River City Ransom Underground is 85% off and about to vanish — should you buy it?

Buy it now or miss it forever: River City Ransom Underground is being pulled from Steam

This is simple: River City Ransom Underground is being delisted from Steam because its licensing agreement expired, but the developer says anyone who owns it now can keep and play it forever. That means for $2.99 USD (or £2.24) – the current 85% discount – you can lock a cult classic into your library even after the store page disappears. For collectors, preservationists, and anyone who likes retro beat ’em ups, that’s a rare, time-limited chance.

Key takeaways

• Conatus Creative announced the Steam delisting after its licensing deal expired; the store page will be removed imminently but existing owners retain access.
• The game is 85% off at $2.99 / £2.24 – a compelling price for a full indie beat ’em up with co-op.
• Player numbers spiked to 54 concurrent players after the announcement, the most in five years — delisting can create renewed interest.
• Buying now guarantees permanent Steam access, but you won’t be able to gift new copies once the page is gone.

Why this caught my attention

This matter lands at the intersection of two things I pay attention to: preservation and value. River City Ransom Underground is a faithful, modernized take on an NES classic that went under the radar for a lot of players. The developer’s choice to put it on sale right before delisting is practical — it’s an obvious last window to capture sales — but it also turned into a tiny cultural moment. I appreciate when older indie titles get one last breath of community activity instead of quietly fading away.

Breaking down the delisting and what “ownership” really means

Conatus Creative Inc. says the removal is tied to licensing expiry. That’s the usual culprit when games vanish: music, character rights, or publishing agreements reach an end and the economics of renewal don’t make sense. The crucial detail here is the difference between delisting and deletion. Steam will remove the store presence, but your library copy stays intact. You can still download and play it after the page is gone — that’s not always guaranteed with every delisting scenario, so it’s worth stressing.

What the developer hasn’t done is give an exact takedown timestamp — they used language like “imminently.” That vagueness creates urgency, which is the point. Expect the sale to last only until Valve or the developer pulls the page, so don’t linger if you want it.

What the game actually offers — and who should buy it

Underground modernized the River City Ransom formula: ten playable characters with varied move sets, local and online co-op, and arena deathmatch modes. It’s built as a chill, nostalgia-forward beat ’em up rather than a hardcore fighting game. If you liked the series’ quirky tone and want a low-barrier, couch-friendly co-op experience, this is solid. It’s not going to blow you away with cutting-edge graphics, but its sprite work and design are deliberate and faithful.

• Best for: players who love retro aesthetics, local/online co-op, and light RPG-lite beat ’em ups.
• Not for: those chasing AAA production values, massive online communities, or modern meta-driven fighting systems.

Why this matters beyond one sale

Delistings have been creeping up as an industry problem in 2025. Licensing expirations and fractured publishing rights mean more games quietly leave storefronts, so a small purchase now can be an act of cultural preservation. There’s also a practical effect: delisting announcements often spike interest — Underground saw a jump to 54 concurrent players, the highest in years. That surge is proof that making a title scarce can suddenly turn it into a communal event.

Quick buying guidance

• Buy it if you want it in your Steam library permanently and the price is right for you — $2.99 is a steal for a full indie title with multiplayer.
• Don’t buy it expecting a long-term multiplayer scene; the player base is niche even after the surge.
• Be aware: once the store page is gone you can’t purchase or gift new copies through Steam.

TL;DR

River City Ransom Underground is being delisted because of expired licensing, but buying it today for $2.99 locks a permanent Steam copy into your account. It’s a small, satisfying beat ’em up with co-op and retro charm — worth grabbing if you want to preserve a cult classic or just play a fun, inexpensive co-op game.