Genres

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.

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192,217
on 3 Oct 2026

Genres 3 Oct

Of 255 genres with 30+ launches at any price, Without the breakout, 136 beat the 1 in 15 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 238 under $5, 44 in 100 at $20 to $40.136 of 255 genres beat the 1 in 15 base rate.136 beat the base rate.

Typical launch, all prices, first year $552

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 launches2Base Building + Multiplayer46 in 10046 launches3Online Co-Op + Roguelike45 in 10040 launches4Cozy + Farming Sim45 in 10040 launches5Crafting + 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

The Without the breakout 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: Desktop Companion, 40 in 100. 75 match.Biggest typical yearWhat the middle launch earned, highest first.Now: Open World Survival Craft, $24,935 typical. 255 match.Biggest upsideWhat the top tenth earned at least.Not computed for lenses yet.Proven at scale100+ launches and above the base rate.Now: Open World Survival Craft, 31 in 100. 99 match.Busiest marketsMost launches first: where the competition is.Now: Puzzle, 5,255 launches. 255 match.
Hide one-hit markets46 outHide small samples23 out

255 of 256 genres have 30+ launches at any price, Without the breakout. Sorted by chance of $100k+, highest first.

Asynchronous Multiplayer 4 of 40 earned $100k+ at any price, Without the breakout$10k+ not computed yet Small
Programming 1 in 13 earned $100k+, from 90 launches at any price, Without the breakout$10k+ not computed yet none
Simulation 1 in 11 earned $100k+, from 4,441 launches at any price, Without the breakouttypical $928 none
Genres at any price, Without the breakout, sorted by chance of $100k+. The first row is the base rate.
Rank#GenreChance of $100k+Typical yearTop 1 in 10LaunchesMarkersPin
All games at any price, Without the breakoutthe base rate: the row to beat 1 in 151,722 of 26,291 $552not computed 26,291
1 40 in 100 earned $100k+, from 30 launches 40 in 10012 hits under 100 under 100 30 Small Pin Desktop Companion
2 33 in 100 earned $100k+, from 70 launches 33 in 10023 hits under 100 under 100 70 1-hit Pin Shop Keeper
3 31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 109 launches 31 in 10034 hits $24,935 not computed 109 1-hit Pin Open World Survival Craft
4 23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 583 launches 23 in 100133 hits $3,582 not computed 583 none Pin Base Building
5 22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 218 launches 22 in 10047 hits $3,380 not computed 218 none Pin Colony Sim
6 21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 147 launches 21 in 10031 hits $10,634 not computed 147 Audience Pin FMV
7 21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 646 launches 21 in 100135 hits $5,204 not computed 646 none Pin Online Co-Op
8 20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 845 launches 20 in 100168 hits $2,528 not computed 845 none Pin Building
9 19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 677 launches 19 in 100129 hits $3,909 not computed 677 none Pin Co-op
10 19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 861 launches 19 in 100161 hits $2,044 not computed 861 none Pin Open World
11 18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 477 launches 18 in 10087 hits $4,361 not computed 477 none Pin Economy
12 18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 1,005 launches 18 in 100181 hits $3,980 not computed 1,005 none Pin Management
13 18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 644 launches 18 in 100115 hits $2,393 not computed 644 none Pin Crafting
14 18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 101 launches 18 in 10018 hits $4,084 not computed 101 none Pin Mechs
15 18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 73 launches 18 in 10013 hits under 100 under 100 73 none Pin Trains
16 18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 506 launches 18 in 10090 hits $1,916 not computed 506 Audience Pin City Builder
17 17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 229 launches 17 in 10040 hits $9,015 not computed 229 none Pin Roguelike Deckbuilder
18 17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 490 launches 17 in 10084 hits $2,465 not computed 490 Audience Pin Cozy
19 17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 124 launches 17 in 10021 hits $7,163 not computed 124 none Pin Trading
20 17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 1,219 launches 17 in 100205 hits $1,992 not computed 1,219 none Pin Sandbox
21 17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 30 launches 17 in 1005 hits under 100 under 100 30 Small Pin Dice
22 16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 297 launches 16 in 10049 hits $2,478 not computed 297 1-hit Pin Automation
