Valve is making ridiculous money on CS2 cases. Thanks to them and Steam, the company doesn’t have to care about fast pace of game development

Valve’s dominance in the gaming industry is largely supported by Steam and Counter-Strike 2. In fact, during just one month – March – players of Counter-Strike opened a staggering 32 million loot boxes, marking the highest number in over 9 months (with approximately 34 million from March 8 to April 8, as tracked by CS2 Case Tracker). This consistent engagement is a testament to Valve’s strong hold on the gaming market and Gabe Newell’s company’s secure future.

There’s no denying that “Counter-Strike” has consistently held the top spot on Steam. While games like “PUBG” and “Black Myth Wukong” have achieved remarkable sales figures, “Counter-Strike” often takes the lead in Steam rankings more than any other game.

It turns out that, regrettably, loot boxes are included in CS as well. These are items that players open using keys they’ve bought from the game store (or less frequently, at the Steam Community Market or other asset trading sites). The price of these keys is typically 2.5 dollars, although they can be more expensive on the Community Market. Valve takes a 15% commission for every transaction, which amounts to over $82 million in March solely from key sales.

In essence, it’s unnecessary to emphasize that the number of cases initiated within CS:GO has surpassed billions since its creation. This figure is further bolstered by the markets for Team Fortress 2 and Dota 2, and crucially, the earnings generated from selling skins and items on the Community Market. Furthermore, it’s important to note that March 2025 does not hold any significant historical record for CS. A year ago alone, over 38 million loot boxes were opened in just one month.

As a passionate fan, I must confess that not every player shares the same enthusiasm about this latest development. Just as some humorously label Team Fortress 2 a “hat simulator,” a handful of players jokingly propose that Valve should rename Counter-Strike 2 to something more aptly descriptive, like “Cosmetic Skins 2.”

To put it simply, Steam is just a small glimpse into its vastness. In the year 2024 alone, the platform generated approximately $10.8 billion for Valve Corporation (based on Statista data). This substantial income allows them to take their time and carefully develop games like Deadlock or potentially even a new Half-Life title at their own pace.

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2025-04-09 12:03