# TAISHO x ALICE episode 1

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

- Steam appid: 1056570
- Developer: Primula
- Publisher: pencil
- Released: 2019 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $16.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $803 to $1.2k per month (mid $1.0k)
- Opportunity score: $2.1k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 51.8k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $189.0k
- Review sentiment: 86% positive across 1366 reviews (1294 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 11.0 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 3.6 years
- Studio active elsewhere (6 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 3.6 years ago
- Store page localized in only 2 language(s)

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $1.8k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $1.6k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $1.4k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.0k |

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

12, 6, 10, 11, 25, 15, 11, 59, 12, 18, 33, 34, 26, 21, 20, 7, 24, 38, 18, 11, 5, 9, 11, 12

## Estimated acquisition range

$24.1k to $48.2k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $12.1k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A 2019 visual novel adventure set in Taisho-era Japan where players interact with reimagined versions of Alice in Wonderland characters.

TAISHO x ALICE episode 1 has generated $189k lifetime on 51.7k units with 86% positive sentiment and continues earning $1,004/mo despite zero developer activity for 42+ months. The IP mashup (Alice + Taisho Japan) is proprietary and the game maintains steady niche appeal, but the studio's inactive status and lack of post-launch support suggest either a catalog asset ripe for light revival investment or a candidate for publishing stewardship under new creative leadership.

- Most realistic play: publishing
- Licensed IP: the game is built on third-party intellectual property
- Risk (licensed_ip): Alice in Wonderland character use likely requires licensing or careful IP positioning; confirm rights status before any revival campaign.
- Risk (tech): 42+ months without developer updates raises questions about engine maintenance, platform compatibility, and ongoing technical debt.
- Risk (market): Visual novel adventure is a niche genre with limited mainstream discoverability; growth ceiling may be low without sustained marketing or narrative continuation (episode 2 exists but may be separately owned/managed).

What players are asking for:
- Episode 2 continuation or series closure
- Character routes and deeper relationship arcs (especially Red and Alice)
- Clearer narrative progression and pacing
- Mobile/console port availability

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit IP clearance on Alice characterization and Taisho-era framing; confirm whether a second episode exists and its ownership structure.
2. Assess technical debt: test on current Steam runtime, check for platform-specific breakage or deprecation warnings; cost a light maintenance pass if needed.
3. Evaluate fan demand for a bundled 'series complete' release, prequel/side story DLC, or a mobile port targeting VN-friendly platforms (Switch, mobile); low monthly revenue ($1,004) suggests a marketing/re-launch play is more cost-effective than greenfield development.

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/1056570
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.