Looking Back at the Release of Casebook 1899 – The Leipzig Murders

German Point & Click Adventure Casebook 1899 – The Leipzig Murders launched the same day as Hollow Knight: Silksong. In his guest article, dev Gregor Müller is looking back at the launch weeks, the special condition of a uniquely German-voiced game and crowdfunding as a tool.

On September 4th, Casebook 1899 – The Leipzig Murders launched on Steam — coincidentally, on the same day as Hollow Knight: Silksong. Two weeks later, it’s time to take stock: Was that a wise decision?

The project began in 2021 as a hobby. In 2022, it was successfully funded by 484 backers on Kickstarter. Over four years, the pixel-art detective adventure gradually took shape. Although the release date was postponed multiple times, steady exposure through events, conventions, and media coverage helped grow the game’s visibility — particularly on Steam, where wishlist numbers and follower counts steadily increased.

By launch, Casebook 1899 had around 800 followers and promising wishlist metrics — especially for a point-and-click title. Industry-standard formulas suggested a solid debut.

The release date was set, the trailer published, review keys sent out — and then came Gamescom. That’s when the surprise hit: Team Cherry announced Silksong would release on the same day. A delay was no longer feasible — the game and reviews weren’t ready, and pushing the date further risked clashing with other genre releases.

Now, two weeks post-launch, the first sales and activation figures are in — and they fall significantly short of expectations. First-month sales are projected to reach less than 50% of initial estimates, despite strong anticipation and positive early reviews. So what happened?

Successful Crowdfunding ≠ Successful Launch

Crowdfunding creates visibility — and indeed, wishlist numbers surged during the campaign. But backers are early supporters who already paid for the game. While their contributions were vital for development, they don’t translate into launch-day revenue.

A subtler issue: Backers receive free Steam keys, and their reviews are flagged as “Product received for free.” These reviews don’t count toward Steam’s rating system, making it harder to reach the “Positive” (10 reviews) or “Very Positive” (50 reviews) thresholds—an obstacle many crowdfunded games face.

German Voice Acting in a Global Market

The Kickstarter campaign funded full German voice acting. The stretch goal for an English dub wasn’t reached. During development, the authentic German voice work was widely praised—and most players didn’t disable it.

Only after release did criticism emerge, focused on the lack of English voice acting. User data confirms the game’s limited international reach: Over 50% of players are from Germany, while only 7% come from the US and UK. Having a strong German followership is not unusual for the genre — but Casebook 1899 stands out. The exclusive use of German voice acting appears to be a barrier to broader appeal.

The Silksong Effect?

The toughest question remains: What happens when you release on the same day as the most wishlisted game in Steam history?

It’s likely that Silksong and Casebook 1899 target different audiences. Offering a story-driven alternative for players uninterested in Silksong seemed like a reasonable strategy. And initially, it worked: September 4th was relatively quiet otherwise, and Casebook 1899 quickly appeared in the “Upcoming Popular” and “Popular New Releases” sections — just below Silksong.

However, media coverage was overwhelmingly focused on Silksong — understandably, given its massive following. More critically, the Steam store experienced outages due to the traffic surge: One hour after launch, the store went offline for two hours, likely hurting impulse purchases.

What’s Next?

Releasing a first game is a milestone. The positive feedback from press and players has been deeply rewarding — and every hour of development feels justified.

Is financial success out of reach? Not necessarily. Wishlist numbers continue to grow, though the conversion rate remains unusually low — under 5%, despite strong reviews. I expect this to improve with the first discount. And if Silksong did have an impact, its influence will fade over time.

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