Hacknet

Team Fractal Alligator · 2015 · $9.99 · Indie · deal grade C

Measured on 2026-09-24 10:35 UTC, 11 days ago. The whole catalog is re-measured daily; a game that just launched can move fast between passes.

Estimated net residual revenue: $1.6k to $2.4k per month
Opportunity: $2.0k per month at x1.00 dormancy
Estimated lifetime owners: 1.1M
94% positive across 26147 reviews · 37.2 reviews/month

Why it's flagged

Developer active, last post 8 months ago
Last discounted 1 months ago, 10 sales in the last 12 months
Proven demand elasticity: x1.4 review velocity during past deep sales

Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

Note written 2026-08-25; the live figures above take precedence over any numbers in it.

A terminal-based hacking simulator that teaches actual Unix commands through narrative-driven missions and environmental storytelling.

Hacknet sits in a quiet but resilient niche: a 2015 indie title with a 93% positive rating, solid mid-range residuals, and demonstrated replay value among its core audience. The game's educational angle (authentic CLI skills, immersive atmosphere) and story-first design have sustained engagement across a decade without active studio marketing or frequent discounts. For a publisher or educational partner, the title offers both a catalog stabilizer and potential as a gateway product for Linux/cybersecurity onboarding; the main risk is that platform-specific bugs (Mac OS memory leak) and soft-lock design friction have never been fully resolved, limiting new-player conversion. Most realistic play: publishing.

Risk: Confirmed memory leak on macOS 10.1+ causes recurring hard crashes; player forums report the issue persists despite suggested workarounds and has never received a permanent patch.
Risk: Soft-lock design (players can delete critical files irreversibly) creates friction and requires wiki consultation; negative reviews cite this as a replayability blocker for newcomers.
Risk: Developer has posted minimally (6.6 months since last update) and the studio maintains only one title; revival or major content updates would require external investment.

This case as Markdown · Estimates carry ±30-50% error per title.