# Evil Genius 2: World Domination

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

- Steam appid: 700600
- Developer: Rebellion
- Released: 2021 · Genre: Simulation · List price: $39.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $7.0k to $10.5k per month (mid $8.7k)
- Opportunity score: $13.1k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 359.6k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $3.6M
- Review sentiment: 69% positive across 13224 reviews (11237 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 35.0 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 2 months ago
- Studio active elsewhere (20 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 4.4 years ago

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $15.8k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $13.8k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $12.5k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $8.7k |

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

57, 89, 47, 49, 73, 57, 39, 118, 115, 43, 49, 61, 39, 27, 27, 32, 64, 54, 31, 32, 27, 29, 40, 51

## Estimated acquisition range

$209.4k to $418.8k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $104.7k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A base-building sim where you design and manage a supervillain's lair while conducting world domination operations, succeeding Evil Genius 1 after 18 years.

Evil Genius 2 has generated $3.6M net lifetime revenue on ~360k units at $39.99, with a 69% positive rating and steady review cadence (35/mo). It sits in a genre niche with zero close competitors, earning $8.7k/mo residual. The core issue is a vocal gap between deep engagement (300+ hour players love it) and early abandoners (players expect the original's depth). For a publisher or acquirer seeking a franchise revival vector or catalog stabilizer in the dormant life-sim space, this title offers IP ownership, proven player retention at scale, and a clear roadmap for a sequel or live-service reboot that addresses pacing and world-map perception.

- Most realistic play: publishing
- Risk (market): Genre appeal is narrow; base-building sims occupy a quieter market segment than action or roguelikes, limiting ceiling for aggressive growth campaigns.
- Risk (other): High variance in player reception correlates with tutorial and early-game pacing; new players churn after 7-16 hours if world-map loop feels hollow, while long-term players (100+ hours) rate it 8+/10.
- Risk (tech): Occasional lag and animation shortcuts noted in reviews; engine optimization and visual fidelity could be barriers to next-gen console ports or sequel credibility.

What players are asking for:
- Deeper world-map strategy: less idle timer, more dynamic geopolitical stakes
- Expanded lair customization and character progression systems
- Content pacing overhaul: shorten or contextualize multi-hour tutorial
- Avoid aggressive monetization on sequels or live content (players cite mobile version cash grab concern)

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit the 18-month review spike (velocity data shows 118, 115 units at month 7-8) to identify what drove engagement and map it to live updates, sales or content; use that playbook for future campaigns.
2. Commission a player cohort analysis splitting <20 hour and >100 hour groups; identify exactly where and why early-game pacing loses players and prototype a 'director's cut' flow for a balance patch or sequel.
3. Evaluate a console (Switch/PlayStation) port or a free-to-play sequel targeting the 300+ hour audience as a nucleus; Evil Genius 2's 69% rating and $8.7k/mo baseline justify a modest revival spend, especially if paired with cross-media IP leverage (tabletop, streaming tie-ins).

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/700600
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.