specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: Steam
providerId: steam
created: '2026-05-08'
# Provenance stamped 2026-08-11: this artifact was written by the API Evangelist
# bulk sweep dated 2026-05-08, not harvested from the provider. See roadmap#35.
method: generated
modified: '2026-05-08'
reconciled: true
tags:
  - Gaming
  - Valve
  - Steamworks
  - Distribution
  - FinOps
  - Cost Management
  - FOCUS
description: >-
  Steam's billing surface is unusual relative to typical SaaS. Valve does not invoice Steamworks customers a per-call API fee. Instead, the relationship inverts — Valve disburses revenue to publishers (revenue share, after refunds, chargebacks, and applicable taxes) and charges a one-time non-refundable $100 USD Steam Direct submission fee per product. Charges (in the typical FinOps direction) appear only as the Steam Direct fee plus any Steamworks-specific publisher costs (e.g., physical shipping for keys, Steam Marketplace transaction fees borne by buyers, currency-conversion deltas). For a buyer the relationship is also unusual: end-users prepay a Steam Wallet balance which is then drawn down on store purchases. For a publisher's accounting, the FinOps surface is fundamentally a payouts surface, not an expense surface.
notes: >-
  Reconciled at the model level on 2026-05-08. This artifact deliberately models Steam from the publisher / partner perspective because that is the side with developer-API obligations. Adjust focusColumns interpretation if profiling Steam from the buyer or end-user perspective.
sources:
  - https://partner.steamgames.com/steamdirect
  - https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/webapi
  - https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/
  - https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: Valve Corporation
serviceCategory: Gaming Distribution
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: One-Time Submission Fee + Revenue Share (Payouts)
  billingFrequency: Monthly Payouts; One-Time Submission Fees
  billingTerm: Per Steam Distribution Agreement
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
    - Purchase
    - Adjustment
    - Tax
  commitmentDiscount: Graduated revenue-share tiers based on lifetime gross sales.
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: Steam (Steamworks)
  ServiceCategory: Gaming Distribution
  ProviderName: Valve Corporation
  PublisherName: Valve Corporation
  InvoiceIssuerName: Valve Corporation
  BillingCurrency: USD
  ChargeCategory: Purchase
  PricingCategory: Standard Pricing
meters:
  - name: steam_direct_submissions
    description: Per-product submission fees ($100 each, recoupable after $1K adjusted gross revenue).
    unit: product
    aggregation: count
    dimensions:
      - publisher
      - product
  - name: revenue_share_tier_1
    description: Gross sales attributed to the 30% revenue-share tier (first $10M lifetime).
    unit: usd
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - publisher
      - product
      - country
  - name: revenue_share_tier_2
    description: Gross sales attributed to the 25% revenue-share tier ($10M-$50M lifetime).
    unit: usd
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - publisher
      - product
      - country
  - name: revenue_share_tier_3
    description: Gross sales attributed to the 20% revenue-share tier (above $50M lifetime).
    unit: usd
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - publisher
      - product
      - country
  - name: refunds
    description: Customer refunds netted against publisher payouts.
    unit: usd
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - publisher
      - product
      - reason
  - name: chargebacks
    description: Card-network chargebacks netted against publisher payouts.
    unit: usd
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - publisher
      - product
  - name: marketplace_transaction_fees
    description: Steam Marketplace transaction fees deducted from item-trade proceeds.
    unit: usd
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - publisher
      - product
      - market
  - name: api_calls
    description: Steamworks Web API call volume (no monetary cost; tracked for soft-quota management).
    unit: call
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - api_key
      - interface
      - method
principles:
  - name: Visibility
    description: >-
      Pull the monthly Steamworks revenue report and Steam Direct submission ledger. Reconcile each game's reported gross to your own analytics; track Steam Wallet net deductions (refunds, chargebacks, marketplace fees) line-by-line.
  - name: Allocation
    description: >-
      Allocate Steam payouts and submission fees per product / studio / publisher entity in your finance system; track Web API call volume per API key for ops attribution.
  - name: Optimization
    description: >-
      Use the Steamworks discounting and bundle tooling deliberately; minimize refunds with clear store-page expectations; consider promotional Steam Sale calendar timing; recoup the $100 Steam Direct fee promptly by promoting first-week sales above $1K.
  - name: Accountability
    description: >-
      Assign a Steamworks publisher account owner; monitor Steam Direct submission lifecycle, payout timeliness, and Web API key rotation; review the Steam Distribution Agreement at every renewal/amendment.
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com