# 9-nine-:Episode 2

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

- Steam appid: 1033420
- Developer: PALETTE
- Publisher: Sekai Project
- Released: 2019 · Genre: Action · List price: $19.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.7k to $2.5k per month (mid $2.1k)
- Opportunity score: $4.4k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 76.9k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $330.5k
- Review sentiment: 98% positive across 1978 reviews (1923 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 19.3 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 5.5 years
- Studio quiet across its whole catalog
- Last build shipped 7.2 years ago
- Store page localized in only 3 language(s)
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 7 sales in the last 12 months
- Proven demand elasticity: x1.2 review velocity during past deep sales

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $3.8k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $3.3k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $3.0k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $2.1k |

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

38, 23, 19, 20, 58, 50, 53, 27, 21, 25, 32, 57, 46, 22, 27, 31, 41, 34, 22, 19, 14, 13, 14, 34

## Estimated acquisition range

$49.8k to $99.7k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $24.9k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

9-nine-:Episode 2 is a story-driven visual novel continuing a sci-fi mystery series with branching narrative and character-focused drama.

This is a quiet, profitable niche title in a series that has built genuine fan loyalty: 98% positive reviews, $330k lifetime revenue from 77k units, and $2.1k/mo residual income suggest consistent word-of-mouth appeal within the visual-novel community. The developer is inactive, but the publisher (Sekai Project) remains active in localizing Japanese titles, making this a potential candidate for a revival campaign, localization refresh, or bundle play if the IP rights are clean.

- Most realistic play: revival
- Risk (market): Visual-novel genre has niche, price-sensitive audiences; elasticity of 1.21 suggests meaningful sales cliff above $19.99.
- Risk (other): Developer has not posted in 65 months; future episodes or updates would require either internal Sekai Project development or external studio hiring.
- Risk (other): Series-dependent: player base is invested in the overarching story; standalone appeal of Episode 2 may be limited without Episode 1 engagement.

What players are asking for:
- Resolution of remaining story mysteries and continuation to later episodes
- More music/soundtrack releases or composer collaboration
- Better discoverability within Steam's visual-novel category

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit IP ownership and confirm whether Sekai Project holds full publishing and derivative rights; if yes, evaluate cost of revival campaign (pricing test, seasonal discount, bundle with Episode 1).
2. Conduct player survey among 98% positive reviewers to quantify appetite for Episode 3 or side-story spin-off; cross-check against Sekai Project's active visual-novel pipeline.
3. If internal development is off the table, approach indie studios with visual-novel track records about contract work; residual $2.1k/mo + $4.4k opportunity suggests modest but achievable funding for next episode.

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/1033420
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.