# Arise: A Simple Story

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

- Steam appid: 866140
- Developer: Piccolo Studio
- Publisher: Untold Tales
- Released: 2020 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $19.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $3.1k to $4.7k per month (mid $3.9k)
- Opportunity score: $5.9k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 80.8k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $347.3k
- Review sentiment: 92% positive across 3159 reviews (2694 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 36.5 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 0 months ago
- Studio active elsewhere (2 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 4.7 years ago
- Last discounted 0 months ago, 11 sales in the last 12 months

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $7.1k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $6.2k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $5.6k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $3.9k |

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

73, 42, 39, 44, 48, 51, 45, 59, 44, 80, 40, 52, 51, 33, 40, 44, 49, 70, 34, 39, 29, 46, 37, 34

## Estimated acquisition range

$94.1k to $188.2k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $47.0k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A wordless 3D puzzle-platformer about time, memory and loss told through minimalist visual storytelling and dual-axis mechanics.

Arise earned $347k lifetime on 80k units with a 91.5% positive score, but sits quiet at $3.9k/mo residual revenue and only 36.5 reviews/month. The game's core appeal, artistic maturity and clean monetization (no live-service overhead) make it a compelling catalog hold for publishers seeking evergreen indie IP; the challenge is awareness and polish friction points (imprecise controls, obtuse progression hints) that deter trial conversions. Best suited for a publisher willing to fund a modest QoL pass and platform refresh.

- Most realistic play: publishing
- Risk (market): Niche appeal: wordless narrative and abstract gameplay alienate mainstream audiences; reviews show sharp divides between 'art piece' and 'aimless wandering' camps.
- Risk (tech): Pixel-perfect hook and camera complaints suggest control friction; mobile/console ports would require significant input remapping to reach new platforms.
- Risk (other): Reported achievement bug ('Sorrow') remains unfixed; signals possible post-launch support deficit that corrodes goodwill in a game relying on emotional resonance.

What players are asking for:
- Fix achievement bugs (Sorrow trigger not firing)
- Clearer progression feedback and optional hint system for collectible memory locations
- Gamepad-first controls; keyboard support feels afterthought
- Console and/or mobile port to reach couch/handheld audiences

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit code for known bugs (Sorrow achievement, hook collision detection, camera clipping) and plan a 1.x patch; test on 2-3 target platforms (Switch, PS5, iOS) to quantify port effort.
2. Conduct retention cohort analysis on recent buyers to identify where trial drop-off peaks; run A/B test on optional tutorial/hint system within existing build.
3. Develop a modest marketing refresh (GIF-led social campaign, press outreach to indie/narrative-focused outlets, Apple/Sony platform featuring) timed to bugfix release to lift reviews_per_month from 36.5 baseline.

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/866140
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.