Market Analysis & Financial Projections
Research on market size, competitors, and revenue projections for ZorkLogic
Executive Summary
ZorkLogic operates in the retro gaming and interactive fiction market, targeting nostalgic gamers, IF enthusiasts, and game history buffs. The retro gaming market is valued at $800M+ and growing 9% annually. Gaming nostalgia content has strong monetization potential through advertising ($3-18 RPM for gaming content), affiliate sales (game bundles, merchandise), and community-driven revenue.
Market Size & Growth
Primary Market: Retro Gaming & Interactive Fiction
$800M+
Retro Gaming Market
9%
Annual Growth
market expansion
$200B
Nostalgia Economy
by 2025
$3-18
Gaming Content RPM
premium niche
Gaming Consumption Trends
| Metric | Value | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Gamers interested in retro gaming | 67% | Increasing |
| IF community active players | 150K+ | Stable |
| GOG retro game sales growth | 15%/yr | Strong |
| Browser-based game engagement | High | Growing |
Industry Tailwind: Gaming Nostalgia Wave
As gamers age and seek nostalgic experiences, demand for classic games and gaming history is surging. People want to relive childhood memories and share them with new generations.
Competitive Landscape
Direct Competitors: Retro Gaming Sites
GOG (Good Old Games)
Game marketplace
STRENGTHS
- • Huge game catalog
- • DRM-free games
- • Strong brand
GAPS
- • Commercial focus
- • No community content
- • Limited education
Internet Archive Games
Free preservation
STRENGTHS
- • Massive archive
- • Free access
- • Historical value
GAPS
- • Poor UX
- • No curation
- • No modern content
IFDB (Interactive Fiction DB)
Community database
STRENGTHS
- • Comprehensive catalog
- • Community reviews
- • Genre authority
GAPS
- • Database only
- • No gameplay
- • Limited audience
Retro Gaming Blogs
Ad-supported content
STRENGTHS
- • Nostalgia content
- • SEO traffic
- • Community
GAPS
- • No playable games
- • Limited depth
- • Scattered focus
Competitive Positioning
| Competitor | Games | History | Community | Play Now | SEO Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOG | High | Low | Low | Purchase | Medium |
| Internet Archive | High | Medium | Low | Yes | Low |
| IFDB | Medium | Low | High | Links | Medium |
| Retro Blogs | No | High | Medium | No | High |
| ZorkLogic | High | High | Medium | Yes | High |
ZorkLogic's Unique Position
Playable games meets gaming history - not just reading about retro games, but actually playing them in your browser. Combines the preservation mission of Internet Archive with the curation and storytelling of gaming blogs.
Revenue Model Analysis
Advertising Revenue Potential
| Traffic Tier | Monthly Visitors | Est. Ad Revenue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Startup | 10,000 | $30-120/mo | Building audience |
| Growing | 50,000 | $150-900/mo | Growing engagement |
| Established | 200,000 | $600-3,600/mo | Sustainable base |
| Authority | 500,000+ | $1,500-9,000/mo | Premium gaming RPMs |
Gaming content can earn premium RPMs when audience is engaged with playable content.
Affiliate Revenue Potential
| Product Type | Conversion | Avg Commission | Monthly (50K visitors) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game bundles | 2-3% | $5-15 | $50-225 |
| Gaming gear | 1-2% | $10-30 | $50-300 |
| Books/guides | 1% | $3-8 | $15-40 |
| Total affiliate | - | - | $115-565 |
Revenue Projections
Year 1: Foundation
Focus on game library, content creation, SEO
| Revenue Stream | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| AdSense (10K visitors) | $60 | $720 |
| Affiliate commissions | $30 | $360 |
| Merchandise (POD) | $25 | $300 |
| Total Year 1 | $115 | $1,380 |
Year 2: Growth
Traffic growth, community building, newsletter launch
| Revenue Stream | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| AdSense (50K visitors) | $450 | $5,400 |
| Affiliate commissions | $200 | $2,400 |
| Merchandise (POD) | $150 | $1,800 |
| Newsletter sponsors | $100 | $1,200 |
| Total Year 2 | $900 | $10,800 |
Year 3: Scale
Platform expansion, premium hosting, IF courses
| Revenue Stream | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| AdSense (200K visitors) | $1,800 | $21,600 |
| Affiliate commissions | $500 | $6,000 |
| Merchandise sales | $400 | $4,800 |
| Premium game hosting | $300 | $3,600 |
| IF writing courses | $250 | $3,000 |
| Sponsors/partnerships | $250 | $3,000 |
| Total Year 3 | $3,500 | $42,000 |
Year 5: Authority
Multiple revenue streams, recognized gaming community authority
| Revenue Stream | Annual |
|---|---|
| Advertising (500K+ visitors) | $54,000 |
| Affiliate commissions | $18,000 |
| Merchandise sales | $12,000 |
| Premium hosting platform | $15,000 |
| IF courses & workshops | $20,000 |
| Sponsorships/Partnerships | $15,000 |
| Game jam events/licensing | $10,000 |
| Total Year 5 | $144,000 |
Traffic Growth Model
Projected Monthly Visitors
Key Success Factors
Playable Games
Browser-based, instant play
SEO Excellence
Rank for game searches
Consistent Content
Games + history weekly
Community Building
Forums, social, backlinks
Monetization Mix
Ads + affiliate + merch
Risk Factors
| Risk | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Copyright/licensing issues | High | Use public domain games, secure permissions |
| Algorithm changes (Google) | Medium | Diversify traffic, build gaming community |
| Gaming trends shift away from retro | Low | Nostalgia is evergreen, IF community stable |
| Competition from emulator sites | Medium | Focus on curation, history, and UX |
| Ad revenue volatility | Medium | Diversify with affiliate, merch, hosting |
Key Metrics to Track
Traffic
- • Monthly unique visitors
- • Organic search traffic %
- • Pages per session
- • Time on page
Revenue
- • Ad RPM
- • Consulting hours billed
- • Affiliate conversion rate
- • Revenue per visitor
Authority
- • Domain authority score
- • Backlinks gained
- • Keyword rankings
- • Email subscribers
Conclusion
ZorkLogic has a viable path to $11K revenue in Year 2 and $42K+ by Year 3. The combination of playable games, gaming history content, and diversified revenue streams (ads, affiliate, merchandise, hosting) creates sustainable growth in the retro gaming niche.
Immediate Priorities:
- 1. Add 20+ playable classic games to the site
- 2. Write 10+ game history and review articles
- 3. Set up affiliate partnerships with GOG and Steam
- 4. Launch gaming newsletter with nostalgia focus
- 5. Build backlinks through r/retrogaming and gaming communities