Pixel P&L: EWC Expansion, Steam's Record Year, & a Counter-Strike Comeback

The Esports World Cup has announced the 40 teams selected for its 2025 Club Partnership program, marking the first time an Indian team has been included. Also in focus: Valve’s record-breaking year for Steam, a fan-made remake of Counter-Strike 1.6, and other industry highlights in today’s Pixel P&L.

/ S8UL Joins Esports World Cup Partner Program

S8UL has been named a Club Partner for the 2025 Esports World Cup, becoming the first Indian esports organization to join the program. The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) announced Monday that 40 teams worldwide had been selected for the initiative, which offers up to $1 million in funding to promote the tournament through content creation and marketing.

The team, a significant force in Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) and Pokémon UNITE, has recently expanded into VALORANT and Call of Duty: Mobile. The organization is also eyeing growth in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Europe as part of its global expansion strategy ahead of the 2025 Esports World Cup.

S8UL joins international organizations such as FaZe Clan, G2 Esports, and Team Liquid in the expanded program, which grew from 30 to 40 teams for 2025. The eight-week Esports World Cup will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and is organized by ESL FACEIT Group.

Valve Reports Record-Breaking Year for Steam in 2024

Valve reported record-breaking sales for its PC gaming platform Steam in 2024, calling it the platform’s “best year ever” for new game sales in its annual Steam Year In Review 2024 blog post.

Revenue from new releases (defined as sales from a game's first 30 days and pre-orders) was ten times higher than in 2014. Valve said more than 500 titles earned over $250,000 in early sales, while over 200 games surpassed $1 million, reflecting year-over-year increases of 27% and 15%, respectively. Valve's handheld Steam Deck device saw notable growth as well, accounting for 330 million playtime hours in 2024, up 64% from the previous year.

“The 1.7 million customers who originated from a top 2023 release went on to enjoy more than 141 million hours of playtime in additional games, on top of any playtime from the game that brought them onboard. And they weren’t just playing games—they were buying new ones, too. That cohort of players has gone on to spend $20 million on in-game transactions across hundreds of other games—plus another $73 million on premium games and DLC across thousands more products,” added Valve in the blog.

The results reflect Steam’s continued ability to attract users and generate strong sales, with Valve expressing confidence that momentum will carry into 2025.

⚡Quick Bytes

Fan-Made Counter-Strike Remake 'CS: Legacy' Announced

A group of developers behind the former CSPromod project has unveiled CS: Legacy, a fan-made standalone remake of Counter-Strike 1.6. The game features rewritten rendering systems, new shaders, and fully custom game assets. Fans can support the project via Patreon as development continues.

Krafton Unveils Creator Network for Gaming Influencers

Krafton has launched the Creator Network, a program designed to support gaming content creators. Approved participants can join marketing campaigns and earn at least 5% of net revenue from in-game purchases made with their creator codes. 

Discord Unveils Social SDK for Seamless In-Game Integration

Discord has introduced the Discord Social SDK, enabling game developers to integrate friends lists, voice chat, and other social features directly into their titles. Developers like Theorycraft Games and Tencent are already adopting the SDK, which competes with Epic’s Online Services and Steamworks API.

💡 Did You Know?

Back in 2016, Stephen Curry’s remarkable three-point shooting forced NBA 2K developers to rethink game balance. His ability to hit deep, off-the-dribble shots at an unprecedented rate defied the game’s mechanics, which penalized reckless shot attempts. Mike Wang, NBA 2K's gameplay director, called Curry a “rule breaker,” admitting they struggled to replicate his unique style without breaking the game’s realism. Curry’s virtual counterpart remained less dynamic than the real-life superstar — a rare case where reality outpaced the game.

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