# Mika and The Witch's Mountain

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

- Steam appid: 1819460
- Developer: Chibig
- Released: 2025 · Genre: Action · List price: $19.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $2.0k to $3.0k per month (mid $2.5k)
- Opportunity score: $3.4k/month at x1.35 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 21.1k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $141.4k
- Review sentiment: 88% positive across 1198 reviews (659 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 15.0 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 15 months
- Studio quiet across its whole catalog
- Last build shipped 15 months ago
- 45% of reviews come from key activations (excluded from revenue estimates)

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $4.6k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $4.0k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $3.6k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $2.5k |

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

117, 42, 22, 25, 19, 97, 33, 36, 14, 18, 20, 11, 15, 5, 19, 26, 32, 17, 11, 30, 16, 6, 6, 21

## Estimated acquisition range

$60.3k to $120.7k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $30.2k/year). Same error range applies.

## Markets by review language

- french: 6%
- german: 5%
- english: 68%
- russian: 3% (game NOT localized in this language)
- spanish: 6%
- schinese: 2%
- brazilian: 8%
- koreana: 0% (game NOT localized in this language)
- japanese: 2%

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A cosy flying-delivery action game where you play a young witch restoring an island through errands, puzzles, and NPC relationships.

Mika and the Witch's Mountain has quietly generated $141k lifetime on modest $20 pricing with 88% positive sentiment and steady 15 reviews/month despite 14+ months of developer silence. The title exhibits dormant but durable appeal: players consistently praise flight mechanics, art direction, and narrative warmth, yet note it as short (3-6 hours), best at discount, and marred by occasional crashes. This is a recovery or publishing opportunity rather than acquisition, the studio is fading, but the game's IP, charm, and technical foundation remain intact for a point release, console port, or sequel.

- Most realistic play: revival
- Risk (tech): Multiple crash reports across saves, loading screens, and end-game sequences suggest stability issues that could compound on port or update.
- Risk (market): Perceived as short-form ($10-15 value) despite $20 list price; elasticity of -1 and player commentary indicate strong price sensitivity.
- Risk (other): Developer (Chibig) has gone quiet for 15 months with only 2 titles in catalog and 'fading' studio status, signalling capacity or commitment concerns.

What players are asking for:
- Sequel or expanded content (players explicitly ask for 'number 2')
- Stability patches (crashes on load and mid-game reported across multiple reviews)
- Console ports, especially Switch (Steam Deck plays well; broader platform access implied)
- Skippable credits (long, looped backer names cited as friction point)

Suggested first moves:
1. Secure source code and IP rights from Chibig; verify Kickstarter backer obligations before any port or revision.
2. Commission a 2-3 sprint stability audit (crash logging, load-state replay, end-game save/load cycle) and plan point release (v1.1) targeting 4-6 key fixes; publish patch notes to reignite review velocity.
3. Explore console publishing (Switch, PlayStation) via external port house; iOS/Android delivery (as cosy, touch-friendly title) also viable given art style and low-complexity controls.

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/1819460
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.