# Void Bastards

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

- Steam appid: 857980
- Developer: Blue Manchu
- Released: 2019 · Genre: Action · List price: $29.99
- Deal grade: B (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $1.1k to $1.6k per month (mid $1.4k)
- Opportunity score: $2.5k/month at x1.85 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 155.5k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $1.0M
- Review sentiment: 86% positive across 5432 reviews (3887 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 8.5 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 24 months
- Studio quiet across its whole catalog
- Last build shipped 7.0 years ago

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $2.5k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $2.2k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $2.0k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $1.4k |

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

23, 23, 13, 10, 8, 8, 8, 10, 4, 7, 6, 9, 9, 8, 15, 8, 13, 18, 3, 5, 3, 5, 12, 23

## Estimated acquisition range

$32.9k to $65.8k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $16.4k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A 2019 roguelike space-shooter with procedural level design and tactical enemy encounters that has been quietly profitable for five years.

Void Bastards generated $1M+ lifetime on $29.99 pricing with an 86% positive ratio and steady 8-9 reviews/month. The title shows low sales velocity over 24 months but consistent residual cash flow ($1.4k/mo mid-range), suggesting a loyal, shallow install base that has largely stabilized. This is a candidate for IP licensing (tabletop, adjacent media), modest marketing revival to dormant audiences, or acquisition by a publisher seeking reliable back-catalog title with minimal ongoing costs. Blue Manchu's fade status and two-title portfolio suggest the studio may be acquisition-adjacent itself.

- Most realistic play: revival
- Risk (market): No discounting in 83+ months indicates either pricing immunity or market saturation at current price point; elasticity of -1 suggests inelastic demand, limiting upside from traditional sales campaigns.
- Risk (tech): Game has not received developer updates for 23+ months; longer dormancy risks compatibility drift with OS, GPU drivers, or platform policy changes.
- Risk (other): Studio status listed as fading with only two titles in portfolio; developer continuity and post-acquisition support capacity are unclear.

What players are asking for:
- Quality-of-life improvements or new roguelike modifiers to reduce repetition on extended playthroughs
- Cosmetics or cosmetic DLC to extend engagement without core mechanic changes

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit IP strategy: evaluate tabletop, comic, or narrative-adjacent licensing of the Void Bastards universe (low-cost high-margin upside separate from game revenue).
2. Conduct technical health audit (engine compatibility, platform certification, build parity across Steam/console) to identify any low-touch modernization that could unblock lapsed players.
3. Interview Blue Manchu ownership on studio roadmap, bandwidth for post-acquisition updates, and interest in acquisition or long-term publishing partnership; two-title portfolio suggests possible capacity constraints.

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/857980
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.