# UNDER the SAND - a road trip simulator

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

- Steam appid: 1062960
- Developer: IndieMax
- Released: 2020 · Genre: Action · List price: $19.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.2k to $1.8k per month (mid $1.5k)
- Opportunity score: $2.2k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 46.4k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $199.3k
- Review sentiment: 78% positive across 1603 reviews (1546 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 13.7 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 1 months ago
- Last build shipped 1 months ago
- No Steam discount in 4.0 years (deepest tracked: -0%)

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $2.7k |
| 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, 6, 5, 8, 11, 15, 47, 73, 30, 20, 11, 16, 13, 7, 7, 7, 8, 6, 7, 8, 9, 31, 8, 19

## Missed seasonal-sale revenue (modeled)

Skipped 12 Steam seasonal sale window(s) in the last 24 months. Running a -50% discount in those windows is modeled at +$10.2k net in total, assuming a unit uplift of x3.0 (industry-typical for old catalog titles). Same ±30-50% error range applies.

## Estimated acquisition range

$35.2k to $70.5k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $17.6k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A solo-developer road trip sandbox where you maintain a vehicle, scavenge the desert, and customize your garage in a post-apocalyptic setting.

UNDER the SAND generates $1,468/mo in residual revenue from a 2020 launch with minimal marketing footprint: 78% positive sentiment, strong Steam Deck performance, and a one-man dev actively shipping updates. The opportunity lies not in acquisition but in publishing amplification. The game's low price-point tension (players argue $19.99 is high for the loop depth) and missing narrative scaffolding (plot context buried on store page) are fixable via a light revival campaign targeting the "dad game" / chill-loop audience that already dominates the review base.

- Most realistic play: publishing
- Risk (tech): Solo-developer dependency; no succession plan visible if IndieMax studio lead becomes unavailable.
- Risk (market): Gameplay loop (drive, loot, customize) risks player fatigue; negative reviews cite monotony; no multiplayer despite player requests.
- Risk (other): Narrative vacuum: players report core worldbuilding context is absent in-game, requiring external discovery; this likely suppresses onboarding and repeat engagement.

What players are asking for:
- Multiplayer or co-op mode
- In-game plot exposition and world context (why is the world post-apocalyptic, timeline clarity)
- Button glyph support for controllers
- Price justification or value-add content (players split on whether $19.99 is fair)

Suggested first moves:
1. Conduct pricing elasticity test: A/B a $9.99 tier for 2-4 weeks to validate negative review thesis that price point suppresses attach; opportunity_usd suggests headroom.
2. Partner with dev to ship a lightweight 'Setting Primer' patch: in-game lore journal, tutorial dialogue, and timeline card explaining post-apocalyptic context; measure DAU lift post-patch.
3. Orchestrate Steam Deck / controller visibility campaign (YouTubers, Reddit r/chill gaming, r/SteamDeck) highlighting lighting, performance, and 'dad game' positioning; current 14 reviews/mo suggests minimal organic discovery.

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/1062960
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.