# A Story About My Uncle

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

- Steam appid: 278360
- Developer: Gone North Games
- Publisher: Coffee Stain Publishing
- Released: 2014 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $14.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.1k to $1.6k per month (mid $1.3k)
- Opportunity score: $2.8k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 912.8k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $2.9M
- Review sentiment: 92% positive across 29234 reviews (12171 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 16.5 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 9.4 years
- Studio inactive: no public activity across 1 tracked titles
- Last build shipped 9.4 years ago
- 58% of reviews come from key activations (excluded from revenue estimates)
- 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 | $2.4k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $2.1k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $1.9k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.3k |

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

29, 26, 26, 27, 35, 31, 18, 27, 22, 26, 15, 23, 19, 18, 10, 14, 11, 20, 12, 11, 19, 15, 26, 16

## Estimated acquisition range

$31.9k to $63.8k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $15.9k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A contemplative 3D platformer about reconnecting with a lost uncle, built around a gravity-manipulation mechanic and emotional narrative.

A Story About My Uncle has quietly generated $2.9M lifetime revenue on modest volume, maintains a 91.5% positive rating, and still accrues $1.3K/mo in residual income nine years post-launch. The title is a dormant indie evergreen with strong word-of-mouth legs and no active developer support; it represents a low-risk catalog acquisition for publishers seeking profitable mid-list assets or a candidate for light revival (QoL patches, console ports, or bundling into narrative-adventure collections).

- Most realistic play: acquisition
- Risk (other): Developer (Gone North Games) is inactive with no public updates in 112+ months; IP ownership chain and rights availability require legal due diligence.
- Risk (market): Platformer genre has matured significantly since 2014; title's niche appeal and difficulty curve may limit upside in revival scenarios.
- Risk (tech): Nine-year-old codebase may require porting effort for console or next-gen platforms; no indication of active maintenance.

What players are asking for:
- Console ports (especially Nintendo Switch) to reach handheld audiences
- Accessibility options for players who find difficulty curve punishing
- Behind-the-scenes dev commentary or making-of material tied to the emotional narrative
- QoL improvements: rebindable controls, difficulty adjustments, checkpoint refinement

Suggested first moves:
1. Secure IP rights and developer contact verification; confirm ownership and any contractual constraints with Coffee Stain Publishing.
2. Conduct technical audit of codebase for console viability (Switch, PS5) and assess porting scope and cost versus projected revenue lift.
3. Evaluate bundling into narrative-adventure or indie platformer curated collections, or licensing narrative IP for media adaptation given the game's emotional anchor.

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/278360
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.