Tag: Steam

  • Joke Game Rakes in Millions on Steam, But Developer Sees Almost None of It

    Joke Game Rakes in Millions on Steam, But Developer Sees Almost None of It

    A game that started as a joke became one of Steam’s biggest stories this week. According to reports, 18-year-old Michael Major released a game and set the price at $200, naming it This Game Costs $200. The reason for the $200 price tag was that Steam does not allow developers to set a price higher than that.

    Neither the developer nor the players believed the game could actually sell for that amount. The game’s description called it “a psychological experience,” and the developer explained, “where I try to convince you that this game truly does cost 200 dollars.” Surprisingly, the psychological tactic worked, as the game initially earned $1,345,650.

    However, the developer did not get to keep 90% of that money. Many players bought the game solely to get a refund. After refunds and other deductions, the developer received only $2,045—a fraction of the gross earnings.

    Reports suggest that most players purchased the game to earn Steam Points. Steam’s policy grants more points the more a player spends on games. Even if a game is refunded, the points remain, allowing players to keep both the points and their money.

    Why Joke Games Keep Going Viral

    Joke games are nothing new on Steam. Some are made purely for fun, while others are designed to test player reactions. Their unusual concepts often grab attention much faster than typical game launches.

    Once people start talking about these games, more users become curious. Videos, memes, and social media posts help spread the word even further. This attention can lead to thousands of sales, even if the game offers very little gameplay.

    This case demonstrates that large sales numbers do not always translate into big profits. Refunds can quickly reduce a developer’s actual earnings. The game may have become famous overnight, but the final outcome proves that internet buzz does not always turn into real income.

  • Steam Cyberpunk Fest 2026 Delivers Up to 90% Off on Cyberpunk 2077, Ninja Gaiden 4, and More

    Steam Cyberpunk Fest 2026 Delivers Up to 90% Off on Cyberpunk 2077, Ninja Gaiden 4, and More

    Steam has kicked off its Cyberpunk Fest, offering discounts of up to 90% on cyberpunk-themed PC games. The sale runs until August 10, giving players a limited window to grab both big-budget and indie titles at steep discounts.

    Featured games include Cyberpunk 2077, Ninja Gaiden 4, RoboCop: Rogue City, Watch Dogs: Legion, Killing Floor 3, and Dead as Disco. There are also several indie titles included in the promotion.

    Here are some of the standout deals:

    • Cyberpunk 2077 — now Rs. 899, down from around Rs. 3,000 (70% off)
    • Killing Floor 3 — now Rs. 800, down from Rs. 1,600 (50% off)
    • Ninja Gaiden 4 — now Rs. 3,299 (40% off)
    • MindsEye — 50% off
    • Ghostrunner — 70% off
    • Luna Abyss — 38% off
    • Dead as Disco — 20% off

    Steam regularly hosts themed sales like this to highlight a specific genre and help players discover games they may have missed. These events often bring older titles back into the spotlight alongside newer releases.

    For players who have been waiting to buy Cyberpunk 2077 or explore other cyberpunk-themed games, this is a good time to act. The discounts will only be available until the event ends, after which prices are expected to return to normal.

  • Microsoft to Keep Steam Central to Xbox’s PC Gaming Strategy, Report Confirms

    Microsoft to Keep Steam Central to Xbox’s PC Gaming Strategy, Report Confirms

    A new report indicates that Microsoft will continue to rely on Steam as a cornerstone of Xbox’s PC gaming plans, while also expanding the role of Battle.net. Contrary to earlier speculation that Xbox might pull its games from Steam, the report states that Microsoft has no such intention at this time. Instead, the company is making strategic adjustments without removing its titles from the popular platform.

    Battle.net, previously exclusive to Blizzard games, is being opened up to third-party developers. It now includes Activision titles such as Call of Duty, Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds 2, and Avowed. In the future, more third-party developers will be able to distribute their games through Battle.net. Additionally, Microsoft continues to invest heavily in its own PC app.

    Choice for Big Publishers

    Many game companies have shifted their strategies in recent years. Electronic Arts (EA) initially focused on its own launcher but later brought its games back to Steam. Ubisoft also returned many of its biggest titles to Steam after a period of exclusivity on its own platform. Blizzard has followed a similar path—while Battle.net remains important, several Blizzard games are now available on Steam.

