# While We Wait Here

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

- Steam appid: 2213120
- Developer: Bad Vices Games
- Released: 2024 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $4.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.4k to $2.0k per month (mid $1.7k)
- Opportunity score: $2.8k/month at x1.65 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 73.6k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $107.4k
- Review sentiment: 89% positive across 2420 reviews (2300 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 46.8 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 21 months
- Studio active elsewhere (3 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 21 months ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 6 sales in the last 12 months

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $3.1k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $2.7k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $2.4k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.7k |

## Monthly review counts, oldest to newest (22 months)

643, 340, 173, 106, 120, 78, 52, 45, 48, 59, 39, 33, 35, 179, 92, 41, 82, 31, 52, 24, 41, 51

## Missed seasonal-sale revenue (modeled)

Skipped 5 Steam seasonal sale window(s) in the last 22 months. Running a -50% discount in those windows is modeled at +$10.3k net in total, assuming a unit uplift of x3.0 (industry-typical for old catalog titles). Same ±30-50% error range applies.

## Estimated acquisition range

$41.0k to $82.0k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $20.5k/year). Same error range applies.

## Markets by review language

- koreana: 2%
- spanish: 3%
- japanese: 1%
- schinese: 5%
- english: 45%
- russian: 17%
- brazilian: 19%
- french: 3%
- german: 4%

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A narrative-driven diner management game set during an ambiguous apocalypse, blending walking simulator storytelling with light cooking mechanics and branching character arcs.

While We Wait Here has generated $107k lifetime on modest volume (73.6k units) with strong sentiment (89% positive, 47 reviews/mo average) and continues earning $1.7k/mo residually. The core appeal is precise: intimate, character-focused narrative that rewards replay. This is a template for indie narrative games seeking mainstream distribution or a larger publisher seeking reliable low-budget IP with proven emotional resonance. Bad Vices Games is a small operating studio with minimal developer communication; acquisition of catalog IP or a publishing partnership for a sequel could unlock audience scaling.

- Most realistic play: acquisition
- Risk (market): Narrative walking sims + diner management is a narrow lane; audience growth beyond core indie buyers requires marketing spend, not just back-catalog optimization.
- Risk (tech): 20-month silence from developer raises questions about studio capacity, pipeline, and long-term support commitments.
- Risk (other): Emotional, slow-burn pacing is inherently polarizing; negative reviews cite misleading marketing around apocalypse scope and tedium risk limiting mainstream appeal.

What players are asking for:
- Sequel or spiritual follow-up with expanded diner scenarios and character depth
- Port to consoles (PlayStation/Nintendo focus, given PS1/PS2 aesthetic nostalgia)
- Expanded soundtrack release or official art/narrative companion
- Developer commentary on ambiguous ending and character fates

Suggested first moves:
1. Acquire publishing rights and fund a console port (PS5/Switch); backlist title with proven Steam sentiment should convert 20-40% of console narrative-game players at $9.99.
2. Commission a narrative designer to scope a prequel or seasonal content pack that reuses diner setting/cooking core; low-friction way to test franchise viability before greenlight on sequel.
3. Negotiate direct developer buyout or exclusive IP option if studio shows interest in sunsetting; 20-month silence suggests ownership fatigue, and catalog price should reflect dormancy discount relative to $107k lifetime.

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/2213120
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.