# Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments

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

- Steam appid: 241260
- Developer: Frogwares
- Released: 2014 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $29.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $6.9k to $10.3k per month (mid $8.6k)
- Opportunity score: $12.9k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 529.6k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $3.4M
- Review sentiment: 89% positive across 7972 reviews (7062 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 53.2 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 1 months ago
- Studio active elsewhere (13 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 7.0 years ago
- Last discounted 0 months ago, 10 sales in the last 12 months

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $15.6k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $13.5k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $12.2k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $8.6k |

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

54, 61, 64, 54, 59, 59, 59, 46, 43, 34, 28, 50, 63, 40, 52, 65, 53, 84, 43, 60, 51, 49, 51, 65

## Estimated acquisition range

$205.6k to $411.3k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $102.8k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A Victorian-era detective adventure where you solve six interconnected Sherlock Holmes cases through investigation, deduction, and moral choice.

Crimes and Punishments generates $8.6k/mo in residual revenue on minimal maintenance, backed by 89% positive reviews and steady engagement (53 reviews/mo). The title is a franchise anchor for Frogwares' Sherlock catalog and demonstrates durable appeal in the logic-puzzle detective niche. For a publisher seeking backlist depth or a studio evaluating the Sherlock IP, this is a quiet performer worth preserving and periodically discounting; a revival angle is limited by age and technical debt, but the game does not require significant overhaul to remain profitable.

- Most realistic play: publishing
- Licensed IP: the game is built on third-party intellectual property
- Risk (licensed_ip): Game is built on Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes; rights may be held by Conan Doyle Estate or a sublicense holder; full acquisition of IP or long-term exclusivity is unlikely.
- Risk (tech): Recurring crash reports in deduction sequences and on Steam Deck; fixes would require active development resources and may not justify cost against current $8.6k/mo revenue.
- Risk (market): 2014 release; newer detective titles (Obra Dinn, etc.) have captured genre mindshare; discount-driven sales (current 90% off, 10 promos in 12m) suggest elasticity-driven monetization rather than organic demand.

What players are asking for:
- Stability fixes for deduction sequences and mind palace segments
- Steam Deck full compatibility verification
- Voice acting review (one player cited stereotypical accent as problematic)

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit crash logs and prioritize deduction-phase stability; a targeted patch (1-2 months dev time) could unlock higher review velocity and reduce refund risk on discount periods.
2. Test and certify Steam Deck compatibility; this platform is now a material sales channel and current failures are brand-damaging.
3. Model the ROI of a 30-50% discount rotation (e.g., every 8-10 weeks) against current 10/12m schedule; elasticity of -1 suggests price sensitivity is moderate; strategic bundling with newer Sherlock titles may amplify value.

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/241260
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.