# Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden

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

- Steam appid: 760060
- Developer: The Bearded Ladies
- Publisher: Funcom
- Released: 2018 · Genre: RPG · List price: $34.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $4.8k to $7.2k per month (mid $6.0k)
- Opportunity score: $9.0k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 664.5k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $5.0M
- Review sentiment: 90% positive across 20527 reviews (13290 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 32.0 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 2 months ago
- Studio active elsewhere (2 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 5.7 years ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 9 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 | $10.9k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $9.5k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $8.6k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $6.0k |

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

35, 30, 44, 37, 57, 43, 23, 60, 42, 27, 58, 42, 33, 30, 48, 37, 54, 44, 31, 35, 39, 35, 22, 30

## Estimated acquisition range

$144.4k to $288.8k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $72.2k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A 2018 stealth-tactics RPG by The Bearded Ladies set in a post-apocalyptic world, blending XCOM-style turn-based combat with real-time exploration and character-driven narrative.

Mutant Year Zero has proven durable across 68 months, generating $5M lifetime on 664k units and sustaining $6k/mo residual revenue with 90% positive reviews and no discount activity in past month. The community is vocal about sequel demand rather than critical of the base product, suggesting strong brand equity and character attachment. For a publisher or revival partner, the IP and franchise potential outweigh the modest monthly burn; a sequel, console port, or transmedia play could justify reactivation investment.

- Most realistic play: revival
- Risk (market): Tactical RPG genre remains crowded post-launch; sequel would compete directly with XCOM 2, Miasma Chronicles, and Baldur's Gate 3.
- Risk (tech): 68-month-old codebase may require modernization for current engine standards and platform support (current console presence unclear from data).
- Risk (other): Developer The Bearded Ladies operates only 2 titles; bandwidth for post-launch support or sequel development is unknown.

What players are asking for:
- Direct sequel or 'Mutant Year Zero 2' (multiple reviews)
- Expanded gun/equipment variety and vendor inventory
- Future updates or ongoing support signals

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit The Bearded Ladies' current capacity and interest in greenlit sequel or DLC roadmap; determine if Funcom retains publishing rights or if IP can be shopped to other studios.
2. Conduct console-port feasibility study; reviews reference XCOM and Baldur's Gate 3 (console titles), implying demand for tactile controller support and couch play.
3. Monitor quarterly revenue and player retention through Q1-Q2 2025; if residual holds $5k-7k/mo, a 2-3 year sequel timeline becomes financially defensible alongside IP licensing (tabletop, audio drama, graphic novel).

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/760060
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.