# Zup! S

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

- Steam appid: 617670
- Developer: Quiet River
- Released: 2018 · Genre: Casual · List price: $1.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.2k to $1.8k per month (mid $1.5k)
- Opportunity score: $2.2k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 754.9k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $322.9k
- Review sentiment: 97% positive across 16137 reviews (15097 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 139.0 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 7 months ago
- Studio active elsewhere (27 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 7.2 years ago
- Last discounted 0 months ago, 6 sales in the last 12 months
- Proven demand elasticity: x1.3 review velocity during past deep sales

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $2.7k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $2.3k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $2.1k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.5k |

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

146, 177, 95, 133, 226, 167, 120, 185, 111, 94, 125, 164, 126, 88, 154, 101, 189, 164, 159, 161, 147, 115, 106, 146

## Estimated acquisition range

$35.7k to $71.3k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $17.8k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

Zup! S is a minimalist physics puzzle game monetized primarily through Steam achievement customization cosmetics.

Zup! S generates $1,486/mo residual revenue on a seven-year-old title with 96.8% positive sentiment and a tight, achievement-driven monetization loop. The game has found stable product-market fit within a niche audience that values profile decoration and completion incentives over gameplay depth. For a publisher seeking low-risk, high-margin catalog holdings or a studio looking to clone or extend the achievement-farming model, this title demonstrates repeatable mechanics and recurring transaction pull.

- Most realistic play: watch
- Risk (market): Revenue heavily concentrated in achievement cosmetics and profile decoration, which depends on sustained Steam community interest in profile customization features.
- Risk (other): Developer silent for 6.6 months; no active post-launch support or roadmap signals, suggesting low operational cost but also no growth momentum.
- Risk (tech): Single-play physics puzzle titles have minimal network effects or retention loops beyond cosmetic goals; vulnerable to one-time purchase fatigue.

What players are asking for:
- More achievement varieties and design options for profile customization
- Additional cosmetics: profile banners, emotes, and animated decorations
- Harder or optional puzzle challenges beyond the core easy-difficulty set

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit IP, trademark, and artwork rights to confirm full ownership; confirm no pending licensing expiry or asset reuse constraints.
2. Model incremental cosmetic pack rollouts (seasonal achievement themes, profile frame styles) against current $2.2k/mo opportunity ceiling to estimate sustainable pricing and release cadence.
3. Evaluate cloning or franchising: test whether achievement-collection mechanics and profile cosmetics transfer to other puzzle or casual game templates under Quiet River or a partner label.

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/617670
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.