# Do Not Feed the Monkeys

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

- Steam appid: 658850
- Developer: Fictiorama Studios
- Publisher: Alawar
- Released: 2018 · Genre: Indie · List price: $15.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $7.2k to $10.8k per month (mid $9.0k)
- Opportunity score: $13.5k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 515.9k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $1.8M
- Review sentiment: 94% positive across 12672 reviews (10317 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 104.7 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 0 months ago
- Studio active elsewhere (4 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 6.8 years ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 9 sales in the last 12 months

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $16.3k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $14.2k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $12.9k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $9.0k |

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

89, 83, 65, 56, 85, 72, 74, 52, 48, 310, 138, 134, 87, 72, 77, 121, 81, 97, 76, 69, 44, 215, 94, 130

## Estimated acquisition range

$215.8k to $431.7k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $107.9k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A darkly comedic point-and-click observation game where you monitor surveillance cages, manage resources, and uncover absurd storylines unfolding in real time.

Do Not Feed the Monkeys has quietly earned $1.77M lifetime on 516k units sold, maintains a 93.5% positive rating, and still generates $8,993/mo in residual revenue despite zero active marketing. The game's replayability, distinctive humor (compared favorably to Papers Please and Day of the Tentacle), and high engagement per player (10-26h averages) signal durable demand. For a catalog buyer or indie publisher, this represents proven IP with minimal ongoing support costs and natural expansion opportunities (cage content, narrative DLC, mobile port).

- Most realistic play: acquisition
- Risk (market): Genre appeal is narrow; 93% positive skews toward an engaged minority rather than broad appeal, and velocity over 24 months shows volatile month-to-month sales (44-310 units) with no clear trend.
- Risk (other): Resource-management tension and real-time waiting mechanics generate friction for some players; negative reviews cite pacing boredom and punishment for mistakes, limiting growth potential without design iteration.

What players are asking for:
- More cages and observation scenarios to extend replayability
- Faster or skip-able real-time delays in certain scenarios
- Mobile or ported versions for on-the-go play
- Quality-of-life improvements to reduce repetitive grinding for 100% completion

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit IP chain and publishing rights with Alawar (publisher of record) to clarify acquisition path and any revenue-share obligations that might affect deal structure.
2. Conduct player cohort analysis on the 24-month velocity spike (months 10, 11, 12, 20, 23) to identify if paid marketing, bundle inclusion, or visibility event drove spikes, then test low-cost replication (social, press, bundle play).
3. Map cage-content backlog and design roadmap from Fictiorama Studios to estimate effort for a Season 2 or mobile spin-off; even modest new content could re-engage the 515k-player base and justify $2-4M acquisition price.

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/658850
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.