# The Turing Test

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

- Steam appid: 499520
- Developer: BULKHEAD
- Released: 2016 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $24.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.5k to $2.2k per month (mid $1.8k)
- Opportunity score: $3.8k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 405.4k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $2.2M
- Review sentiment: 88% positive across 8030 reviews (6237 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 13.5 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 10.1 years
- Studio inactive: no public activity across 1 tracked titles
- Last build shipped 8.4 years ago
- Store page localized in only 1 language(s)

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $3.3k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $2.9k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $2.6k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.8k |

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

17, 11, 9, 8, 8, 12, 7, 16, 8, 12, 9, 4, 5, 4, 9, 7, 7, 7, 22, 12, 14, 12, 8, 13

## Estimated acquisition range

$43.5k to $87.0k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $21.8k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A first-person puzzle-adventure game in the Portal/Talos Principle mold, centered on dialogue between a human protagonist and an advanced AI.

The Turing Test has generated $2.18M lifetime revenue from 405k units with 87.6% positive sentiment and a B-grade profile, yet residual monthly revenue has stalled at $1.81k/mo with no sales velocity in the past year and zero developer communication in 20+ months. The game sits dormant but profitable: it remains a viable catalog acquisition for publishers seeking established IP with low-friction ongoing returns, though revival campaigns face design-ceiling risks (limited replayability, linear structure, niche puzzle audience).

- Most realistic play: acquisition
- Risk (tech): Engine legacy and control responsiveness issues (mouse sensitivity complaints, portal interaction bugs) may require porting effort for console/mobile expansion.
- Risk (market): First-person puzzle market is saturated; game's linear, single-playthrough design limits long-tail monetization versus Portal's social replay appeal.
- Risk (other): Developer (Bulkhead) appears dormant with only one title and no public updates in 120+ months; IP stewardship and rights clarity may require legal due diligence.

What players are asking for:
- Expanded puzzle variety or non-linear progression options to increase replayability
- Console porting (Switch, PlayStation, Xbox) to capture controller-native audiences
- Bug fixes for portal interaction and mouse control responsiveness
- Sequel or spiritual successor with deeper AI narrative themes

Suggested first moves:
1. Secure rights and IP ownership from Bulkhead; verify developer dissolution status and any residual contract obligations.
2. Audit codebase for engine health, platform porting readiness (console, VR), and QA-addressable bugs (mouse response, portal interactions).
3. Model console/mobile port ROI and bundling opportunities (e.g., puzzle-game compilation, GamePass); test if 10-15% price reduction or seasonal sales lift residual to $2.5k+/mo.

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/499520
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.