# Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts

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

- Steam appid: 973580
- Developer: CI Games
- Released: 2019 · Genre: Action · List price: $29.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $7.6k to $11.5k per month (mid $9.6k)
- Opportunity score: $15.8k/month at x1.65 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 435.2k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $2.8M
- Review sentiment: 73% positive across 13211 reviews (10880 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 59.3 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 22 months
- Studio active elsewhere (8 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 22 months ago

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

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $17.4k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $15.1k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $13.7k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $9.6k |

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

49, 168, 87, 53, 65, 45, 55, 58, 42, 23, 93, 105, 46, 64, 47, 61, 87, 74, 59, 49, 65, 74, 47, 62

## Estimated acquisition range

$229.5k to $459.0k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $114.7k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A 2019 tactical sniper-stealth hybrid from CI Games that has generated $2.8M lifetime but shows signs of unresolved polish issues and no recent developer engagement.

Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts sits in an awkward middle ground: strong lifetime revenue and a 73% positive score signal genuine appeal, but zero discount activity in 12 months, no developer updates in 22 months, and consistent player complaints about save systems, AI reliability and half-finished mechanics suggest the title has drifted into quiet maintenance. The IP is owned in-house by CI Games (also publisher), making it acquisition-friendly. Revival angle works only if a buyer is willing to patch core systems; straight publishing or licensing plays are weak given the franchise's established weak spots.

- Most realistic play: acquisition
- Risk (tech): Save system and enemy AI pathing are repeatedly flagged as broken; any restart of live service or multiplayer would require substantial QA investment.
- Risk (market): Series already has a sequel in market (SGWC2); acquiring the original does not confer competitive advantage unless bundling or legacy support is strategic.
- Risk (other): Developer radio silence for 22 months; no roadmap visibility on whether known issues remain on backlog or are considered shipping behavior.

What players are asking for:
- Manual save/quick-save system (Splinter Cell standard, missing here)
- Reliable enemy AI and stealth detection consistency
- Achievement unlock fixes for progression-related badges
- Clearer PvP status (one player notes it no longer exists)

Suggested first moves:
1. Run internal audit on save system, AI path-finding and achievement unlock code; quantify rework cost against residual revenue ceiling ($9.6k/mo, $115k/yr).
2. Clarify CI Games' current stance on SGWC1 support post-SGWC2 launch; if they consider it EOL, acquisition price reflects deferred liability, not assets.
3. If acquiring, stress-test multiplayer sunset and server shutdown timelines; confirm licensing or platform agreements do not block delisting or feature removal.

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/973580
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.