# Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth

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

- Steam appid: 234270
- Developer: Daedalic Entertainment
- Released: 2017 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $19.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $2.3k to $3.5k per month (mid $2.9k)
- Opportunity score: $6.2k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 324.1k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $1.4M
- Review sentiment: 92% positive across 7570 reviews (5893 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 27.3 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 8.5 years
- Studio quiet across its whole catalog
- Last build shipped 8.5 years ago
- Last discounted 0 months ago, 11 sales in the last 12 months

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $5.3k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $4.6k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $4.2k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $2.9k |

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

49, 37, 32, 28, 87, 46, 40, 46, 21, 35, 33, 34, 40, 32, 37, 37, 41, 31, 25, 23, 23, 30, 26, 37

## Estimated acquisition range

$70.5k to $140.9k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $35.2k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A narrative adventure game adapting Ken Follett's medieval epic novel, built by Daedalic Entertainment as a point-and-click story with branching dialogue and character choices.

Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth remains a quiet earner: $2.9k/mo residual revenue on $1.39M lifetime net with a 92% positive rating and consistent review velocity (27/mo). The game is a licensed literary adaptation, making standalone acquisition impossible, but the title merits attention as a proof-of-concept for how literary IP can sustain dormant adventure games if kept available at current price. Daedalic's muted studio status and 102 months since last dev communication suggest this title is no longer prioritized; a revival would require co-publisher interest from Ken Follett's rights holder or Daedalic itself choosing to reinvest.

- Most realistic play: licensing
- Licensed IP: the game is built on third-party intellectual property
- Risk (licensed_ip): Adaptation rights to Ken Follett's literary work are likely held by the author or his estate; rights reversion, renewal costs, or territorial restrictions may limit a buyer's freedom to operate.
- Risk (tech): Game is 102 months old and built on what appears to be an aging engine; modernization or porting would require significant technical investment.
- Risk (market): Adventure game genre skews niche; elasticity of 1.15 suggests price sensitivity, and 11 discount promotions in 12 months indicate reliance on sales cycles to sustain volume.

What players are asking for:
- Port to console platforms (mobile or Switch mentioned in extended reviews not shown)
- Expansion or sequel content leveraging other Ken Follett novels
- Quality-of-life improvements to UI and accessibility

Suggested first moves:
1. Verify licensing agreement status: confirm Ken Follett rights holder, renewal dates, and territorial scope; determine whether Daedalic retains marketing/distribution authority or requires co-sign-off.
2. Audit Daedalic's current capacity and interest: direct conversation with studio leadership on whether they would co-fund a modest revival campaign (Steam feature placement, bundle partnerships, console localization) versus licensing buyout.
3. Test console market fit: gather platform-holder interest (Nintendo, PlayStation) on bringing the game to handheld/console, where literary adventure adaptations have shown stronger engagement than on PC alone.

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/234270
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.