    These moves reflect a growing preference among players for more choices and flexibility. Microsoft appears to be adopting the same approach, avoiding platform lock-in and instead focusing on making PC gaming simple and accessible. This could prove to be one of its strongest strategic moves in the coming years.

  • Studio Reset Announces Debut Game The Eventide: A Supernatural Mystery Adventure

    Studio Reset Announces Debut Game The Eventide: A Supernatural Mystery Adventure

    Studio Reset has officially revealed The Eventide, the team’s first game. The gaming studio, formed by veteran developers Kaelin Lavallee, Kris Schoneberg, and Francis Lacuna, was announced in May 2026. Now, it has announced its debut title in the world of gaming.

    The Eventide is a single-player supernatural mystery adventure for Steam players. The gameplay reportedly puts storytelling at the center of the experience. Set in a neon-noir Canadian cityscape, the game will take players to explore strange places, solve puzzles, and slowly uncover the truth behind a dark mystery.

    According to the press release, “The gameplay will involve planes of existence adjacent to our own. Unknown to most, but not to The Eventide Agency. As the unseen hand guiding the agency’s operations, players will assign investigators to a growing backlog of unexplained incidents scattered across the city. Each agent brings their own background, beliefs, expertise, and way of seeing the world.”

    What makes the game stand out is that it’s not only about finding clues and solving the mystery; instead, it’s about finding the right agent combination to understand and decode each clue. The game is currently under development on Unreal Engine 5. Players can watch the trailer on Steam, but the release date is yet to be confirmed.

    Why Story-Driven Horror Games Are Becoming More Popular

    Psychological horror has grown in popularity in recent years. These games don’t just use monsters or loud jump scares to get your adrenaline going; they build tension from what you don’t know. Games with strong narratives, difficult puzzles, and emotional beats can linger with players long after they’ve stopped playing.

    The Eventide allows Studio Reset to make a solid first impression. It’s trying to distinguish itself with mystery, a slow pace, and a supernatural world rather than nonstop action. If the developers can bring a gripping story and enjoyable gameplay, then The Eventide could become a game fans of mystery and psychological horror will want to keep an eye out for.

  • Steam Overhauls Gifting with Guest Checkout and Email Delivery

    Steam Overhauls Gifting with Guest Checkout and Email Delivery

    Valve has rolled out a significant update to Steam, introducing guest checkout, email-based gifting, and improved wishlist tools. The changes are designed to make buying and sending games much simpler for all users.

    The headline addition is guest checkout. Previously, only Steam account holders could purchase games for gifting. Now, anyone can buy a game as a gift without creating an account. Valve has also added email gifting, allowing buyers to send games directly to a recipient’s email address. Additional features include cross-region price adjustments and wishlist sharing tools, which are now rolling out.

    Steam Wishlists have also been upgraded. Users can organize games into custom categories and generate shareable, filtered links. Anyone who receives a link can open it and purchase the game directly, even if they are not connected as friends on Steam.

    Buying Games Is Now Much Easier

    The new system removes many previous steps. Sending a game no longer requires a Steam account or a friend list connection. Buyers can simply enter a recipient’s email address, streamlining the process for birthdays, holidays, and sales events.

    A Better Experience Could Mean More Game Sales

    These improvements may boost sales during major promotions, as the removal of account creation for gift purchases reduces friction. The updated wishlist also helps players track desired games during discounts. While the core selling model remains unchanged, the overall shopping experience has become smoother for both new and existing users.

  • FBI Arrests 21-Year-Old in Steam Malware Scheme That Stole $220,000 in Cryptocurrency

    FBI Arrests 21-Year-Old in Steam Malware Scheme That Stole $220,000 in Cryptocurrency

    A 21-year-old Florida man has been arrested for allegedly helping run a malware campaign that used malicious games on Steam to steal more than $220,000 in cryptocurrency from users. The arrest follows an FBI investigation that traced stolen funds through digital gift cards and food delivery orders.

    According to an FBI criminal complaint, the campaign operated between May 2024 and February 2026, infecting nearly 8,000 devices and compromising almost 80 cryptocurrency wallets. The malware was hidden in games uploaded to Steam, allowing attackers to gain access to victims’ systems and steal digital assets.

