# THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV STEAM EDITION

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

- Steam appid: 571260
- Developer: SNK CORPORATION
- Released: 2017 · Genre: Action · List price: $59.99
- Deal grade: A (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: $6.5k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 183.5k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $2.4M
- Review sentiment: 82% positive across 4223 reviews (3336 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 9.7 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- No developer announcement on record, ever
- Studio active elsewhere (19 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 7.7 years ago
- Last discounted 4 months ago, 3 sales in the last 12 months
- Proven demand elasticity: x1.8 review velocity during past deep sales

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $5.7k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $4.9k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $4.5k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $3.1k |

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

10, 18, 12, 17, 29, 12, 17, 31, 11, 8, 19, 8, 13, 25, 8, 14, 13, 10, 9, 6, 14, 9, 9, 11

## Estimated acquisition range

$74.8k to $149.6k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $37.4k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

SNK's 2017 fighting-game entry that generated $2.37M lifetime and still earns $3.1k/mo despite minimal recent activity.

KOF XIV represents a quiet but stable revenue generator in a franchise with devoted international fandom. The game's $3.1k/mo residual, 82% positive reviews, and SNK's active studio status suggest dormant rather than terminal appeal. For a publisher seeking fighting-game IP exposure or a studio building legacy catalog momentum, licensing or acquiring distribution rights could unlock revival campaigns tied to KOF XV hype or regional localization gaps; the 21% key-reseller share implies margin room. Risk: the game's 92+ months post-launch and absence of dev communication in 3.9 months signals SNK may have deprioritized maintenance, and online multiplayer health is unknown.

- Most realistic play: licensing
- Risk (tech): No developer post in 3.9 months and 92-month age raise questions about server stability, anti-cheat currency, and cross-play parity with consoles.
- Risk (multiplayer): Player base size and matchmaking health are opaque; fighting-game viability depends entirely on online population.
- Risk (market): KOF XV launched in early 2022; older-gen entrant may suffer perception as legacy product unless positioned as affordable entry point.

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit SNK's server roadmap and online population health metrics (concurrent players, matchmaking wait times); confirm whether regional rollout or balance-patch cycles are frozen.
2. Model pricing and positioning if licensed for third-party publishing in underserved regions (SEA, CIS, Latam); 85% historical discount ceiling suggests elasticity for sub-$20 bundles or seasonal promotions.
3. Evaluate franchise synergy: tie KOF XIV revival to KOF XV seasonal events, battle pass, or crossover content to funnel legacy-title players into the new title and extend monetization.

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/571260
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.