# Wordle 3

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

- Steam appid: 1428820
- Developer: PreoNus Games
- Publisher: Gigantum Games
- Released: 2020 · Genre: Casual · List price: $30.62
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $6.8k to $10.2k per month (mid $8.5k)
- Opportunity score: $17.8k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 18.1k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $119.5k
- Review sentiment: 73% positive across 765 reviews (605 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 51.5 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- No developer announcement on record, ever
- Studio inactive: no public activity across 5 tracked titles
- Last build shipped 4.1 years ago

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $15.4k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $13.4k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $12.1k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $8.5k |

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

4, 1, 5, 5, 5, 9, 7, 4, 4, 4, 5, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 3, 2, 2, 136, 138, 26, 5

## Estimated acquisition range

$203.4k to $406.7k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $101.7k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A word-puzzle game in the Wordle 3 series with 103 language localizations and progressive difficulty tiers.

Wordle 3 shows genuine community division: enthusiasts praise its vocabulary-building design and increasing difficulty (10/10 ratings), but negative sentiment is dominated by coordinated complaints about rushed development, fake reviews, and missing localization controls. The 72.9% positive rating masks review integrity issues that undermine confidence in organic uptake. At $30.62 with $8,473/mo residual revenue on 18,150 lifetime units, the title has reached price-sensitive saturation; revival hinges on addressing localization UI and review authenticity, not new features.

- Most realistic play: watch
- Risk (market): Review section shows signs of coordinated negative campaigns alongside apparent vote-padding on positive reviews, suggesting reputational damage that will deter new buyers regardless of product merit.
- Risk (tech): Players across 103 languages report no language-selection menu and missing localization settings, a basic UX gap that scales poorly with the localization breadth.
- Risk (other): Zero sales in past 12 months and no developer activity recorded, indicating the title is in complete dormancy with no ongoing support or monetization.

What players are asking for:
- In-game language selector and proper localization UI controls
- Clearer game description and reduced focus on review count to restore credibility
- More categories and difficulty progression beyond 7×7 grids

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit review authenticity with Valve; if coordinated campaigns are confirmed, request review-section remediation or delisting to preserve catalog reputation before acquisition.
2. Evaluate whether localization strings are production-ready; if 103 languages exist in code but lack UI controls, a $5–10k engineering sprint may unlock hidden revenue.
3. Model price-elasticity at $9.99–$14.99 with a 30-day discount campaign and fresh community post announcing localization fixes; measure conversion and refund rate before committing to deeper 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/1428820
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.