The gaming platform posted record revenues for just the first six months of the year.
The growth of the gaming industry was undoubtedly exponential in the initial period of the pandemic but, despite a now decided return to almost normal, it does not seem to have stopped. One of the most recent reports comes from Steam, a digital platform for buying and selling video games (and more) which in the first six months of 2022 recorded 3.1 billion dollars in revenues. This is a 3% growth compared to the same period of 2021, while compared to 2018 it has almost reached the figure recorded in a whole year: four years ago in fact in the twelve months it reached revenues of $ 3.8 billion.
The forecasts for the year
Although 2022 is a better result than last year, when revenues amounted to $ 3 billion in the same reference period, the forecasts for the next six months are not rosy. In 2021 from July to December Steam added another $ 3.5 billion but this year several analysts have already ruled, based on the first results of the summer, as the revenues of the platform are in slight decline with the expectation of seeing a decline. 12% compared to 2021 for the first time in years. In fact, in 2019 the market grew by 18%, while in 2020 it even rose to + 29%, while last year the volume of transactions and revenues stood “just” at + 12%.
What does it mean?
Even if the revenues of Steam, and in general of the videogame sector, were to decrease or even register a negative percentage rate, it would not be a negative factor in the long term but simply a re-stabilization of the market following the boost received in the most strongly pandemic period , during which users had diverted their savings and their purchase desires towards the gaming and digital sector, one of the few who managed to continue to “live” globally among all economic sectors.
