# Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express

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

- Steam appid: 1904790
- Developer: Microids Studio Lyon
- Publisher: Microids
- Released: 2023 · Genre: Action · List price: $39.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $4.1k to $6.2k per month (mid $5.2k)
- Opportunity score: $6.7k/month at x1.30 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 34.1k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $340.5k
- Review sentiment: 84% positive across 1262 reviews (1067 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 20.7 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 26 months ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 11 sales in the last 12 months
- Proven demand elasticity: x1.4 review velocity during past deep sales

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $9.4k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $8.1k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $7.4k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $5.2k |

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

29, 27, 8, 35, 83, 47, 47, 29, 35, 28, 30, 28, 24, 21, 21, 30, 23, 58, 18, 25, 17, 12, 22, 30

## Estimated acquisition range

$123.6k to $247.3k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $61.8k/year). Same error range applies.

## Markets by review language

- russian: 7%
- spanish: 2%
- japanese: 2%
- schinese: 28%
- german: 9%
- koreana: 5%
- brazilian: 2%
- french: 8%
- english: 37%

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A modernized point-and-click detective adventure based on Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, released by Microids in 2023.

This title sits in a quiet window: modest but consistent residual revenue ($5.2k/mo mid-case), strong positive sentiment (84%), and a franchise IP opportunity held by a stable publisher. The game earned $340k lifetime on 34k units, suggesting word-of-mouth and a dedicated mystery-game audience willing to pay $40. For a acquiring studio or publisher, the opportunity lies not in revival (player base is small but engaged) but in rights negotiation with Microids to develop a sequel or spin-off that addresses the design friction evident in negative reviews: streamlined UI, clearer puzzle logic, and deeper companion mechanics. The franchise belongs to Agatha Christie's estate; Microids holds the game rights.

- Most realistic play: licensing
- Licensed IP: the game is built on third-party intellectual property
- Risk (licensed_ip): Agatha Christie's works are licensed intellectual property; any sequel or adaptation requires negotiation with the Christie estate and existing game publisher Microids, which may hold exclusivity windows.
- Risk (tech): Player reviews cite weak gameplay mechanics, unclear puzzle logic, and frustrating UI; core design gaps that would need substantial revision to grow the audience.
- Risk (market): Interactive fiction and detective games are niche; the 20-review/month rate and flat 24-month velocity suggest a limited addressable market despite positive sentiment.

What players are asking for:
- Ability to skip or speed up dialogue and cutscenes without losing story information
- Clearer puzzle articulation and less linear, more branching investigative paths
- Deeper mechanical integration for the secondary protagonist character
- Expanded post-game content or alternate endings reflecting player choices

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit Microids' current game-publishing roadmap and licensing agreement terms with the Christie estate, particularly sequel and spin-off rights and exclusivity windows.
2. Commission a design audit comparing this title's UI, deduction systems, and dialogue structure to recent successful detective and narrative-adventure titles (Kentucky Route Zero, Return of the Obra Dinn) to identify cost-effective mechanical improvements for a sequel.
3. Engage Microids directly as a co-publishing or co-development partner to scope a modernized sequel that addresses the top three player friction points: UI streamlining, puzzle clarity, and companion character depth, targeting a 2025-2026 release window.

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/1904790
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.