# NEO Scavenger

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

- Steam appid: 248860
- Developer: Blue Bottle Games
- Released: 2014 · Genre: Indie · List price: $14.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $859 to $1.3k per month (mid $1.1k)
- Opportunity score: $2.3k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 332.3k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $1.1M
- Review sentiment: 90% positive across 5409 reviews (4431 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 13.3 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 2.3 years
- Studio active elsewhere (2 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 9.6 years ago
- Store page localized in only 1 language(s)
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 8 sales in the last 12 months

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $1.9k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $1.7k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $1.5k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.1k |

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

15, 19, 12, 15, 22, 21, 12, 19, 16, 8, 13, 17, 16, 12, 12, 15, 15, 17, 15, 9, 15, 6, 16, 19

## Estimated acquisition range

$25.8k to $51.6k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $12.9k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

NEO Scavenger is a hardcore post-apocalyptic survival roguelike that emphasizes unforgiving mechanics, permadeath, and emergent storytelling over handholding.

NEO Scavenger has quietly accumulated $1.07M lifetime revenue across 332K units since 2014, with an 89.7% positive rating and steady monthly residuals of $1,074. The title sustains a devoted niche community that actively mods and streams the game, yet reviews suggest friction around difficulty and save-game mechanics that may suppress broader appeal. The opportunity lies in publishing partnerships or modest content updates that could reinvigorate player onboarding without diluting the core design.

- Most realistic play: publishing
- Risk (market): Uncompromising design (permadeath, high difficulty) restricts addressable audience; elasticity of 1.13 suggests limited price sensitivity.
- Risk (tech): 115 months post-launch with minimal developer activity (27.5 months since last substantive update); engine or platform maintenance risk on longer timescales.
- Risk (other): Reliance on community mods (NeoSaves) for quality-of-life suggests base game may need refresh to capture lapsed players.

What players are asking for:
- Save-game or hardcore mode toggle (mentioned in review 2; NeoSaves mod exists as workaround)
- Reduced difficulty floor or better new-player onboarding
- Additional content or balance updates to extend late-game engagement

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit mod ecosystem (NeoSaves, extended content mods) and negotiate integration or licensing of popular QoL features into base game without compromising design identity.
2. Commission a modest content pack (map region, story branch, equipment sets) positioned as 'Survivor's Compendium,' priced $4.99–$7.99, to signal live development and re-engage lapsed players.
3. Approach indie publishing partner (Devolver, Raw Fury, etc.) to co-market a 'Definitive Edition' bundle (game + soundtrack + developer commentary) timed to community events (speedrun seasons, seasonal challenges) to lift the 13 reviews/month baseline.

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/248860
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.