    The accused, Zyaire Wilkins of North Lauderdale, Florida, has been charged with conspiracy to obtain information by computer for private financial gain. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

    Eight Steam Games Named in Complaint

    Investigators allege the group distributed eight malware-infected games through Steam over nearly two years. Once installed, the games deployed malware capable of accessing cryptocurrency wallets on infected computers. The games named in the complaint include:

    • BlockBlasters
    • Chemia
    • Dashverse (DashFPS)
    • Lampy
    • Lunara
    • PirateFi
    • Tokenova

    Some of the titles were removed from Steam after security concerns were reported. The FBI says the games were promoted through Discord, Telegram, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn, targeting users known to own or trade cryptocurrency.

    FBI Followed Cryptocurrency Transactions

    The investigation advanced after agents traced stolen cryptocurrency used to purchase more than 150 digital gift cards through Bitrefill. According to court documents, many of those gift cards were redeemed for Uber Eats orders. Investigators used the associated phone numbers, delivery addresses, and transaction records to identify Wilkins as a suspect.

    The criminal complaint was filed in Washington state, where Valve, the company behind Steam, is based.

    Investigation Underway

    Federal agents claim that this was a team effort and that investigations are ongoing. They are trying to find more victims and establish the role played by other suspects. The FBI says this malware attack affected around 8,000 devices, accessed 80 crypto wallets, and stole at least $220,000 worth of cryptocurrency.

    Wilkins faces charges but has not been found guilty. The accusations made in the criminal complaint will be proved or refuted in court.

  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW Cloud Gaming Launches in India: Play Steam and Epic Games on Any Device

    NVIDIA GeForce NOW Cloud Gaming Launches in India: Play Steam and Epic Games on Any Device

    NVIDIA has officially launched GeForce NOW in India, bringing cloud gaming to millions of users who want to play high-end PC games without investing in expensive hardware. The service streams supported titles from popular platforms like Steam, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, and Xbox directly to a user’s device, processing the game on NVIDIA’s servers and delivering it over the internet.

    This launch allows players to access their existing game libraries without repurchasing titles. NVIDIA has confirmed that over 5,000 games, including many free-to-play options, will be supported at launch. The service eliminates the need for large downloads or updates, as games run on cloud servers, enabling users to start playing almost immediately on older laptops, tablets, or basic computers.

    GeForce NOW offers several subscription tiers in India. The Performance membership is priced at Rs. 999 per month, while the Ultimate membership costs Rs. 1,999 per month. For those who want to test the service before committing, day passes are available at Rs. 399 for the Performance tier and Rs. 799 for the Ultimate tier.

    The arrival of GeForce NOW could reshape how people shop for laptops. With cloud gaming, a thin, lightweight office laptop with a good internet connection may be sufficient for both work and gaming, reducing the need for costly gaming laptops. Tablets might also become more appealing to casual gamers who prefer a larger screen without carrying heavy equipment.

    Gaming cafés may need to adapt as cloud gaming gains traction. While fewer players may visit cafés solely for powerful computers, these venues can pivot toward esports events, tournaments, and social gaming experiences that cloud services cannot replicate. Cafés could become community hubs where gamers meet, compete, and enjoy fast internet connections.

  • Dark Craft: The Indie RPG That Blends Minecraft Building with Souls-Like Combat

    Dark Craft: The Indie RPG That Blends Minecraft Building with Souls-Like Combat

    A new indie title, Dark Craft, is generating buzz by promising to fuse the creative freedom of Minecraft with the punishing combat of Elden Ring. Developer Take Top Entertainment has announced the free-to-play MMORPG, which is now available for wishlisting on Steam.

    Set in a grim dark-fantasy world, Dark Craft features block-art characters and a vast open environment where players gather resources, craft tools, and build shelters — all while facing brutal enemies and massive bosses. The game emphasizes exploration and preparation, with dungeons hiding rare loot and deadly secrets. This blend of sandbox creativity and challenging action aims to offer a unique experience that stands apart from the modern AAA market.

    The comparison to Minecraft and Elden Ring is intentional. Minecraft represents endless building and survival, while Elden Ring symbolizes tough, methodical combat in a dark world. By combining these elements, Dark Craft hopes to capture the imagination of players who crave both freedom and difficulty. No release date has been announced yet, but the game’s Steam page is live for those who want to follow its progress.

    As smaller indie titles continue to prove that strong gameplay can outshine big budgets, Dark Craft positions itself as a potential standout in the indie fantasy RPG space.