# EMERGENCY 4 Deluxe

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

- Steam appid: 757210
- Developer: Sixteen Tons Entertainment
- Released: 2018 · Genre: Simulation · List price: $17.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.3k to $2.0k per month (mid $1.7k)
- Opportunity score: $3.5k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 101.0k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $390.6k
- Review sentiment: 93% positive across 2075 reviews (2020 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 17.2 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 7.1 years
- Studio inactive: no public activity across 4 tracked titles
- Last build shipped 8.4 years ago
- Store page localized in only 3 language(s)
- Last discounted 5 months ago, 2 sales in the last 12 months

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $3.0k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $2.6k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $2.4k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.7k |

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

17, 19, 9, 21, 25, 17, 21, 16, 25, 33, 22, 26, 15, 9, 10, 17, 20, 21, 11, 22, 20, 17, 17, 16

## Estimated acquisition range

$39.8k to $79.7k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $19.9k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

Emergency 4 Deluxe is a real-time emergency-management simulation where players command police, fire, and medical units responding to procedural incidents across a town.

Despite shipping in 2018 and entering a quiet phase (no dev posts in 7 months, last discount 5 months ago), Emergency 4 maintains a 93% positive rating and generates $1.66k/mo residual revenue on 101k lifetime units. The mod community is active enough to offset aging controls, and the niche simulation audience shows consistent demand. This is a clean, self-published title with low ongoing support cost; best suited for a publisher seeking catalog depth in the dormant-but-stable sim category, or a revival studio willing to refresh visuals and modernize input handling.

- Most realistic play: publishing
- Risk (tech): 2018-era controls and engine are acknowledged friction points by players; modernization would require moderate engineering investment to remain competitive in simulation category.
- Risk (market): Deeply niche audience (17 reviews/mo, 2 promotions/year) limits ceiling; growth depends on content refresh or influencer discovery rather than organic expansion.
- Risk (other): Developer studio status is listed as inactive; acquisition would transfer full IP and catalog rights but assumes internal revival or external support team.

What players are asking for:
- Streamlined mod installation and clearer mod documentation
- Control scheme modernization (keyboard/mouse, controller support)
- New campaigns or scenario content packs
- Engine/graphics update to reduce visual age perception

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit mod ecosystem health: catalog most-downloaded mods, contact key authors, assess whether publishing could bundle or endorse a mod-starter kit to reduce friction.
2. Commission lightweight UI/control polish (3-6 month scope) targeting controller support and modernized input mapping, then re-launch with refresh announcement to dormant audience.
3. Evaluate bundling or cross-promotion with other niche management sims (Two Point Hospital, Frostpunk, etc.) to test elasticity and identify co-marketing partners in the category.

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/757210
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.