Genres

Every genre, screened by how often its indie launches earned $100k or more in their first year. Pick your price first: price moves the odds more than genre does.

Indie paid Steam launches 12 to 36 months old, data 3 Oct 2026. A hit is an estimated first year of $100k+. Earnings are sales on Steam after discounts and regional prices, before Steam's 30% cut, refunds and sales tax. About 58% of it reaches the developer. The revenue estimate is soft: about 6 to 7.5 in 100 launches overall.

Best niches

All prices

Pairs with the best chance of $100k+, above the base rateFree until launch

Building + Multiplayerabout 2.3 times expected at its prices, could be luck46 in 100

1Building + Multiplayer46 in 10048 launches 2Base Building + Multiplayer46 in 10046 launches 3Online Co-Op + Roguelike45 in 10040 launches 4Cozy + Farming Sim45 in 10040 launches 5Crafting + Multiplayer45 in 10049 launches

Lens checkHolds in 3 of 3. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: holds.

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Best nichesFree until launchClick to unlockTag pairs that beat the odds

The genre list

Price $10 to $20

All prices1 in 15 hit $100k+Under $51 in 238 hit $100k+$5 to $101 in 28 hit $100k+$10 to $2020 in 100 hit $100k+$20 to $4044 in 100 hit $100k+

Base rate: indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, 26,291 launches. Odds compare best within one price.

Lens Last 18 months

Standard West-facing view Without the breakout Last 18 months

Only launches from the last 18 months. Lenses are computed across all prices only so far, so a lens reads All prices.

Sample 30+

10+ launchesshow small samples 30+ launches 100+ launchesonly big markets

Hides anything measured on fewer launches.

$10 to $20 Last 18 months 30+ launches Reset

The Last 18 months lens is computed across all prices only for now, so this list reads All prices. Pick Standard to read $10 to $20.

Best odds at my priceChance of $100k+, read within one price band.Opens $10 to $20, Standard lens.Steady marketsHolds in every lens and no single game owns it.Now: Mechs, 23 in 100. 74 match.Biggest typical yearWhat the middle launch earned, highest first.Now: Online Co-Op, $6,168 typical. 187 match.Biggest upsideWhat the top tenth earned at least.Not computed for lenses yet.Proven at scale100+ launches and above the base rate.Now: Base Building, 25 in 100. 68 match.Busiest marketsMost launches first: where the competition is.Now: Puzzle, 1,493 launches. 187 match.

Hide one-hit markets26 out Hide small samples35 out

187 of 256 genres have 30+ launches at any price, Last 18 months. Sorted by chance of $100k+, lowest first.

class-basedNot in this view: under 30 launches at any price, Last 18 months.

farmingNot in this view: under 30 launches at any price, Last 18 months.

FMV 27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 60 launches at any price, Last 18 months$10k+ not computed yet. Best of the pins Audience

Genres at any price, Last 18 months, sorted by chance of $100k+. The first row is the base rate.
Rank#	Genre	Chance of $100k+	Typical year	Top 1 in 10	Launches	Markers	Pin
	All games at any price, Last 18 monthsthe base rate: the row to beat	1 in 151,722 of 26,291	$552	not computed	26,291
1	Space Simnone of 63 launches earned $100k+	0 of 63no hits	under 100	under 100	63	none	Pin Space Sim
2	Solitairenone of 51 launches earned $100k+	0 of 51no hits	under 100	under 100	51	1-hit	Pin Solitaire
3	Score Attack2 of 168 launches earned $100k+	2 of 1682 hits	$249	not computed	168	none	Pin Score Attack
4	Demons1 of 82 launches earned $100k+	1 of 821 hit	under 100	under 100	82	none	Pin Demons
5	Grid-Based Movement1 of 71 launches earned $100k+	1 of 711 hit	under 100	under 100	71	none	Pin Grid-Based Movement
6	Arena Shooter2 of 131 launches earned $100k+	2 of 1312 hits	$295	not computed	131	Audience	Pin Arena Shooter
7	Sokoban1 of 65 launches earned $100k+	1 of 651 hit	under 100	under 100	65	none	Pin Sokoban
8	Mystery Dungeon1 of 61 launches earned $100k+	1 of 611 hit	under 100	under 100	61	none	Pin Mystery Dungeon
9	Word Game2 of 115 launches earned $100k+	2 of 1152 hits	$562	not computed	115	Audience	Pin Word Game
10	Hidden Object1 in 52 earned $100k+, from 464 launches	1 in 529 hits	$463	not computed	464	none	Pin Hidden Object
11	Text-Based3 of 154 launches earned $100k+	3 of 1543 hits	$570	not computed	154	none	Pin Text-Based
12	Precision Platformer1 in 49 earned $100k+, from 246 launches	1 in 495 hits	$214	not computed	246	Audience	Pin Precision Platformer
13	Top-Down Shooter1 in 45 earned $100k+, from 227 launches	1 in 455 hits	$268	not computed	227	none	Pin Top-Down Shooter
14	Runner3 of 136 launches earned $100k+	3 of 1363 hits	$107	not computed	136	none	Pin Runner
15	Puzzle Platformer1 in 37 earned $100k+, from 329 launches	1 in 379 hits	$213	not computed	329	Audience	Pin Puzzle Platformer
16	Aliens2 of 72 launches earned $100k+	2 of 722 hits	under 100	under 100	72	none	Pin Aliens
17	Match 32 of 70 launches earned $100k+	2 of 702 hits	under 100	under 100	70	1-hit	Pin Match 3
18	Battle Royale1 of 35 launches earned $100k+	1 of 351 hit	under 100	under 100	35	Small	Pin Battle Royale
19	Satire1 of 34 launches earned $100k+	1 of 341 hit	under 100	under 100	34	Small	Pin Satire
20	3D Fighter3 of 99 launches earned $100k+	3 of 993 hits	under 100	under 100	99	none	Pin 3D Fighter
21	Escape Room1 of 33 launches earned $100k+	1 of 331 hit	under 100	under 100	33	Small	Pin Escape Room
22	Incremental1 in 33 earned $100k+, from 393 launches	1 in 3312 hits	$249	not computed	393	none	Pin Incremental
23	Walking Simulator1 in 32 earned $100k+, from 415 launches	1 in 3213 hits	$714	not computed	415	none	Pin Walking Simulator
24	On-Rails Shooter1 of 31 launches earned $100k+	1 of 311 hit	under 100	under 100	31	Small	Pin On-Rails Shooter
25	Twin Stick Shooter2 of 61 launches earned $100k+	2 of 612 hits	under 100	under 100	61	none	Pin Twin Stick Shooter

Show 25 moreShowing 25 of 187 genres

green beats the base ratecoral below it bar: the chance; amber tick: the base rate1-hit one game holds over half the moneySmall under 50 launches in this viewAudience reads differently for Western players

Under 30 launches or 5 hits a chance is written as a count ("3 of 12"), never as odds. Typical year is the middle launch's first-year earnings. Lenses, the one-hit share and the audience split are measured across all prices.