Indie games are making serious waves on Steam in 2025, with new data suggesting they now account for nearly half of the platform’s top performers. While Steam has always been considered a haven for indie developers, the momentum behind smaller games this year is unprecedented — and may even signal a shift in the gaming landscape.
So far in 2025, 4,600 indie titles have been released on Steam. If this pace continues, the platform could be on track for its biggest year yet for independent releases. That follows an already massive 2024, which saw 8,588 indie games published on Steam. And while quantity doesn’t always equal quality, several small-scale projects are matching — or surpassing — major AAA releases in player count and revenue.
According to data tracked by SteamDB and reported by Gamerant, eight of Steam’s top 20 games this year have come from indie or small AA studios. These include Schedule 1, R.E.P.O., Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and others. These games, some made by solo developers or small teams, have earned spots alongside big-budget titles like Stellar Blade and Monster Hunter Wilds.
Here’s a breakdown of peak concurrent players for 2025’s top-performing indie and AA games:
- Schedule 1 – 459,798
- R.E.P.O. – 271,571
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 – 256,206
- Bongo Cat – 194,508
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – 145,063
- Peak – 114,492
- Rematch – 92,841
- Sultan’s Game – 46,106
This surge in indie popularity isn’t just about player counts — it’s also reflected in earnings. According to VG Insight, indie games generated nearly $4 billion in Steam revenue in 2024, accounting for almost 48% of the platform’s earnings. Remarkably, only 1% of new games on Steam that year came from AAA or AA studios — meaning indie developers produced 99% of the platform’s releases.
One of the biggest breakout successes has been Schedule 1, which has already sold over eight million copies and brought in an estimated $125 million in revenue. Meanwhile, games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 are blurring the line between AA and AAA, with polish and scope that rival full-priced blockbusters — and even put them in the running for Game of the Year accolades.
The shift is also visible in user interest. On Steam’s list of most wishlisted games, Hollow Knight: Silksong sits at number one, followed closely by Subnautica 2, a highly anticipated AA title. Several other indie-developed games round out the top spots, suggesting that player demand is increasingly leaning toward innovative, low-budget experiences.
With indie studios now claiming a significant share of the spotlight — and outperforming many high-budget competitors — 2025 may go down as the year indie officially took over Steam.
More News:
Donkey Kong Bananza Early Copy Details Leaked Via Chinese Forum
Dragon Quest 7 Rumored To be Coming To PS5
Camelot Software Planning May Be Nearing Completion On New Project, Potentially For Switch 2
