# Of Orcs And Men

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

- Steam appid: 216910
- Developer: Cyanide Studio
- Released: 2012 · Genre: Action · List price: $14.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $795 to $1.2k per month (mid $993)
- Opportunity score: $2.1k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 123.0k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $396.3k
- Review sentiment: 74% positive across 2191 reviews (1640 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 12.3 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 12.0 years
- Studio active elsewhere (12 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 11.1 years ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 10 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 | $1.8k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $1.6k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $1.4k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $993 |

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

6, 6, 4, 6, 12, 4, 4, 11, 7, 11, 11, 11, 7, 13, 13, 14, 12, 16, 11, 20, 13, 8, 15, 7

## Estimated acquisition range

$23.8k to $47.7k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $11.9k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A 2012 tactical action-RPG from Cyanide Studio where players control orcs and goblins rebelling against human oppression, inverting traditional fantasy power dynamics.

Of Orcs and Men generates steady residual revenue of $993/mo despite zero marketing activity in 11+ years, driven by a small but devoted audience that values its narrative-first design and non-traditional protagonist faction. The 74% positive ratio and consistent monthly reviews (12/mo) suggest durable word-of-mouth appeal among players seeking unconventional fantasy storytelling. A quiet acquisition or publishing refresh could unlock modest but reliable catalog value, particularly if paired with a sequel pitch or a modest content update targeting the vocal sequel-requesters in the review base.

- Most realistic play: acquisition
- Risk (tech): Engine and codebase are 12+ years old; modernization for console ports or significant content updates would require substantial engineering investment.
- Risk (market): Tactics/isometric action-RPG space is crowded and indie-dominated; audience size is capped unless a sequel or major marketing push fundamentally reframes the IP.
- Risk (other): Developer Cyanide Studio remains active with 8 titles in portfolio but has posted no updates to this title in 12+ years; long-term code stewardship may be unclear.

What players are asking for:
- Sequel or continuation of the story
- Quality-of-life improvements to combat and UI
- Console ports (implied from legacy-game commentary)
- Expansion or DLC with new campaign content

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit IP ownership and codebase rights with Cyanide Studio to confirm full acquisition is feasible; verify no outstanding licensing or code-access impediments.
2. Run a low-cost sentiment analysis of fan forums (Reddit, Discord, fan wikis) to validate sequel demand and identify which story threads or character arcs players most want explored.
3. Model a minimal viable sequel pitch (2D or isometric, $8–15 price, 15–20h campaign) and test-market a brief announcement to the existing community to gauge pre-order or early-access interest before committing to development.

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/216910
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.