yes $1,000 must be earn (taxes and steam percantage not included), so doing some math if you relase your game at:
$0.99 you'll need to sell 1,011 but steam takes (?) so using the myth percentage (30%) you really earn $303.30, so to get $1,000 you need to sell 3,334 times ($1,000.19) for your game to get $100 back. Valve gets $2,300.47 for doing nonthing. Which means You lost more money by a company that does nothing.
This keeps going too with:
$4.99 x 201 = $1,002.99 losing (30%? myth) = $300.89
You need 3,333.99 to be sold ($1000.19). Valve gets $4,990.98.
No matter what Valve always gets more money from this by not doing anything.