# Creaks

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

- Steam appid: 956030
- Developer: Amanita Design
- Released: 2020 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $19.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $5.8k to $8.6k per month (mid $7.2k)
- Opportunity score: $10.8k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 157.6k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $677.1k
- Review sentiment: 95% positive across 6107 reviews (5253 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 67.0 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 1 months ago
- Studio active elsewhere (9 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 5.5 years ago
- Last discounted 1 months ago, 10 sales in the last 12 months

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $13.1k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $11.4k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $10.3k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $7.2k |

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

55, 51, 27, 70, 72, 78, 50, 66, 58, 60, 93, 176, 101, 92, 57, 88, 58, 67, 50, 44, 75, 45, 60, 128

## Estimated acquisition range

$172.7k to $345.5k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $86.4k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

Creaks is a hand-drawn puzzle-adventure from Amanita Design about escaping a mysterious house through increasingly complex room-based mechanics.

Creaks sits at an interesting intersection: it's generated $677k lifetime from ~158k units at $19.99, maintains 95% positive reviews, and continues earning $7.2k/mo with minimal marketing spend. However, the title has seen only 10 sales over the last 12 months and zero discount activity in the past month, suggesting it has drifted into quiet catalog status. For a publisher seeking to acquire or revive a beloved but dormant indie puzzle game with proven audience appeal and zero live-service overhead, this represents low risk and moderate upside through bundles, regional pricing, or console ports.

- Most realistic play: revival
- Risk (market): Amanita Design's catalog is crowded with similar atmospheric puzzle titles (Machinarium, Botanicula, Samorost), and player reviews reveal fatigue with the studio's other recent releases (Chuchel, Pilgrim), suggesting market saturation risk.
- Risk (tech): Built 66 months ago on likely aging engine; console ports or modern platform support may require significant rework.
- Risk (market): Review data shows recurring complaint that puzzles are too straightforward and lack difficulty variance, limiting appeal to hardcore puzzle enthusiasts and replay value.

What players are asking for:
- Optional harder difficulty tiers or post-game challenge puzzles
- Console ports (especially Switch, given the cozy aesthetic and handheld pacing)
- Cosmetic or narrative DLC to extend engagement

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit console platform feasibility (Switch/PlayStation/Xbox) and estimate porting cost against incremental unit upside; console release could unlock 50-100% new sales via platform expansion and eShop/store visibility.
2. Analyze regional pricing elasticity (currently $19.99 flat globally); test $9.99-$14.99 in emerging markets and bundle pricing in indie packages to unlock volume without cannibalizing core revenue.
3. Commission lightweight difficulty/accessibility update (easy mode toggle, optional challenge rooms) to address recurring complaint about puzzle pacing and broaden audience from casual to mid-core; measure sales and sentiment lift post-patch.

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/956030
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.