run web-exclusive bundles as long as comparable deals appear on Steam within a reasonable time. The safest play is to add value rather than cut prices: include soundtracks, artbooks, or cosmetic bonuses that don't affect gameplay balance. "Selling in-game items outside Steam breaks the rules." The rule is straightforward: transactions inside the Steam client must go through the Steam Wallet. Purchases made on your website, mobile app, or any other platform outside the Steam client can use whatever payment system you want. Games like Path of Exile, Warframe, and Genshin Impact already do this successfully. "Pre-orders outside Steam are forbidden." Pre-orders through your own site are allowed. The only constraint is timing: don't deliver or activate Steam keys before the official release date. "Selling directly will cannibalize my Steam sales." For medium-sized and large publishers, data shows the opposite. Games that combine Steam and direct-to-player activity tend to see higher total revenue and stronger community engagement. According to 2024 Data40 research, titles launched on both Steam and D2C stores outperform those released exclusively on Steam. Your direct store doesn't split your audience; it grows it. Steam handles discovery, your store handles loyalty. What about wishlists and visibility? Many developers worry that pre-sales through their own store will hurt Steam wishlist counts and visibility. But that fear is largely unfounded. Wishlist-to-sales conversion isn't a stable or universal metric. It depends on price, brand strength, timing, marketing quality, seasonality, and competing releases. The top wishlist charts require massive numbers (30k to 50k+ just to appear in "Popular Upcoming"), so even a few thousand direct pre-orders won't move the needle on your Steam rankings. For a first game launched with a hybrid model, direct-to-consumer sales typically represent only 6 to 10 percent of total revenue during the early launch phase. That volume is too small to affect Steam's algorithms, but substantial enough to start building owned channels and collecting player data. The do's and don'ts at a glance What you can do:
- Sell Steam keys on your own D2C store or through trusted partners
- Sell DRM-free versions of the game directly
- Offer pre-orders or bundles that include Steam keys
- Run off-Steam discounts or promotions if you mirror them on Steam within a reasonable time
- Offer exclusive non-gameplay bonuses like soundtracks, artbooks, or comics
- Sell game bundles (price parity applies only to identical SKUs)
- Consistently price your game lower outside Steam than on Steam
- Offer gameplay advantages or exclusive in-game items unavailable to Steam players
- Include external payment links or "buy here" buttons inside your Steam build
- Sell keys to resellers or grey-market sites
- Deliver or activate Steam keys before the official release date
Building a hybrid model that works
A solid publishing strategy positions your own store and Steam as complementary channels, not competing ones. Steam's reach provides credibility and audience exposure. Your direct channel builds independence, data, and recurring value.
What this looks like in practice: Steam anchors your public visibility. Your store converts attention from influencers, media, and ads into first-party relationships. Each sale on your store can save up to 25% of the game price compared to platform fees. Your site can host updates and loyalty programs that keep players engaged between launches. And because most marketing already happens off-platform, having your own store means those clicks lead to conversions you own.
From our observations, studios that have added a direct store report between 10% and 45% of total sales shifting to direct channels within the first year, with higher retention and lifetime value per player thanks to loyalty programs and personalized offers.
Getting started is easier than you think
Creating your own store doesn't require heavy engineering. Modern publishing platforms let you launch quickly and stay compliant without building everything from scratch.
With Xsolla Publishing Suite, you can set up a fully branded store for a single game or a multi-game portfolio. Add a payment solution that covers 200+ regions and 1,000+ payment methods. Build a custom launcher for betas, updates, and community content. Launch pre-orders and sell game keys globally. The whole setup can be operational in under 30 days with minimal internal dev work.
Whether you're a premium game studio, a free-to-play developer looking to sell virtual items through your own web store, or a publisher managing multiple titles, the tools exist to get started without heavy investment.Link
Link
Ready to build your own store?
Start building a direct sales strategy that puts you in control. Explore how Xsolla Publishing Suite makes it easy to launch, scale, and monetize your brand alongside Steam.
Or download our full digital guide for everything you need to know about optimizing direct-to-player game sales.Featured articles
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