Post
The default revenue cut that platform holders take, and that everyone fights about.
For decades, the standard deal has been that digital storefronts take 30% of every sale and the developer/publisher gets 70%. Apple, Google, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all converged on this number. It made sense when physical retail was dominant and distribution was expensive, but in the digital age, many argue it's a relic. The debate over whether platforms earn that 30% through discoverability and infrastructure, or simply extract it through market power, has reshaped the industry.
Example
Epic Games launched the Epic Games Store in 2018 offering an 88/12 split specifically to challenge Steam's 70/30. Tim Sweeney also sued Apple over the App Store's 30% cut, leading to the landmark Epic v. Apple trial that put platform economics under a legal microscope.
Why it matters
This single number determines how much money actually reaches the people who make your favorite games. A shift from 70/30 to 88/12 can mean the difference between a studio surviving or shutting down, especially for smaller developers.
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