Charles Zukowski, a seasoned game marketing consultant, presented at the Game Developers Conference 2025 on a topic that has long puzzled both established and budding developers alike: What strategies can be employed to make a game stand out on Steam?

Of course, there isn’t just one answer to this query. While the basic concept involves creating an outstanding game, various elements come into play such as early access programs, wishlist features, player reviews, demo releases, and the suite of backend instruments provided by Valve. However, Zukowski operates somewhat outside conventional marketing strategies. He has pierced through the veil of illusions akin to seeing beyond the Matrix, revealing what he calls “True Steam.”

We begin on a positive note. Zukowski states, “I have no clue what art is,”
thanks, GamesRadar
I don’t understand art at all. There’s no criteria for it.” Despite this, he kindly admits that certain games possess a particular charm, “as if stumbling upon real love,” which leads to what he calls “True Steam.

“Certain games possess this allure, which remains somewhat mysterious,” Zuckowski states. “However, we can observe… the impact of this charm.” In this instance, the illustration provided involves player responses to a game listed in Steam’s discovery queue. Whether these feedbacks are positive or negative serves as an indicator of whether the ‘magic’ was achieved.

And should you unlock the magic? “[Steam] functions as a mechanism that transforms magic into cash… Achieving true Steam is the objective. Keep this between us though; don’t let Valve know I shared this with you.”

I’m certain Gabe is rushing around looking for his yacht’s batphone right now. Seriously though, it’s challenging to extract meaningful conclusions from the notion that games either become hugely successful or they fail completely, and suggesting this outcome is due to some kind of ‘Steam magic’ seems like an overly simplistic explanation. You may wonder what “Real Steam” means—it essentially refers to ‘basically’ regular Steam.
Daily Deals program
, hold onto your hats folks here—this often boosts a given game’s sales.

Zukowski suggests that for developers not accepted into the realms of Real Steam or unable to gather at least 250 reviews within the initial month, they should accept that their chances are slim as it’s essentially game over, buddy.

In this part of his discussion, there is somewhat more depth since Zukowski clarifies his point with supporting statistics. He considers “True Steam” success to involve earning at least $150,000 within six to nine months after launch; however, among these successful titles, 74% reach this figure within just the initial three months.

Last year, out of the 114,000 games that were launched without capturing that special spark and weren’t available on Real Steam, only one managed to recover,” states Zukowski. “I discovered this standout game; it’s named Beltomatic and was the sole title that achieved success comparable to ‘Among Us’ during that period.

Among Us stands out as an anomaly among Steam titles due to its surge in popularity, which peaked approximately two years post-launch, largely credited to the 2020 lockdown period. Conversely, Beltmatic, a factory simulation game, garnered only 51 reviews within three months of its launch. However, after nine months, they managed to achieve significant success with more than 1,000 reviews under their belt.

One important clarification: The user reviews for Beltmatic currently stand at nearly 1,300.
are Very Positive
It is undoubtedly an excellent game.

“I have to tell you honestly, if you don’t reach at least 250 reviews within the first month, it’s highly unlikely that it will ever get there,” states Zukowski. “It simply won’t happen. It’s best to look for alternatives now. Whatever your backup plan might be—it won’t succeed after that point. Only one game, Beltmatic, managed to achieve this feat. I’m being upfront about this; I apologize.”

Of course, numerous high-quality games fail to achieve success on Steam due to various reasons. The key takeaway for developers from this discussion is that the review statistics are quite telling; they indicate that even during early access, a product must be launched in such a way that users feel motivated enough to leave reviews. To put it simply, create an engaging game that appeals to players, and once Valve recognizes that your game possesses that special appeal, they will provide as much exposure as possible.

Steam stands as the predominant platform for PC gaming, with Valve acting as its caretakers, contributing significantly more positive impacts than negative ones for game creators. It has provided smaller groups the opportunity to reach a worldwide fanbase, advanced back-end resources, and the slim but possible prospect of achieving an incredibly successful breakout hit. Continuous discussions persist regarding improvements needed in discovery mechanisms and highlighting lesser-known titles. However, if labeling success as “True Steam” offers any resolution, then perhaps questioning this isn’t particularly helpful.