# The Whispered World Special Edition

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

- Steam appid: 268540
- Developer: Daedalic Entertainment
- Released: 2014 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $19.99
- 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: $3.9k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 128.0k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $550.1k
- Review sentiment: 76% positive across 2163 reviews (1707 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 17.5 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 9.5 years
- Studio quiet across its whole catalog
- Last build shipped 9.5 years ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 11 sales in the last 12 months
- Proven demand elasticity: x1.5 review velocity during past deep sales

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $3.4k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $3.0k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $2.7k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.9k |

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

10, 9, 7, 12, 13, 7, 6, 13, 6, 3, 10, 16, 8, 9, 12, 8, 13, 7, 6, 35, 21, 17, 16, 10

## Estimated acquisition range

$45.1k to $90.2k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $22.6k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A point-and-click adventure from Daedalic Entertainment about a man escaping a mysterious institution, originally released in 2006 and remastered in 2014.

The Whispered World Special Edition generates $1,880/mo in residual revenue on a $20 price point with 76% positive reviews, despite zero developer engagement for 9.5 years and minimal recent sales velocity. The title demonstrates durable appeal in the literary adventure segment and could benefit from modest localization investment, seasonal discounting, or bundling within Daedalic's broader catalog; however, the studio's stated fading status and lack of franchise sequel plans limit upside potential.

- Most realistic play: publishing
- Risk (other): Developer has not posted updates in 114 months; studio status flagged as fading with uncertain commitment to maintenance or sequel development.
- Risk (market): Point-and-click adventure genre remains niche; elasticity of 1.51 suggests price sensitivity, yet title has not received a deep discount in under 1 month, limiting acquisition velocity.
- Risk (tech): Build is 114 months old; compatibility with modern OS versions, controller support, and accessibility features may require investment to retain install base.

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit technical debt: test on current Windows/Mac/Linux distributions and identify low-cost QoL updates (controller rebinding, subtitle scaling, performance profiles) that could justify a patch and refreshed storefront visibility.
2. Model seasonal discount strategy: elasticity of 1.51 implies 20-30% price reductions could modestly boost volume; test campaign during indie/story-game promotional windows to validate conversion lift.
3. Explore bundling and licensing: cross-promote within Daedalic's catalog (e.g., pack with other adventure titles or subscription platforms) to amortize marketing cost and increase household reach.

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/268540
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.