Data: 96% of studios now run a direct-to-consumer web store or plan to

Summary

A new survey reveals that nearly all game studios, 96% to be exact, either operate or plan to launch a direct-to-consumer (D2C) web store. This figure signals a significant shift in the game industry's distribution landscape, as developers increasingly seek to reduce reliance on third-party platforms like Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox. By establishing their own storefronts, studios can sell games, virtual items, and merchandise directly to players, gaining higher revenue margins and valuable first-party user data while fostering stronger community engagement. For players, this trend may bring more exclusive discounts, limited content, and direct communication with developers, but it also means managing multiple accounts and fragmented game libraries. For the industry, the mass adoption of D2C could pressure traditional distributors to reconsider their 30% revenue cut, potentially leading to more competitive platform policies and even reshaping pricing and launch strategies. While D2C is not a new concept, the rapid rise to 96% marks its transformation from niche experimentation to mainstream strategy. The survey also notes that the remaining 4% of studios are not planning to adopt D2C, likely due to resource or technical constraints. Overall, the D2C movement challenges existing platform power and represents a key milestone in the digital transformation of the game business…