# Midnight Fight Express

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

- Steam appid: 1390410
- Developer: Jacob Dzwinel
- Publisher: Balor Games
- Released: 2022 · Genre: Action · List price: $19.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.9k to $2.8k per month (mid $2.3k)
- Opportunity score: $4.9k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 63.0k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $314.2k
- Review sentiment: 89% positive across 2776 reviews (1970 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 18.7 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 2.4 years
- Studio quiet across its whole catalog
- Last build shipped 4.0 years ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 6 sales in the last 12 months
- Proven demand elasticity: x1.6 review velocity during past deep sales

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $4.2k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $3.7k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $3.3k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $2.3k |

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

26, 23, 9, 10, 27, 19, 9, 27, 19, 18, 14, 40, 39, 18, 27, 29, 28, 27, 19, 17, 17, 19, 19, 21

## Estimated acquisition range

$55.8k to $111.6k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $27.9k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A top-down beat-em-up with John Wick inspired action and tight combo-based combat mechanics.

Midnight Fight Express shows steady residual revenue of $2,326/mo on a dormant title with 89% positive reviews and strong player satisfaction around core combat. The game has exhausted mainstream discovery but maintains a small, engaged audience; revival through a sequel, content DLC, or IP licensing to an action publisher with stronger marketing could unlock unrealized potential given the 1.6x price elasticity and proven mechanical depth.

- Most realistic play: revival
- Risk (market): Genre saturation in indie action means sequel or expansion faces steep discoverability headwinds without platform support or influencer buy-in.
- Risk (tech): Mixed signals on controls and level design consistency suggest mechanical or onboarding gaps that may limit ceiling even with marketing investment.
- Risk (other): Solo developer with 29 months since last public activity; continuity and bandwidth for post-launch support or sequel development unknown.

What players are asking for:
- Sequel with refined level design and boss balance
- Additional difficulty modes or challenge content
- Expanded weapon and combo variety
- Control remapping and accessibility options

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit player telemetry on the cited problem level and boss; test control mapping QoL pass to lower friction for new players without diluting skill expression.
2. Evaluate licensing or co-development deal with a larger action publisher (Devolver, Raw Fury, Team17) to fund sequel or substantial DLC with proper marketing reach.
3. Analyze YouTube and streaming archive to identify which content creators drove the initial 63k unit baseline; low-cost influencer outreach could test demand elasticity before larger investment.

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/1390410
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.