# Hacknet

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

- Steam appid: 365450
- Developer: Team Fractal Alligator
- Publisher: Fellow Traveller
- Released: 2015 · Genre: Indie · List price: $9.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $2.5k to $3.7k per month (mid $3.1k)
- Opportunity score: $4.6k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 1.1M · Est. lifetime net revenue: $2.3M
- Review sentiment: 94% positive across 26054 reviews (16830 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 57.5 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 7 months ago
- Last build shipped 8.2 years ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 10 sales in the last 12 months
- Proven demand elasticity: x1.4 review velocity during past deep sales

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $5.6k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $4.9k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $4.4k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $3.1k |

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

157, 113, 78, 62, 118, 82, 61, 77, 47, 69, 87, 81, 131, 81, 75, 75, 75, 76, 54, 60, 55, 50, 50, 76

## Estimated acquisition range

$74.1k to $148.2k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $37.0k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A 2015 indie terminal-hacking puzzle game where players execute real Linux commands to infiltrate networks and uncover a sci-fi conspiracy.

Hacknet has generated $2.3M lifetime net revenue on ~1.1M units sold and still earns $3.1K/mo residual, driven by durable word-of-mouth and strong replay value among niche audiences (93.5% positive). The game functions as a subtle STEM educational tool disguised as cyberpunk fiction, attracting both casual players and security-minded learners. Revival or educational licensing could unlock new revenue channels; the core IP remains dormant despite consistent small sales and active community engagement.

- Most realistic play: revival
- Risk (tech): Documented macOS soft-lock and memory leak on 10.1+ OS, unpatched for months, likely blocking 10-15% of potential Mac revenue and damaging trust.
- Risk (market): Niche genre with high elasticity (1.42) means price sensitivity is significant; the game sits at $9.99 with no active discount, leaving upside on bundling or platform deals.
- Risk (other): Developer (Team Fractal Alligator) has released only one title; no post in 6.6 months signals possible resource constraints or pivot away from the series.

What players are asking for:
- macOS stability fixes and long-term platform support
- Quality-of-life UX improvements to prevent accidental file deletion softlocks
- Expanded mission variety and optional challenge modes beyond story
- Educational curriculum or certification tie-ins for cybersecurity training

Suggested first moves:
1. Commission a one-week macOS memory-leak audit and patch; redeploy to test builds and measure churn reduction before wider release.
2. Explore bundling with cybersecurity bootcamps or university CTF (Capture The Flag) curricula; partner with vendors like TryHackMe or HackTheBox to port missions into training platforms.
3. Evaluate lite DLC or remix content (new mission packs, modding tools) that reactivates players on dormant accounts; use $4.6K/mo opportunity budget to fund 1-2 developer sprints.

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/365450
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.