# Banished

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

- Steam appid: 242920
- Developer: Shining Rock Software LLC
- Released: 2014 · Genre: Indie · List price: $19.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $5.8k to $8.8k per month (mid $7.3k)
- Opportunity score: $15.3k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 2.8M · Est. lifetime net revenue: $12.2M
- Review sentiment: 90% positive across 43287 reviews (37840 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 68.0 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 11.0 years
- Studio inactive: no public activity across 1 tracked titles
- Last build shipped 9.1 years ago
- Store page localized in only 1 language(s)
- Last discounted 4 months ago, 4 sales in the last 12 months

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $13.3k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $11.5k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $10.4k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $7.3k |

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

81, 68, 79, 86, 121, 110, 86, 96, 113, 88, 69, 80, 83, 72, 95, 77, 113, 97, 72, 64, 80, 76, 60, 56

## Estimated acquisition range

$175.3k to $350.6k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $87.7k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A hardcore indie city-builder (2014) where players manage a banished settlement's survival through resource management, food chains, and brutal winters.

Banished remains quietly profitable at $7.3k-8.8k/mo residual with a 90% positive rating and strong community engagement despite zero developer posts in 11+ months. The game's focused design and mod ecosystem create durable appeal; however, single-developer studio status and lack of post-launch content mean acquisition targets should evaluate IP ownership clearly and plan for long-term community stewardship rather than quick revival.

- Most realistic play: watch
- Risk (tech): 108+ months since last build; no public roadmap or planned updates may signal technical debt or maintenance-only stance.
- Risk (market): Newer colony sims (Timberborn, Northgard, Manor Lords) have fragmented the subgenre; repositioning as 'classic' may limit growth ceiling.
- Risk (other): Studio status listed as 'ghost'; confirm developer availability and willingness to support a new publisher before acquisition talks.

What players are asking for:
- Endgame content and long-term goals beyond steady-state city management.
- Mod integration or official expansion content to extend playtime beyond base survival loop.
- Quality-of-life improvements (UI polish, job assignment clarity, balance tuning for random events).
- Sequel or spiritual successor with refined difficulty curve.

Suggested first moves:
1. Validate IP ownership and developer contact status with Shining Rock Software LLC; clarify whether studio founder is available as advisor or technical lead for a revival partner.
2. Audit mod ecosystem (Steam Workshop, GitHub) to identify top 10-20 community creations; assess feasibility of official integration or inspired DLC.
3. Run cohort analysis on the $7.3k/mo residual: identify which regions, player segments, or seasonal events (e.g., winter sales) sustain revenue, and model impact of targeted marketing (nostalgia campaigns, 'grandparent's game' positioning) or free-to-play trial.

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/242920
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.