# DRAINUS

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

- Steam appid: 1975360
- Developer: Team Ladybug
- Publisher: WSS playground
- Released: 2022 · Genre: Action · List price: $14.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.2k to $1.8k per month (mid $1.5k)
- Opportunity score: $2.8k/month at x1.85 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 35.2k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $131.6k
- Review sentiment: 96% positive across 1156 reviews (1100 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 16.0 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 19 months
- Studio quiet across its whole catalog
- Last build shipped 3.6 years ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 6 sales in the last 12 months
- Proven demand elasticity: x1.7 review velocity during past deep sales

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $2.7k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $2.4k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $2.1k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.5k |

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

14, 16, 12, 1, 13, 28, 9, 6, 3, 3, 7, 13, 14, 22, 24, 9, 10, 11, 24, 19, 15, 7, 13, 18

## Estimated acquisition range

$35.9k to $71.8k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $17.9k/year). Same error range applies.

## Markets by review language

- japanese: 13%
- french: 2%
- german: 1%
- schinese: 15%
- brazilian: 5%
- english: 56%
- koreana: 3%
- russian: 2%
- spanish: 4% (game NOT localized in this language)

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A vertical bullet-hell shooter with a core mechanic that lets players absorb enemy fire to power their own attacks, built on original IP by Team Ladybug.

DRAINUS is a critical outlier for Team Ladybug, their only non-Metroidvania title and first original IP, earning 96% positive sentiment with strong international appeal (Japanese, Chinese, Korean reviews prominent). At $1,495/mo residual with $131k lifetime revenue from 35k units, it's quiet but profitable and shows elasticity that favors modest price experimentation. The gap is localization: 3.7% untranslated content (Spanish primary) and no activity from the studio in 19 months suggest dormancy rather than post-launch support, making this an acquisition or publishing-partnership candidate for a publisher seeking catalog depth in shmup/indie action.

- Most realistic play: acquisition
- Risk (tech): Last developer post 19 months ago; no patch or update data visible, raising concerns about engine maintenance and platform compliance drift.
- Risk (market): Shmup genre is narrow; velocity has stabilized at 7-22 monthly units over 24 months with no upward trend, limiting growth ceiling without significant marketing push.
- Risk (other): Team Ladybug listed as 'fading' with 3 titles total; intellectual property continuity and developer availability post-acquisition unclear.

What players are asking for:
- Expanded accessibility for non-shmup players (feedback on bullet-absorption mechanic as onramp is positive; more difficulty presets may help)
- Localization completion, especially Spanish subtitles and UI
- Cosmetic/challenge content or speedrun features to extend replayability

Suggested first moves:
1. Secure rights negotiation and IP audit with Team Ladybug / WSS playground to clarify ownership, engine licensing, and any ongoing obligations before acquisition.
2. Conduct full localization audit: quantify cost and effort to complete Spanish and other regional translations, and test impact on conversion via regional pricing/promotion in-market.
3. A/B test modest price reduction (current elasticity 1.75 suggests 10-15% cut could drive +15-20% unit volume) and measure sustained residual uplift over 3-6 months as baseline for revival potential.

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/1975360
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.