At PAX Prime 2014, we had a chance to speak with Hidden Path Entertainment’s Jeff Pobst about the long-term vision for Defense Grid 2. Part of the roadmap included cultivating a community of map creators and then, eventually, selling the best in the store.
Today, the first 11 curated maps go on sale. Each costs $.99, with revenue split among Valve, Hidden Path, and the map creators. This announcement also marks the opening of Steam Workshop submissions, which will be used as a pool from which to select additional maps for sale.
If selected, creators will receive 25 percent of sales. You can check out the new maps on Hidden Path’s website. To peruse the Workshop submissions, head over to Steam.
Our Take
Valve has found great success in cultivating a community using the Steam Workshop. In January, the company announced it had paid out $57 million since 2011 to Team Fortress 2 and Dota 2 creators.
Giving external developers the opportunity to tap that well of creativity not only helps offload add-on content development, but inspires stronger attachment to games. The longer people play, the more repeat monetization is likely, and happier a community of paid content makers becomes, perpetuating a productive cycle.