# Disciples: Liberation

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

- Steam appid: 1287840
- Developer: Frima Studio
- Publisher: Kalypso Media
- Released: 2021 · Genre: RPG · List price: $39.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $3.6k to $5.4k per month (mid $4.5k)
- Opportunity score: $6.7k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 86.3k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $860.9k
- Review sentiment: 73% positive across 3972 reviews (2698 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 18.0 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 7 months ago
- Studio active elsewhere (2 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 4.5 years ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 8 sales in the last 12 months
- Proven demand elasticity: x1.7 review velocity during past deep sales

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $8.1k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $7.1k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $6.4k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $4.5k |

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

22, 15, 13, 8, 30, 19, 10, 22, 11, 7, 5, 7, 42, 20, 26, 19, 20, 23, 25, 18, 19, 13, 23, 10

## Estimated acquisition range

$107.7k to $215.4k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $53.8k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

Disciples: Liberation is a turn-based tactical RPG set in the dark-fantasy Disciples universe, released in 2021 by Frima Studio and published by Kalypso Media.

This title has generated $861k lifetime revenue on 86k units and maintains $4.5k/mo residual income with 72.7% positive reviews, suggesting a stable niche audience. The franchise carries IP legacy (Disciples 2 was a cult classic), but this installment appears mechanically sound and narratively competent, making it a candidate for revival marketing or as a publishing foundation for a sequel. Dormant franchises with proven engagement patterns and operating studios are attractive acquisition targets for mid-market publishers seeking portfolio depth.

- Most realistic play: revival
- Risk (market): Mainstream visibility remains low (not flagged as mainstream), limiting upside from organic discovery despite strong review sentiment.
- Risk (other): Franchise carries decades-old brand baggage; players reference "long-suffering" history and compare to Disciples 2, which may anchor expectations below what a new entry can deliver.
- Risk (tech): Build is 54 months old with minimal developer communication in past 7 months, raising questions about post-launch support capacity and engine debt.

What players are asking for:
- Sequel confirmation or clear roadmap for the franchise
- Early-game balance improvements and stronger companion scaling
- Quality-of-life enhancements for tactical clarity and pacing

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit full player feedback on Steam to identify highest-impact balance fixes and feature gaps that could drive re-engagement or sequel interest.
2. Confirm Kalypso Media's roadmap intentions and Frima Studio's capacity; a co-publishing or sequel deal depends heavily on developer bandwidth and IP holder confidence.
3. Model revival campaign (discount timing, franchise bundles, retrospective marketing) against the 1.7 price elasticity and recent 70% max discount history to identify margin-positive reactivation window.

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/1287840
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.