# EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: IRON RAIN

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

- Steam appid: 1039890
- Developer: YUKE'S
- Publisher: D3PUBLISHER
- Released: 2019 · Genre: Action · List price: $59.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.2k to $1.7k per month (mid $1.5k)
- Opportunity score: $2.2k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 50.1k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $646.3k
- Review sentiment: 59% positive across 1529 reviews (1253 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 4.5 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 10 months ago
- Studio active elsewhere (4 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 6.9 years ago
- Last discounted 0 months ago, 10 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 | $2.6k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $2.3k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $2.1k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.5k |

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

5, 12, 3, 3, 9, 6, 6, 9, 5, 7, 5, 5, 8, 12, 3, 5, 7, 10, 3, 6, 5, 3, 5, 5

## Estimated acquisition range

$34.8k to $69.6k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $17.4k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain is a 2019 third-person cooperative action shooter spin-off from the EDF franchise, developed by YUKE'S for D3PUBLISHER.

Iron Rain generated $646k lifetime on 50k units at a $59.99 price point, but sits quiet with only $1,450/mo residual revenue and minimal developer engagement (10 months since last post). The 59% positive rating masks a polarized base: fans of the EDF formula see untapped potential, while core series loyalists view it as a lesser alternative. At this revenue level and franchise positioning, the title is strategically relevant only to publishers seeking a licensed EDF portfolio play or revival candidates willing to address class/stability complaints.

- Most realistic play: licensing
- Licensed IP: the game is built on third-party intellectual property
- Risk (licensed_ip): Earth Defense Force IP is owned by Sandlot; D3PUBLISHER holds publishing rights but not franchise control, limiting acquisition value to publishing/co-dev partnerships only.
- Risk (tech): Player reports of persistent multicore crashes and missing mod support suggest underlying engine or build issues that may require significant technical remediation.
- Risk (market): Title is positioned between mainline EDF (preferred by loyalists) and Helldivers 2 (cited by players as a more polished alternative), with limited differentiation.

What players are asking for:
- Reinstate the Air Raider class from mainline series
- Add mod support or dev tools for content extension
- Fix stability and multicore threading issues
- Expand post-launch mission content and seasonal updates

Suggested first moves:
1. Contact Sandlot and D3PUBLISHER to clarify licensing terms and appetite for revival or sequel; assess whether IP holder would greenlight a content update or standalone follow-up.
2. Audit technical issues (multicore crashes, mod systems) and estimate remediation cost; compare against residual revenue ($1,450/mo) to determine ROI threshold for a stability patch.
3. Analyze the 50k installed base for engagement signals (playtime, wishlist adds post-update, Discord activity) to gauge community appetite for new content or class additions before committing to revival budget.

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/1039890
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.