# Car Mechanic Simulator 2015

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

- Steam appid: 320300
- Developer: Red Dot Games
- Publisher: PlayWay S.A.
- Released: 2015 · Genre: Racing · List price: $19.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.3k to $2.0k per month (mid $1.6k)
- Opportunity score: $2.2k/month at x1.35 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 784.5k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $3.4M
- Review sentiment: 92% positive across 14624 reviews (12069 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 15.2 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 13 months
- Studio active elsewhere (4 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 13 months ago
- Last discounted 0 months ago, 13 sales in the last 12 months

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $3.0k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $2.6k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $2.3k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.6k |

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

15, 22, 14, 20, 14, 28, 15, 23, 18, 21, 19, 21, 16, 12, 13, 18, 19, 18, 14, 10, 18, 20, 22, 7

## Estimated acquisition range

$39.1k to $78.2k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $19.6k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

Car Mechanic Simulator 2015 is a hands-on vehicle repair and customization sandbox that generated $3.4M lifetime revenue across 784k units.

CMS2015 sits in a quiet pocket of the catalog, earning $1.6k/mo residual with 92% positive sentiment and steady, if modest, monthly sales (13 in the past 12 months). The franchise proved durable enough to spawn a 2018 sequel, but the 2015 entry remains profitable and requires zero active development. For a publisher seeking low-risk, long-tail catalog depth in niche automotive simulation, or a revival candidate targeting console ports or regional marketing, this title merits a modest acquisition or licensing play.

- Most realistic play: acquisition
- Risk (market): Genre audience is narrow and deeply fragmented; successor (CMS 2018) may cannibalize sales if both remain active in the same storefront.
- Risk (tech): Engine and toolchain are now 9+ years old; any console port or major update would require substantial modernization spend.
- Risk (other): Developer (Red Dot Games) is operating but dormant on this title (13+ months since last update); acquisition assumes no ongoing support expectation.

What players are asking for:
- Better optimization and performance stability (Russian negative review notes poor optimization)
- Console versions (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch) to expand audience beyond PC
- Expanded vehicle roster and real-world brand partnerships

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit PlayWay S.A. IP portfolio and franchise strategy to determine if 2015 edition is slated for delisting or refresh; clarify licensing terms for vehicle/brand partnerships embedded in the build.
2. Model console porting costs (Unreal or Unity middleware licensing, QA, regional compliance) against addressable console garage-sim audience; break-even threshold likely 50k+ units across all platforms.
3. Explore regional marketing in Eastern Europe and Asia-Pacific (Russian review signal suggests untapped geographic demand) paired with seasonal discounting or bundle integration with the 2018 sequel to test cannibalization risk.

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/320300
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.