# RollerCoaster Tycoon®: Deluxe

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

- Steam appid: 285310
- Developer: Chris Sawyer Productions
- Publisher: Atari
- Released: 2014 · Genre: Simulation · List price: $5.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.0k to $1.5k per month (mid $1.3k)
- Opportunity score: $2.3k/month at x1.85 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 551.0k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $709.4k
- Review sentiment: 94% positive across 8271 reviews (7346 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 39.0 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 17 months
- Studio quiet across its whole catalog
- Last build shipped 12.3 years ago

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $2.3k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $2.0k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $1.8k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.3k |

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

52, 55, 54, 35, 51, 47, 46, 56, 36, 60, 32, 51, 57, 32, 29, 34, 33, 46, 34, 33, 39, 37, 43, 48

## Estimated acquisition range

$30.1k to $60.3k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $15.1k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

RollerCoaster Tycoon: Deluxe (2014) is the classic Chris Sawyer theme-park sim, ported to Steam with minimal modernization.

Despite 148 months in operation and zero discounting, RCT:D still generates $1,255/mo residual revenue on 550k lifetime units, driven by a robust nostalgia base (94% positive) and high engagement metrics (39 reviews/mo). The game is functionally dormant from a dev perspective (no update in 17 months), but player retention and word-of-mouth remain strong. For a publisher or acquirer, the title represents stable, low-maintenance catalog cash with meaningful IP upside if bundled into a broader Atari negotiation or revival plan.

- Most realistic play: acquisition
- Risk (tech): Aging codebase exhibits documented stability issues (daily crashes, resolution-switching bugs) that erode long-term appeal and complicate porting.
- Risk (market): Direct competitor Planet Coaster (2016) has captured modern sim-builder mindshare; RCT:D lacks momentum (zero sales tracked in last 12 months suggests metric floor or data gap, not growth).
- Risk (other): Atari holds current publishing rights; any acquisition requires rights negotiation, and Chris Sawyer's studio status is marked 'fading' with only two titles.

What players are asking for:
- Quality-of-life and UI modernization (faster terrain/deco editing, click accuracy)
- Stability patches and resolution-handling fixes
- Deeper simulation mechanics to compete with contemporary builders

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit Atari's willingness to divest publishing rights and Chris Sawyer's appetite for a limited maintenance or remaster contract; a $2k-3k/mo residual game may not justify internal overhead.
2. Commission a lightweight stability pass (crash logging, resolution fixes, UI responsiveness) to validate whether $1,255/mo can scale to $2k/mo and inform a revival pricing decision.
3. Evaluate bundling potential: RCT:D's IP heritage and player base could anchor a 'Classic Sim Builder' bundle or subscription tier alongside other dormant sim titles, multiplying catalog value.

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/285310
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.