# Birth

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

- Steam appid: 1889040
- Developer: Madison Karrh
- Released: 2023 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $10.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $4.3k to $6.5k per month (mid $5.4k)
- Opportunity score: $8.1k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 127.1k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $348.4k
- Review sentiment: 96% positive across 4189 reviews (3973 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 78.8 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 11 months ago
- Studio active elsewhere (2 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 3.1 years ago

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $9.8k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $8.5k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $7.7k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $5.4k |

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

37, 64, 50, 105, 87, 107, 37, 110, 36, 142, 47, 86, 60, 69, 68, 48, 81, 82, 43, 63, 25, 210, 74, 58

## Estimated acquisition range

$129.6k to $259.2k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $64.8k/year). Same error range applies.

## Markets by review language

- japanese: 1%
- schinese: 7%
- brazilian: 6%
- french: 3%
- russian: 6%
- german: 4%
- english: 69%
- koreana: 1% (game NOT localized in this language)
- spanish: 3%

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A handcrafted point-and-click adventure where players explore a surreal city collecting bones and organs to build a companion, blending cozy atmosphere with macabre aesthetics.

Birth is a quiet indie gem generating $5,400/mo residual revenue on a $10.99 price point with 95.8% positive sentiment and 127k lifetime units. The game's core appeal, accessible puzzles wrapped in distinctive art and unsettling-yet-calming atmosphere, suggests strong library evergreen potential and crossover appeal to cozy-game and narrative-adventure audiences. Best suited for small-to-mid publishers seeking low-risk catalog depth or indie game curators building thematic collections; revival campaigns (console ports, bundle placement, community events) could unlock dormant player bases without major dev investment.

- Most realistic play: publishing
- Risk (market): No sales recorded in past 12 months despite positive sentiment; community may be saturated or discovery has plateaued.
- Risk (other): Developer Madison Karrh shows low post frequency (10.5 months since last dev communication) and only two titles in catalog, suggesting limited capacity for live support or sequel development.
- Risk (other): Localization gap in Korean (1.1%) indicates untapped regional market despite 42 Korean reviews; similar gaps elsewhere suggest under-monetized geographic potential.

What players are asking for:
- Sequel or spiritual successor set in the same universe (players mention 'wish I could experience this again')
- Console ports (Nintendo Switch implied by cozy-game crossover audience)
- Expanded companion-building mechanics or post-game content
- Better visual clarity on clickable objects (puzzle discovery frustration noted in negative reviews)

Suggested first moves:
1. Secure publishing rights and conduct platform-specific port feasibility study (Switch, PS5, mobile); cozy-game momentum and handcrafted aesthetic translate well to console discovery.
2. Partner with curators and bundle platforms (Itch featured collections, Apple Arcade, subscription services) to re-surface the title; 78.8 reviews/mo suggests low current visibility despite quality.
3. Engage developer on lightweight post-launch initiatives: cosmetic DLC (organ/bone skins), free quality-of-life update (clickable-object highlighting), or companion game/prequel to test appetite for franchise expansion without major rebuild.

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/1889040
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.