# The Upturned

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

- Steam appid: 1717770
- Developer: Zeekerss
- Released: 2022 · Genre: Action · List price: $9.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $938 to $1.4k per month (mid $1.2k)
- Opportunity score: $2.5k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 79.2k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $197.2k
- Review sentiment: 99% positive across 2710 reviews (2474 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 18.8 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 3.5 years
- Studio active elsewhere (3 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 3.5 years ago
- Store page localized in only 1 language(s)
- Last discounted 5 months ago, 2 sales in the last 12 months

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $2.1k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $1.9k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $1.7k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.2k |

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

48, 62, 48, 32, 56, 52, 28, 36, 25, 16, 34, 47, 28, 22, 13, 14, 30, 32, 18, 17, 20, 21, 14, 23

## Missed seasonal-sale revenue (modeled)

Skipped 9 Steam seasonal sale window(s) in the last 24 months. Running a -50% discount in those windows is modeled at +$9.1k net in total, assuming a unit uplift of x3.0 (industry-typical for old catalog titles). Same ±30-50% error range applies.

## Estimated acquisition range

$28.1k to $56.3k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $14.1k/year). Same error range applies.

## Markets by review language

- brazilian: 2% (game NOT localized in this language)
- german: 1% (game NOT localized in this language)
- koreana: 0% (game NOT localized in this language)
- russian: 4% (game NOT localized in this language)
- spanish: 1% (game NOT localized in this language)
- schinese: 1% (game NOT localized in this language)
- french: 1% (game NOT localized in this language)
- english: 90% (game NOT localized in this language)
- japanese: 0% (game NOT localized in this language)

Localization gap: 100% of measured reviews are written in languages the game does not support (top: english). Localizing is likely immediate market expansion.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

The Upturned is a single-player comedy-horror platformer with puzzle elements and darkly comedic narrative, released in 2022 by solo developer Zeekerss.

This overlooked title holds quiet appeal as a niche catalog asset with exceptional review sentiment (98.97% positive) and a distinct voice, earning $1,173/mo residual despite minimal marketing footprint and no updates in 42 months. The game's cult status among players who cite emotional range and comedic timing suggests strong word-of-mouth retention; however, modest monthly sales velocity ($2,463 opportunity) and single-language localization cap mainstream expansion without targeted revival investment.

- Most realistic play: watch
- Risk (market): Niche comedy-horror fusion may not scale beyond existing fanbase without significant marketing reframing or franchise extension.
- Risk (tech): 42 months without developer communication raises questions about codebase maintenance, engine compatibility, and platform-specific issues.
- Risk (other): Solo developer status means acquisition would hinge entirely on IP and codebase; no team assets or institutional knowledge transfer.

What players are asking for:
- Sequel or new game in same comedic-horror style
- Extended content or longer campaign (players note brevity as only negative)
- Clarification on developer status and future updates

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit codebase, engine version, and platform compliance; determine dev contact and willingness to license or transfer IP.
2. Validate retained playerbase: survey top reviewers and wishlist holders on appetite for sequel, prequel, or spiritual successor in same voice.
3. Model localization ROI (currently 100% loc gap, English only): test French, German, Russian translations against 2019-2020 review cohort demand.

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/1717770
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.