Break-Even Cost
Start with the real cost of making your game
Add art, audio, tools, contractors, marketing, and launch costs so your target is based on actual spending, not vibes.
Launch planning and break-even modeling for indie game developers
Know Exactly How Many Copies You Need to Sell to Break Even
Turn your budget, price points, and sales assumptions into a clear break-even target before you launch.
No account needed to preview your break-even number. Create a free account only when you want to save your project.
Calculator Preview
Calculate your break-even point before you launch
No account needed. Enter your rough costs and price to see how many copies you need to sell before your game starts making money.
Privacy note
This preview runs in your browser. Nothing is saved unless you create an account.
Steam platform fee
30%
Total cost
(How much it costs you to make.)
$23,200
Net per copy
(How much you get per copy sold.)
$8.37
Break-even copies
(How many copies you need to sell to break even.)
2,774
Like this result? Save your project.
Create a free account to save this project and return to your launch math later.
Launch Planning Workflow
Work through costs, price points, and planning review in one flow.
Move from expense inputs to price-point testing to planning review, so you can see how each decision changes your break-even target.
These are example outputs from the actual Hollow Metric workflow, showing how budget and price decisions change the break-even target.
Price Point Selection
See the sales target behind your price
Hollow Metric turns your budget and price into a copies-needed target, so you can see whether your launch plan is realistic before you commit.
Planning Review
Compare price points before launch
Test different prices and see how they change your break-even target. A lower price and a higher price do not need the same sales volume.
Competitor Pricing
Check your price against real Steam competitors
Use comparable games to sanity-check your minimum, maximum, and recommended launch price instead of copying random Steam prices.
Same budget. Different price. Very different target.
In this example, a $30,800 planned spend creates very different break-even targets depending on the launch price.
$12.99
5,260 copies needed to roughly break even.
$16.99
4,022 copies needed to roughly break even.
$19.99
3,418 copies needed to roughly break even.
That is a 1,842-copy difference between the lowest and highest tested price.
Example only. Your actual result depends on your own budget, revenue assumptions, platform fees, taxes, and launch price.
Best for
- Solo indie developers
- Small game teams planning a launch
- Developers refining concept direction before spending more
Also useful for larger teams evaluating launch risk across multiple projects.
Audience fit
Built for practical indie launch planning, not vague forecasting.
Hollow Metric is built for indie developers and small teams planning a real launch, not enterprise BI or AAA forecasting.
Use it to turn rough assumptions into a clearer budget, break-even target, and next decision.
Common questions
Why not just use a spreadsheet?
You can, and many developers should start there. The problem is that spreadsheets get messy when your budget, price points, platform cuts, taxes, and sales targets keep changing. Hollow Metric keeps those decisions in one workflow so you can compare scenarios, revisit assumptions, and understand the break-even target faster.
Does this guarantee sales?
No. Hollow Metric does not predict demand or guarantee revenue. It helps you pressure-test your launch assumptions so you can see what your budget and price imply before release.
Can I use it for free?
Yes. You can start with the Free Launch Planner and build a basic break-even model before upgrading. Upgrade when you want saved projects, dashboard access, and deeper pricing tools.
Are paid subscriptions live?
Yes. Launch Planner is available now for developers who want saved projects, dashboard access, and a more serious planning workflow.
Why charge a subscription and also charge credits?
The subscription covers the core planning workflow, saved projects, and dashboard access. Credits are used for heavier tools with extra processing costs, such as competitor price analysis. This keeps the monthly plan lower while letting developers use those tools only when they need them.
One-Time Option
Need someone to do the launch math for you?
If you do not want to build the plan yourself, get a Launch Math Audit for $24.99. I’ll check your planned price, comparable games, break-even risk, estimated budget, and biggest concern, then email you a written report within 48 hours.
Limited-time launch offer: $24.99
Get audit for $24.99Build Your First Break-Even Plan for Free
Start with your own budget and price assumptions before upgrading.
Sign up for free and upgrade when you want saved projects and a more serious planning workflow.
Hollow Metric helps indie developers and small teams plan launch budgets and pressure-test break-even risk.