ResidualPlaybeta

THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION

SNK CORPORATION · 2014 · $14.99 · Action · deal grade B

  • Estimated net residual revenue: $1.3k to $2.0k per month
  • Opportunity: $3.4k per month at x2.10 dormancy
  • Estimated lifetime owners: 193.3k
  • 91%% positive across 3116 reviews · 20.3 reviews/month

Why it's flagged

  • Developer silent for 4.5 years
  • Studio active elsewhere (19 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
  • Last build shipped 4.5 years ago
  • Store page localized in only 3 language(s)
  • Last discounted 1 months ago, 4 sales in the last 12 months
  • Proven demand elasticity: x1.4 review velocity during past deep sales

Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition is SNK's meticulously restored 2D fighting-game classic, released on Steam in 2014.

This title generates $1.6k–$2.0k monthly in residual revenue on $14.99 pricing with a 90.8% positive review rate and strong elasticity (1.44), suggesting meaningful upside in pricing experiments, seasonal promotion timing, and bundling with SNK's broader catalog. The game appeals primarily to legacy fighting-game enthusiasts and nostalgic players rather than mainstream audiences, but its quiet performance masks consistent month-to-month engagement (20 reviews/mo average) and a devoted core. For a publisher seeking low-risk catalog depth or a studio exploring re-investment in dormant IP, this represents an undermarketed franchise asset with proven retention and franchise credibility. Most realistic play: publishing.

  • Risk: Extremely narrow audience; mainstream fighting-game market has consolidated around Tekken, Street Fighter 6, and modern crossover titles, leaving 2D purists isolated.
  • Risk: 54+ months since last developer update; online stability, balance patches, and anti-cheat maintenance are unclear; competitive multiplayer viability depends on network infrastructure investment.
  • Risk: Only 4 discount promotions in 12 months and 0.7 months since last sale suggest minimal merchandising velocity; pricing power is real but marketing budget required to realize opportunity_usd ($3.4k/mo) is undefined.

This case as Markdown · Estimates carry ±30-50%% error per title.