Best niches
$10 to $20Pairs with the best chance of $100k+, above the base rateFree until launch
Ticker: price and year-over-year change for 40 genres. Price is the median estimated first-year revenue of indie paid launches. The change shows for genres with 100+ launches. The same figures are on the Genres page.
Genres 3 Oct
Of 156 genres with 30+ launches at $10 to $20, 83 beat the 20 in 100 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 238 under $5, 44 in 100 at $20 to $40.83 of 156 genres beat the 20 in 100 base rate.83 beat the base rate.
Typical launch, all prices, first year $552
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.
Pairs with the best chance of $100k+, above the base rateFree until launch
156 of 256 genres have 30+ launches at $10 to $20. Sorted by chance of $100k+, lowest first.
| Rank# | Genre | Chance of $100k+ | Typical year | Top 1 in 10 | Launches | Markers | Pin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All games at $10 to $20the base rate: the row to beat | 20 in 100878 of 4,304 | $10,978 | $287,297 | 4,304 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 4 Player Local2 of 49 launches earned $100k+ | 2 of 492 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 49 | Small | Pin 4 Player Local | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | VR1 in 22 earned $100k+, from 195 launches | 1 in 229 hits | $3,534 | $44,858 | 195 | none | Pin VR | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Mystery Dungeon2 of 38 launches earned $100k+ | 2 of 382 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 38 | Small | Pin Mystery Dungeon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Puzzle Platformer1 in 15 earned $100k+, from 131 launches | 1 in 159 hits | $5,769 | $68,186 | 131 | Audience | Pin Puzzle Platformer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Hidden Object1 in 14 earned $100k+, from 172 launches | 1 in 1412 hits | $2,044 | $55,036 | 172 | none | Pin Hidden Object | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Dialogue Heavy3 of 42 launches earned $100k+ | 3 of 423 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 42 | Small | Pin Dialogue Heavy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Grand Strategy4 of 52 launches earned $100k+ | 4 of 524 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 52 | 1-hit | Pin Grand Strategy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Text-Based1 in 12 earned $100k+, from 97 launches | 1 in 128 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 97 | none | Pin Text-Based | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Party-Based RPG1 in 11 earned $100k+, from 127 launches | 1 in 1112 hits | $7,868 | $96,195 | 127 | none | Pinned Party-Based RPG | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Space Sim4 of 42 launches earned $100k+ | 4 of 424 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 42 | Small | Pin Space Sim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Sports1 in 10 earned $100k+, from 152 launches | 1 in 1015 hits | $5,860 | $96,739 | 152 | none | Pin Sports | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | 3D Platformer10 in 100 earned $100k+, from 180 launches | 10 in 10018 hits | $3,562 | $113,352 | 180 | none | Pinned 3D Platformer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Incremental4 of 38 launches earned $100k+ | 4 of 384 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 38 | Small | Pin Incremental | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 of 38 launches earned $100k+ at $10 to $20. Base rate at $10 to $20: 20 in 100 (878 of 4,304 launches earned $100k+). Odds by size: $1k+ 66 in 100 · $10k+ 29 in 100 · $100k+ 4 of 38 launches. Under 100 launches, so no typical figure. Lens check, all pricesHolds in 3 of 3. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: holds.
Grey: under 30 launches or 5 hits at that price, written as a count. Typical needs 100 launches. Odds compare best within one price. Best tag pairs inside, at $10 to $20No pair inside has 30+ launches and a hit in this view. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | CRPG11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 56 launches | 11 in 1006 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 56 | Audience | Pin CRPG | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Aliens4 of 37 launches earned $100k+ | 4 of 374 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 37 | Small | Pin Aliens | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Grid-Based Movement4 of 37 launches earned $100k+ | 4 of 374 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 37 | Small | Pin Grid-Based Movement | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | Score Attack11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 44 launches | 11 in 1005 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 44 | Small | Pin Score Attack | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | Arcade12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 346 launches | 12 in 10040 hits | $4,391 | $134,893 | 346 | none | Pin Arcade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | 3D Fighter12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 43 launches | 12 in 1005 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 43 | Small | Pin 3D Fighter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | Action RTS12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 43 launches | 12 in 1005 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 43 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Action RTS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | Match 34 of 34 launches earned $100k+ | 4 of 344 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 34 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Match 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | Magic12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 127 launches | 12 in 10015 hits | $5,689 | $132,616 | 127 | none | Pin Magic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | Thriller12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 50 launches | 12 in 1006 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 50 | none | Pin Thriller | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | Logic12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 97 launches | 12 in 10012 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 97 | Audience | Pin Logic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | JRPG13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 171 launches | 13 in 10022 hits | $5,365 | $125,051 | 171 | 1-hit | Pin JRPG | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
Ticker: 30 upcoming games dated within 90 days, with wishlist rank, release date and followers. The same list is on the Upcoming page.