# Layers of Fear 2 (2019)

> ResidualPlay case file: an overlooked Steam game still earning residual revenue. Estimates carry a ±30-50% error range per title.

- Steam appid: 1029890
- Developer: Bloober Team SA
- Released: 2019 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $19.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $2.4k to $3.7k per month (mid $3.0k)
- Opportunity score: $4.6k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 84.0k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $361.1k
- Review sentiment: 72% positive across 2521 reviews (2101 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 28.3 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 6 months ago
- Studio active elsewhere (5 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 6.8 years ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 4 sales in the last 12 months
- Proven demand elasticity: x7.5 review velocity during past deep sales

## Where a gross dollar goes (monthly, at current velocity)

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $5.5k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $4.8k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $4.4k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $3.0k |

## Monthly review counts, oldest to newest (24 months)

7, 7, 4, 6, 2, 1, 1, 9, 1, 11, 3, 4, 2, 6, 1, 3, 1, 1, 4, 22, 51, 42, 22, 29

## Estimated acquisition range

$73.0k to $146.1k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $36.5k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A psychological horror adventure from Bloober Team that trades jump scares for atmospheric dread and environmental storytelling.

Layers of Fear 2 has stabilized at $3.0k-3.6k/mo residual revenue on a $19.99 price point with 72% positive sentiment, suggesting a healthy niche title that has found its core audience. The game is not in distress, but developer communication has been quiet for 6+ months and velocity shows no growth trajectory. Candidates: indie publishers seeking catalog depth at low risk, or Bloober Team itself exploring spin-offs or enhanced re-releases if rights reversion or VR adaptation becomes viable.

- Most realistic play: watch
- Risk (market): Psychological horror without action mechanics has narrow appeal; 28 reviews/month over 6 months suggests a small, stable base that may not expand at current positioning.
- Risk (tech): Player reports of technical confusion and unclear navigation; potential UX debt limiting discoverability and session completion.
- Risk (other): Six-month silence from developer on community channels; unclear roadmap for patches, DLC, or post-launch support.

What players are asking for:
- Clarity on narrative and objectives (players report getting lost and losing story thread)
- Quality parity with the original Layers of Fear (2016) in terms of design coherence
- More horror games with this atmospheric, cinematic style

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit Steam store page, UI/UX, and opening 2 hours for friction points (non-obvious objectives, tutorial gaps, visual clarity); cost-light QoL patch may unlock positive word-of-mouth and reviews/month velocity.
2. Contact Bloober Team for candid conversation on post-launch roadmap, VR port viability (cinematic horror is a VR sweet spot), and appetite for publishing partnership or IP licensing in adjacent media (podcast, narrative audio).
3. Monitor next 6 months for any franchise news (Layers of Fear 3, Silent Hill connection, developer acquisition); if Bloober accelerates, catalog value may shift quickly.

Generated 2026-08-20 from public signals and player reviews. Directional, not diligence.

## Methodology

Units are estimated from Steam-purchase reviews times a release-cohort multiplier (Boxleiter method, 20-75x by year). Revenue uses an effective price (lifetime discounts and regional pricing) and nets out VAT (~13%), refunds (~9.5%) and Steam's 30% cut: roughly 55% of gross reaches the developer.

Source: https://residualplay.com/game/1029890
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.