# The Cat Lady

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

- Steam appid: 253110
- Developer: Harvester Games
- Publisher: Screen 7
- Released: 2013 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $8.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.5k to $2.3k per month (mid $1.9k)
- Opportunity score: $2.9k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 358.4k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $692.6k
- Review sentiment: 94% positive across 6274 reviews (4779 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 39.8 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 5 months ago
- Studio active elsewhere (4 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 8.7 years ago

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $3.5k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $3.0k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $2.8k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.9k |

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

34, 14, 23, 51, 52, 34, 27, 25, 15, 34, 41, 54, 31, 30, 44, 52, 44, 51, 32, 25, 34, 34, 40, 74

## Estimated acquisition range

$46.2k to $92.4k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $23.1k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A 2013 psychological adventure game that uses surrealism and dark imagery to explore depression, loneliness, and human connection through the story of Susan Ashworth.

The Cat Lady generates ~$1.9k/mo residual revenue with 93.9% positive Steam reviews and zero promotional activity in 12 months, indicating strong organic word-of-mouth and sustained player interest despite its narrow mainstream appeal. The title's emotional depth, cult recognition, and loyal community make it an attractive catalog anchor for publishers focused on narrative-driven indie IP, though its age (104+ months in market) and dormant developer messaging suggest a revival or reissue campaign could unlock secondary audiences in education, mental-health-adjacent contexts, or emerging markets.

- Most realistic play: publishing
- Risk (tech): Built on DirectX 9/OpenGL legacy stack; reviews note rendering crashes on modern systems despite some reports of stable playback, signaling potential porting friction if refreshing for current hardware.
- Risk (market): Niche emotional/psychological content with strong depictions of depression and disturbing imagery limits mainstream marketing appeal and retail-channel viability.
- Risk (other): Developer (Harvester Games) has posted no public updates in 5+ months and shows minimal engagement despite 4-title catalog; unclear IP stewardship or future availability of source assets.

What players are asking for:
- Save-point flexibility (allow saves mid-scene rather than only at chapter breaks)
- UI/UX modernization (recurring complaint about clunky interface)
- Controller/gamepad support for modern platforms

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit IP ownership and source-code/asset availability with Harvester Games and Screen 7 to confirm acquisition feasibility; clarify developer intent regarding future updates or licensing.
2. Commission a lightweight technical audit (DirectX 12/Vulkan compatibility, modern OS testing) to estimate porting cost and determine whether a refreshed release or straightforward re-listing is more viable.
3. Explore partnerships with mental-health nonprofits, gaming education programs, and regional distributors (East Asia, Eastern Europe) where the game's thematic weight and low price point may resonate; test messaging around 'recovery narratives in interactive media.'

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/253110
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.