# The Forgotten City

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

- Steam appid: 874260
- Developer: Modern Storyteller
- Publisher: Dear Villagers
- Released: 2021 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $24.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $11.9k to $17.9k per month (mid $14.9k)
- Opportunity score: $22.4k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 353.3k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $2.2M
- Review sentiment: 96% positive across 13566 reviews (11042 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 95.8 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 1 months ago
- Last build shipped 4.0 years ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 12 sales in the last 12 months
- Proven demand elasticity: x1.4 review velocity during past deep sales

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $27.1k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $23.6k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $21.3k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $14.9k |

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

130, 149, 82, 87, 125, 138, 91, 122, 111, 67, 180, 172, 104, 103, 172, 72, 120, 132, 81, 93, 75, 69, 128, 129

## Estimated acquisition range

$358.3k to $716.6k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $179.1k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A narrative time-loop adventure set in ancient Rome where players solve interconnected puzzles to prevent a catastrophe and unlock multiple endings.

The Forgotten City is a quiet earner with strong retention fundamentals: 96% positive sentiment, $14.9k/mo residual revenue, and consistent 95/mo reviews suggest an engaged, devoted playerbase. For revival-focused publishers or IP holders interested in graphic novel, audio drama, or transmedia adaptation, this represents proven audience demand for a self-contained, philosophically ambitious story. The core risk is that narrative clarity (some players felt too guided toward endings) may limit franchise expansion without structural rework.

- Most realistic play: revival
- Risk (market): Narrative puzzle-adventure genre is increasingly crowded; positioning a 2021 title as "new" requires clear creative refresh, not just discounting.
- Risk (other): Player feedback flagged that priestess exposition dump diminished mystery and agency, suggesting design debt if sequel or remaster is attempted without narrative restructure.
- Risk (tech): Terrain collision and terrain-clipping bugs noted by players; older build stability and modern OS support should be audited before any promotional push.

What players are asking for:
- Sequel or narrative continuation (time travel setting leaves room for new eras/mysteries)
- Director's commentary or behind-the-scenes content on story architecture and historical research
- Graphical update or Switch/console port to reach new platforms
- Cosmetic bug fixes and modern control remapping for accessibility

Suggested first moves:
1. License or acquire to audit IP ownership, confirm all music/historical asset clearances, and assess console port feasibility (Switch would tap cozy-adventure audience).
2. Commission a lightweight postmortem documentary or podcast episode with developer Modern Storyteller on time-loop narrative design; distribute via YouTube and partner platforms to resurface interest and position for 2025 bundle campaigns.
3. A/B test a 50% discount over 2-week window alongside content creator outreach (Outer Wilds fan communities, narrative-game channels); track uplift against residual baseline to validate expansion ROI.

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/874260
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.