# Above Snakes

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

- Steam appid: 1589120
- Developer: Square Glade Games
- Publisher: Crytivo
- Released: 2023 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $24.99
- 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: $2.5k/month at x1.65 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 50.1k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $312.0k
- Review sentiment: 75% positive across 1990 reviews (1565 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 9.7 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 21 months
- Studio active elsewhere (2 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 32 months ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 7 sales in the last 12 months
- Proven demand elasticity: x1.8 review velocity during past deep sales

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $2.7k |
| 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, 8, 8, 12, 17, 20, 9, 7, 9, 11, 9, 8, 3, 74, 18, 10, 16, 10, 7, 12, 14, 11, 11, 3

## Estimated acquisition range

$36.1k to $72.3k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $18.1k/year). Same error range applies.

## Markets by review language

- german: 11%
- russian: 9%
- japanese: 1% (game NOT localized in this language)
- brazilian: 5%
- french: 3%
- english: 45%
- koreana: 7%
- spanish: 3%
- schinese: 18%

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A top-down adventure game blending survival, crafting, and world-building in a Wild West zombie setting.

Above Snakes has generated $312k lifetime on 50k units sold at $24.99, with a solid 74.5% positive ratio and $1,505/mo in residual revenue. However, the game suffers from poor onboarding and quest clarity, evident in the review corpus and the developer's 21-month radio silence. The title is a candidate for revival publishing or small-scale licensing if IP can be clarified; the core loop appears sound but needs UX tuning and community documentation to unlock its full audience.

- Most realistic play: revival
- Risk (market): Studio status is 'fading' with only one title; developer disengagement for 21 months suggests limited post-launch support capacity.
- Risk (tech): Review consensus points to opaque progression systems and inadequate in-game tutoring, requiring non-trivial design remediation.
- Risk (other): Elasticity of 1.85 indicates high price sensitivity; current $24.99 price point may be suppressing discoverability in a crowded indie adventure segment.

What players are asking for:
- Clearer quest markers and in-game guidance on material requirements and progression gates.
- Better documentation of fishing and survival mechanics within the UI.
- Expanded Wild West theming to feel less generic.

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit current codebase and UX for quick-win clarity improvements: quest markers, tooltips, and an in-game recipe/material index.
2. Commission a player journey study using existing video playthroughs to identify choke points in first 5 hours.
3. Consider a discounted re-launch at $14.99 with a patch roll-up and a new trailer emphasizing the world-building angle; high elasticity suggests price cut could drive meaningful new unit sales and reinvigorate Steam visibility.

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/1589120
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.