# FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S: HELP WANTED

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

- Steam appid: 732690
- Developer: Steel Wool Studios
- Publisher: ScottGames
- Released: 2019 · Genre: Action · List price: $29.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $8.9k to $13.4k per month (mid $11.1k)
- Opportunity score: $23.4k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 489.4k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $3.2M
- Review sentiment: 96% positive across 13106 reviews (12235 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 69.2 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 6.6 years
- Studio active elsewhere (5 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 6.6 years ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 2 sales in the last 12 months

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $20.2k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $17.6k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $15.9k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $11.1k |

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

135, 83, 66, 65, 88, 92, 58, 73, 50, 66, 94, 61, 72, 57, 64, 51, 117, 134, 67, 80, 63, 50, 53, 102

## Estimated acquisition range

$267.5k to $535.0k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $133.8k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A VR-first horror compilation that reconstructs the first four Five Nights at Freddy's games plus original scenarios in immersive 3D space.

Help Wanted remains a quiet earner at $11.1k/mo residual revenue on a $3.2M lifetime take and 489k units sold, anchored by exceptionally strong community sentiment (95.7% positive). The title demonstrates sustained appeal within the FNAF ecosystem and validates VR horror as a durable niche. However, the game's architecture as a licensed-IP anthology under Scott Cawthon's ScottGames publisher limits acquisition appeal; strategic interest centers on VR publishing partnerships, regional expansion, or DLC revival. The flat-screen port weakness and 78-month dormancy since last developer communication suggest the title is stable but not actively maintained.

- Most realistic play: publishing
- Licensed IP: the game is built on third-party intellectual property
- Risk (licensed_ip): Five Nights at Freddy's IP owned and controlled by Scott Cawthon through ScottGames; any deal involving the game requires rights holder consent and likely ongoing royalty arrangements.
- Risk (tech): Flat-screen port is acknowledged by players as buggy and significantly inferior to VR experience, limiting addressable market and creating support friction.
- Risk (market): VR headset ownership remains a ceiling on growth; mainstream non-VR audience has limited enthusiasm for the experience.

What players are asking for:
- Fix or overhaul flat-screen mode; multiple players cite bugs, missing UI features (mute call), and degraded gameplay relative to VR
- More original content beyond remixes and minigames
- Optimization and polish updates to address technical debt accumulated over 78 months

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit flat-screen technical debt and cost a targeted port refresh (UI, stability, feature parity) as a low-risk revenue lever; even modest improvements could reduce refund churn and unlock casual players.
2. Explore regional publishing partnerships in underserved VR markets (Asia Pacific, emerging EMEA) to extend the $11.1k/mo baseline without requiring new IP licensing negotiation.
3. Map DLC opportunity cost versus active developer resource: if Scott Cawthon and Steel Wool are focused on newer franchises (Security Breach sequels), a third-party publishing or co-development arrangement could unlock dormant revenue at minimal recapture risk to the IP holder.

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/732690
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.