# Kindergarten

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

- Steam appid: 589590
- Developer: Con Man Games
- Publisher: SmashGames
- Released: 2017 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $4.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $2.2k to $3.4k per month (mid $2.8k)
- Opportunity score: $5.9k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 560.3k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $601.0k
- Review sentiment: 97% positive across 10577 reviews (10188 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 104.2 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 3.6 years
- Studio active elsewhere (3 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 3.6 years ago
- Store page localized in only 2 language(s)
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 5 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 | $5.1k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $4.4k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $4.0k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $2.8k |

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

124, 92, 88, 80, 107, 107, 95, 123, 75, 79, 311, 359, 143, 88, 118, 64, 112, 118, 82, 103, 77, 75, 104, 184

## Estimated acquisition range

$67.0k to $134.1k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $33.5k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A dark-humor choice-based adventure set in a grotesque kindergarten, built around interconnected character puzzles and multiple endings.

Kindergarten has shipped 560k+ units lifetime and sustains $2.8k/mo residual revenue on a $5 price point with 97% positive sentiment and 104 reviews/mo, unusually strong signals for a 2017 indie title with no studio activity in 43 months. The franchise has a proven sequel and cult following willing to replay for hidden content and branching outcomes. Acquisition makes sense if Con Man Games' IP and engine are available; revival via dialogue-skip QoL patch and modest marketing could unlock a second wave of discovery, particularly among choice-game and narrative-horror audiences.

- Most realistic play: acquisition
- Risk (other): Developer (Con Man Games) shows no public activity in 43+ months; ownership status and asset availability unclear.
- Risk (market): Dark subject matter (child harm themes) carries content sensitivity and platform visibility risk; appeals to niche audience with high engagement but limited addressable market.
- Risk (tech): High elasticity (1.43) suggests price-sensitive audience; user complaints flag repetitive dialogue and lack of skip function, limiting replay friction mitigation without code work.

What players are asking for:
- Dialogue skip / fast-forward button to reduce repetition on puzzle retries
- Sequel accessibility and cross-promotion (players mention buying Kindergarten 2)
- Legacy / original version parity (at least one review prefers legacy build)

Suggested first moves:
1. Verify IP and asset ownership through SmashGames (publisher) and any remaining Con Man Games contacts; confirm whether source code, art, and design docs are intact and licensable.
2. Model a minimal viability patch: dialogue skip, quality-of-life UI improvements, and a fresh community post to reactivate the 104/mo review baseline and measure uptick in sales velocity.
3. Evaluate cross-promotion and bundling with Kindergarten 2 (and any unreleased third entry) as a franchise revival; current $2.8k/mo suggests room for modest marketing spend to capture pent-up sequel interest.

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/589590
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.