# SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech

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

- Steam appid: 804010
- Developer: Image & Form Games
- Publisher: Thunderful Publishing
- Released: 2019 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $24.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.5k to $2.2k per month (mid $1.8k)
- Opportunity score: $3.4k/month at x1.85 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 77.8k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $417.7k
- Review sentiment: 87% positive across 2295 reviews (1944 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 13.7 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 14 months
- Studio quiet across its whole catalog
- Last build shipped 7.1 years ago

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $3.3k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $2.9k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $2.6k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.8k |

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

27, 16, 34, 21, 27, 21, 10, 18, 6, 16, 23, 21, 13, 13, 10, 15, 25, 11, 11, 21, 20, 10, 11, 9

## Estimated acquisition range

$44.0k to $88.1k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $22.0k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A deck-building RPG set in the SteamWorld universe, combining party-based progression with roguelike-free deckbuilding mechanics.

Quest is a quiet performer earning $1.8k/mo residual revenue on a $24.99 price point, with 87% positive sentiment and modest but consistent engagement. It's not blockbuster material, but the 77k lifetime sales and stable 13-14 reviews/mo suggest a loyal, underserved audience for turn-based deck-builders outside the roguelike formula. Relevant for: publishers seeking low-risk catalog depth in the strategy-RPG segment, or a studio looking to revive the SteamWorld franchise with a sequel that players explicitly request.

- Most realistic play: revival
- Risk (market): Deck-builder space is crowded; Quest's non-roguelike positioning is a strength but also narrows audience.
- Risk (other): Developer Image & Form flagged as 'fading' status with no updates in 14 months; IP and code ownership clarity required before any sequel pitch.
- Risk (other): Pricing elasticity at -1 suggests limited headroom for discounting or repositioning without cannibalizing revenue.

What players are asking for:
- Sequel or continuation in the series
- Hard difficulty balance tuning (late-game bosses cited as only real challenge)
- Expanded soundtrack

Suggested first moves:
1. Secure rights clarity from Image & Form and Thunderful; confirm franchise IP status and any existing sequel concepts or roadmaps.
2. Prototype a Quest 2 pitch targeting the explicit player request for a series continuation, using the 77k-unit install base as marketing seeding.
3. Explore bundling Quest with other SteamWorld titles in a 'strategy classics' collection to test franchise appetite before committing to new development.

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/804010
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.