# Dakar Desert Rally

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

- Steam appid: 1839940
- Developer: Saber Porto Ltd.
- Publisher: Saber Interactive
- Released: 2022 · Genre: Racing · List price: $29.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $2.3k to $3.4k per month (mid $2.8k)
- Opportunity score: $5.4k/month at x1.90 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 46.8k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $349.8k
- Review sentiment: 57% positive across 1549 reviews (1462 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 15.2 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 2.5 years
- Studio quiet across its whole catalog
- Last build shipped 30 months ago

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $5.1k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $4.5k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $4.1k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $2.8k |

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

13, 6, 17, 16, 9, 26, 12, 15, 30, 13, 11, 13, 14, 7, 12, 17, 26, 40, 19, 26, 9, 20, 8, 9

## Estimated acquisition range

$68.0k to $136.1k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $34.0k/year). Same error range applies.

## Markets by review language

- spanish: 13%
- schinese: 6% (game NOT localized in this language)
- brazilian: 3% (game NOT localized in this language)
- japanese: 1% (game NOT localized in this language)
- french: 12%
- german: 7%
- english: 47%
- koreana: 1% (game NOT localized in this language)
- russian: 10% (game NOT localized in this language)

Localization gap: 22% of measured reviews are written in languages the game does not support (top: russian). Localizing is likely immediate market expansion.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

Dakar Desert Rally is a sim-focused off-road racing title built around the iconic Dakar rally franchise, featuring vehicle customization and open-desert navigation.

The game has achieved modest lifetime traction ($349k net) with steady residual revenue ($2.8k/mo mid-case) and a 57% positive review ratio, indicating a core audience exists. However, 29+ months since last developer communication, zero sales velocity in the past 12 months, and documented stability issues suggest the title is dormant rather than failing. For a publisher or studio with live-service or seasonal content ambitions in sim racing, acquisition could unlock a licensed IP beachhead in rally with minimal ongoing investment; revival would require technical stabilization and content refresh to justify dev spend against current player engagement.

- Most realistic play: acquisition
- Licensed IP: the game is built on third-party intellectual property
- Risk (licensed_ip): Dakar brand (event, intellectual property) licensed from the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO); rights duration and renewal cost unknown, creating potential expiration or renegotiation friction.
- Risk (tech): Recent update reportedly introduced critical bugs (launch failures, menu crashes) that triggered refunds; stability audit mandatory before any revival attempt.
- Risk (market): Zero sales in 12 months and 29.5 months since last developer post indicate community has largely moved on; re-engagement would require significant content or feature investment to compete with established rally titles.
- Risk (other): Developer (Saber Porto) shows 'fading' studio status with only one title; acquisition may require external live-ops and marketing support.

What players are asking for:
- Stability and launch reliability (crashing at menu and startup)
- Continued post-launch support and content updates
- Additional cars, bikes, or Dakar stages

Suggested first moves:
1. Obtain Dakar IP license terms from ASO (scope, duration, renewal cost, content restrictions) and verify legal standing; confirm whether Saber Interactive retains publishing rights.
2. Conduct full technical audit on all versions to isolate and reproduce the reported launch/menu crash bugs; prioritize stability fix as gate for any revival.
3. Survey residual player base and lapsed buyers via Steam discussions and social channels to identify highest-impact content gap (new vehicles, stages, multiplayer, seasonal events) and estimate willingness to return if addressed.

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/1839940
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.