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The $1 billion signal: Drect-to-consumer on pc is already here
June 18, 2026•3 min
Xsolla has released data from its publisher network showing that direct-to-consumer commerce on PC generated more than $1 billion in transactions in 2025, spanning over 1,000 games. The figures, presented publicly for the first time at GDC and again at Nordic Games 2026, reveal that D2C on PC is not an emerging trend. It's already operating at a significant scale.
"Most developers still walk into distribution conversations assuming traditional storefronts are the only viable path," said Cheever. "The data tells a different story. D2C on PC has been working at scale for over a decade. What's changed is that the infrastructure to do it is no longer limited to publishers with dedicated engineering teams."
The numbers behind the shift
The data paints a clear picture of how broadly the model has taken hold. In 2025, more than 15 PC games each exceeded $10 million in direct transactions. Over 90 titles surpassed $1 million, and more than 300 crossed the $100,000 mark, all at an average sale price of just over $15. This isn't a story about a handful of giants. It's a story about a distribution model working across the full range of the market.Beyond the largest studios
Chris Cheever, VP of Publishing at Xsolla, presented these findings in a session titled "Direct-to-Consumer on PC: the next revolution in gaming is already here." His central point was that D2C isn't new. Riot Games, Ubisoft, EA, Rockstar, and Blizzard have run direct channels for years. What the data makes clear is that the model has extended well beyond the largest publishers, and most of the industry hasn't noticed.
"Most developers still walk into distribution conversations assuming traditional storefronts are the only viable path," said Cheever. "The data tells a different story. D2C on PC has been working at scale for over a decade. What's changed is that the infrastructure to do it is no longer limited to publishers with dedicated engineering teams."
Two costs platforms don't advertise
There are two costs that come with a platform-only model. The first is structural: traditional storefronts take up to 30% of each transaction. The second is less discussed: publishers complete a sale but don't acquire a customer. The storefront retains purchaser data, the communication channel, and the ability to market back to those buyers. A direct channel fundamentally changes that equation, giving publishers a parallel operation that serves their audience directly rather than replacing traditional distribution.What this means for the market
This is the same playbook that reshaped mobile. There, direct-to-consumer commerce went from a workaround for a handful of large publishers to a core part of how games reach and retain players. That shift has taken firm hold on mobile, and the same forces are now building steam on PC. The data suggests it's already further along than most realize. For publishers of every size, the question is no longer whether direct commerce on PC works. The question is how long to wait before building it.Ready to build your direct channel?
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