Research Story

Petal Cat Games · 2025 · $14.99 · Casual · deal grade B

Measured on 2026-09-23 19:25 UTC, 12 days ago. The whole catalog is re-measured daily; a game that just launched can move fast between passes.

• Estimated net residual revenue: $453 to $679 per month
• Opportunity: $736 per month at x1.30 dormancy
• Estimated lifetime owners: 12.4k
• 95% positive across 344 reviews · 4.5 reviews/month

Why it's flagged

• Developer active, last post 1 months ago
• Store page localized in only 2 language(s)
• Last discounted 2 months ago, 6 sales in the last 12 months

Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

Note written 2026-09-08; the live figures above take precedence over any numbers in it.

A cozy research-focused farming sim where players catalog animals, plants, and fish through exploration, crafting, and NPC relationships.

Research Story sits in a quiet corner of the cozy-game market with unusually strong retention (80% still playing) and high review sentiment (95% positive), sustained by careful economy design that avoids the balance-breaking traps common to the genre. The title generates solid four-figure monthly residuals from a small but engaged player base, making it a candidate for selective revival marketing or bundling into a publisher's cozy-game collection. The developer remains active and responsive; the core product appears stable. Most realistic play: publishing.

• Risk: Cozy-game market is crowded; Stardew Valley and similar titles set high expectations and customer acquisition costs remain steep.
• Risk: Tiny current player base (single digits active now) suggests discoverability or word-of-mouth has plateaued despite strong reviews.
• Risk: One DLC and limited localization (German gap noted) indicate modest post-launch support velocity.

This case as Markdown · Estimates carry ±30-50% error per title.