# A Summer's End - Hong Kong 1986

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

- Steam appid: 1111370
- Developer: Oracle and Bone
- Released: 2020 · Genre: Casual · List price: $14.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.2k to $1.9k per month (mid $1.5k)
- Opportunity score: $2.9k/month at x1.90 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 63.6k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $204.9k
- Review sentiment: 96% positive across 2227 reviews (2120 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 19.2 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 2.7 years
- Studio quiet across its whole catalog
- Last build shipped 32 months ago
- Store page localized in only 4 language(s)
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 3 sales in the last 12 months

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $2.8k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $2.4k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $2.2k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.5k |

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

15, 16, 8, 12, 31, 33, 20, 30, 21, 15, 21, 29, 21, 12, 18, 7, 20, 25, 24, 21, 14, 9, 22, 25

## Estimated acquisition range

$37.1k to $74.1k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $18.5k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A narrative-driven visual novel set in 1986 Hong Kong, exploring LGBTQ+ identity and romantic choice through hand-drawn art and atmospheric storytelling.

A Summer's End is a quiet, high-sentiment indie title with exceptional review health (95.9% positive, 2,227 reviews) and modest but stable residual revenue of $1,543.89/mo. The game has generated $204,922 lifetime on 63,600 units sold since 2020, yet shows minimal marketing velocity and developer dormancy for 32 months. It is a strong candidate for a publishing or revival partner seeking a catalog asset with proven word-of-mouth appeal and untapped regional (Asia-Pacific) localization and merchandising potential.

- Most realistic play: publishing
- Risk (market): Saturated visual novel and narrative game category makes organic discovery increasingly difficult; $2,933/mo opportunity upside suggests ceiling at current positioning.
- Risk (other): Developer Oracle and Bone is solo (1 title) and has not posted updates in 32 months; revival or expansion would require external talent and capital.
- Risk (tech): 32 months since build completion; platform compatibility, accessibility, and engine freshness should be audited before any relaunch campaign.

What players are asking for:
- Ported or console versions (Nintendo Switch implied in sentiment)
- Localized versions for Chinese, Korean, Japanese markets
- Sequel or spiritual follow-up set in same universe

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit current technical health (Proton/Wine compatibility, accessibility compliance) and cost to port to Switch or mobile; community sentiment suggests platform expansion would sell.
2. Evaluate regional localization ROI for Simplified/Traditional Chinese, Korean, Japanese; Hong Kong setting and sapphic romance aligns with strong LGBTQ+ audience appetite in East Asia.
3. Approach developer or estate about licensing catalog for anthology bundle, soundtrack release, or spiritual sequel development; $1,543.89/mo baseline suggests willing audience for adjacent IP.

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/1111370
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.