Omer Mustafa, co-founder of Northend Games, disclosed the revenue details for "Battlefield Dust: Positional Warfare" and "Battlefield Dust: Vein Defense Line" on October 7. He stated that the total sales revenue for both games on Steam over the past five years was approximately $560,000, with his personal share amounting to around $73,000. Both titles target PC players, with one officially launching in September 2024 and the other entering Early Access in December 2025.
Mustafa's listed expenses include approximately $134,000 in refunds, resulting in an overall refund rate of 22%; Steam sales fees amount to around $127,000, and withholding taxes on U.S. sales revenue total about $9,700. Additionally, publisher revenue shares for the Chinese, South Korean, and Japanese markets combined to roughly $115,000, while Thai income tax came to approximately $26,000. He stated that after deducting these items, the company's profit was around $146,000, split equally between the two co-founders.
He stated that over 60% of sales for both titles came from the Chinese market, attributing the high number of refunds largely to Chinese players. However, he did not disclose the specific refund rate for the Chinese market nor explain the precise reasons for the refunds.
The debate over these figures primarily centers on comparison methodologies. The total sales figure shown in the Steam backend includes refunds that have not yet been deducted, making the starting point of approximately $560,000 reasonable; however, directly comparing the company's sales revenue with the profit received by one founder also attributes the other founder's share to the discrepancy. His calculation of average annual income over five years has also been questioned, as he only transitioned to being a full-time indie developer this May.
The role of publisher revenue shares has also sparked discussion. Some users pointed out that partners responsible for marketing may have helped boost sales. Mustafa acknowledged that the publisher handled promotion and addressed piracy issues, suggesting the partnership may have more than doubled sales, though the exact contribution remains unclear. He indicated that he plans to self-publish his next title.
