# Bramble: The Mountain King

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

- Steam appid: 1623940
- Developer: Dimfrost Studio
- Publisher: Max Ent Games Ltd
- Released: 2023 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $29.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $12.3k to $18.5k per month (mid $15.4k)
- Opportunity score: $28.5k/month at x1.85 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 206.6k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $1.5M
- Review sentiment: 95% positive across 7801 reviews (6455 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 82.5 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 17 months
- Studio quiet across its whole catalog
- Last build shipped 3.2 years ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 11 sales in the last 12 months
- Proven demand elasticity: x1.4 review velocity during past deep sales

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $28.0k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $24.4k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $22.0k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $15.4k |

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

106, 55, 70, 118, 231, 239, 95, 125, 194, 110, 111, 150, 125, 152, 145, 110, 115, 117, 86, 76, 92, 78, 67, 96

## Estimated acquisition range

$370.1k to $740.3k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $185.1k/year). Same error range applies.

## Markets by review language

- german: 6%
- koreana: 2%
- russian: 12%
- japanese: 1%
- schinese: 9%
- french: 3%
- english: 56%
- spanish: 5%
- brazilian: 6%

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A dark Nordic-folklore adventure built on atmospheric storytelling and creature design, with puzzle-platforming mechanics and a narrative that escalates from fairy tale to mythological horror.

Bramble earned $1.54M lifetime on 206k units at $29.99, sustaining $15.4k/mo residual revenue despite developer fade-out (last update 16.8 months ago). The 94.7% positive rating and consistent 82.5 reviews/mo signal strong word-of-mouth traction in a non-mainstream niche. However, a critical unpatched black-screen bug blocking 70% progression, combined with Dimfrost Studio's single-title, fading status, creates acquisition friction. Best play: publisher or IP steward seeking a polished revival campaign or a small studio acquiring the codebase to fix technical debt and capitalize on dormant Nordic-folklore demand.

- Most realistic play: revival
- Risk (tech): Black-screen progression bug reported as unfixed since launch (2023); players cite forced walkthroughs and Proton compatibility issues on Deck, undermining recent-purchaser confidence.
- Risk (other): Developer studio marked 'fading' with only one shipped title and no community posts in 16.8 months; acquiring studio or publisher must commit to ongoing support and bug fixes independently.
- Risk (market): High elasticity (1.41) and recent 80% discount history suggest price sensitivity; audience may be primarily discount-grazers rather than full-price buyers, limiting monetization headroom.

What players are asking for:
- Gameplay variety and more responsive controls (repeated mid-game pacing concern)
- Steam Deck performance optimization and graphics scaling clarity
- Bug fixes and ongoing patched support (implicit trust issue post-2023 silence)
- Potential sequel or spiritual follow-up set in same folklore universe

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit full bug backlog (especially black-screen, Proton compatibility) and cost a 2-4 week stability patch; unblocking stuck players is the highest-ROI move to unlock word-of-mouth again.
2. Evaluate IP licensing opportunities: dark Nordic folklore is trending in prestige TV/streaming; explore adaptation rights or merchandise licensing as ancillary revenue while game sells.
3. Run a targeted revival campaign (press, Deck-optimization update, 20-30% launch-window discount) within 30 days of patch launch; community sentiment suggests pent-up goodwill that a visible commitment can convert to resales and long-tail velocity.

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/1623940
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.