# The Great War: Western Front™

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

- Steam appid: 2109370
- Developer: Petroglyph
- Publisher: Frontier Foundry
- Released: 2023 · Genre: Strategy · List price: $34.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $3.5k to $5.3k per month (mid $4.4k)
- Opportunity score: $8.4k/month at x1.90 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 86.9k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $758.2k
- Review sentiment: 66% positive across 3283 reviews (2716 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 20.2 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 3.0 years
- Studio active elsewhere (7 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 19 months ago

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $8.0k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $6.9k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $6.3k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $4.4k |

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

60, 26, 21, 32, 37, 46, 33, 36, 52, 31, 35, 29, 22, 26, 19, 26, 18, 23, 18, 20, 22, 23, 16, 22

## Estimated acquisition range

$105.6k to $211.1k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $52.8k/year). Same error range applies.

## Markets by review language

- spanish: 3%
- japanese: 0% (game NOT localized in this language)
- schinese: 7%
- russian: 2%
- brazilian: 1% (game NOT localized in this language)
- french: 4%
- german: 8%
- english: 75%
- koreana: 0% (game NOT localized in this language)

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A 2023 WWI operational RTS from Petroglyph featuring asymmetric trench warfare and supply-line strategy across the Western Front.

The Great War holds an unusual niche: it's the only modern WWI strategy title on Steam with genuine design innovation (breakthrough-point selection, supply mechanics), yet it earned just $758k lifetime on a $35 price tag, suggesting severe market-positioning and polish problems rather than concept failure. The 66% positive ratio and 20 reviews/mo indicate a small but engaged playerbase that recognizes the game's strategic depth; revival or acquisition by a strategy publisher willing to fix AI, add campaign variety, and rebuild community trust could unlock a dormant $8.4k/mo opportunity. Petroglyph's IP ownership and the title's lack of licensed constraints make this a clean acquisition target.

- Most realistic play: acquisition
- Risk (market): WWI strategy is a niche within a niche; mainstream RTS audience gravitates to Starcraft, Total War, and Age of Empires franchises.
- Risk (tech): Core complaint is passive/repetitive AI and limited campaign variety, which require substantial engine-level redesign rather than content patches.
- Risk (other): 35-month silence from developer signals low publisher confidence; rebuilding trust with players who feel abandoned will require transparent roadmap and visible dev presence.

What players are asking for:
- Improved AI strategic aggression and tactical unpredictability
- Campaign variety: more factions, scenarios, and asymmetric mission objectives beyond frontline grinding
- Multiplayer campaign mode (co-op or competitive)
- Regular balance updates and bug fixes (pathfinding, passive behavior)

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit Petroglyph codebase and design docs to quantify AI and campaign-content debt; prioritize one high-impact AI behavioral rework (e.g., sector-threat assessment, supply-line interdiction) as proof-of-concept for revival.
2. Survey the 86k-unit install base (Steam achievement data, community Discord if active) to validate willingness to return post-update and identify top 3 requested campaign scenarios or unit archetypes.
3. Establish a 12-week public dev roadmap (balance passes, one new faction or theater, AI fix) and post bi-weekly updates in-game and on community channels to rebuild credibility before attempting price increase or sequel pitch.

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/2109370
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.