23 16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 81 launches 16 in 10013 hits under 100 under 100 81 none Pin 4X
24 16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 561 launches 16 in 10089 hits $2,172 not computed 561 none Pin Resource Management
25 16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 367 launches 16 in 10057 hits $2,928 not computed 367 1-hitAudience Pin Metroidvania
26 15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 86 launches 15 in 10013 hits under 100 under 100 86 none Pin Job Simulator
27 15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 114 launches 15 in 10017 hits $1,390 not computed 114 none Pin Mining
28 15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 47 launches 15 in 1007 hits under 100 under 100 47 1-hitSmall Pin Farming
29 15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 350 launches 15 in 10052 hits $1,517 not computed 350 none Pin Farming Sim
30 15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 128 launches 15 in 10019 hits $8,343 not computed 128 none Pin Bullet Heaven
31 15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 204 launches 15 in 10030 hits $1,518 not computed 204 1-hitAudience Pin Crime
32 14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 77 launches 14 in 10011 hits under 100 under 100 77 none Pin World War II
33 14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 42 launches 14 in 1006 hits under 100 under 100 42 Small Pin Naval
34 14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 35 launches 14 in 1005 hits under 100 under 100 35 1-hitSmall Pin MMORPG
35 14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 893 launches 14 in 100126 hits $1,928 not computed 893 none Pin Life Sim
36 14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 142 launches 14 in 10020 hits $1,352 not computed 142 none Pin Fishing
37 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 255 launches 13 in 10034 hits $1,113 not computed 255 Audience Pin Cooking
38 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 393 launches 13 in 10052 hits $1,017 not computed 393 none Pin Driving
39 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 189 launches 13 in 10025 hits $1,552 not computed 189 none Pin Inventory Management
40 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 144 launches 13 in 10019 hits $1,007 not computed 144 none Pin Music
41 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 152 launches 13 in 10020 hits $3,440 not computed 152 none Pin Lovecraftian
42 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 482 launches 13 in 10063 hits $1,339 not computed 482 Audience Pin Cinematic
43 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 93 launches 13 in 10012 hits under 100 under 100 93 Audience Pin Gun Customization
44 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 247 launches 13 in 10031 hits $2,601 not computed 247 1-hit Pin Capitalism
45 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 80 launches 13 in 10010 hits under 100 under 100 80 none Pin Fighting
46 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 64 launches 13 in 1008 hits under 100 under 100 64 none Pin Massively Multiplayer
47 4 of 32 launches earned $100k+ 4 of 324 hits under 100 under 100 32 1-hitSmall Pin Diplomacy
48 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 202 launches 12 in 10025 hits $2,276 not computed 202 1-hit Pin Grand Strategy
49 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 388 launches 12 in 10048 hits $920 not computed 388 none Pin Souls-like
50 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 74 launches 12 in 1009 hits under 100 under 100 74 1-hit Pin Co-op Campaign
51 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 173 launches 12 in 10021 hits $1,114 not computed 173 Audience Pin Dystopian
52 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 91 launches 12 in 10011 hits under 100 under 100 91 none Pin Transportation
53 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 352 launches 12 in 10042 hits $724 not computed 352 1-hit Pin Stealth
54 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 433 launches 12 in 10051 hits $945 not computed 433 none Pin Tactical
55 4 of 34 launches earned $100k+ 4 of 344 hits under 100 under 100 34 1-hitSmall Pin Social Deduction
56 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 60 launches 12 in 1007 hits under 100 under 100 60 none Pin Tanks
57 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 86 launches 12 in 10010 hits under 100 under 100 86 none Pin Pirates
58 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 576 launches 11 in 10065 hits $2,232 not computed 576 none Pin Deckbuilding
59 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 851 launches 11 in 10095 hits $931 not computed 851 none Pin Character Customization
60 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 45 launches 11 in 1005 hits under 100 under 100 45 Small Pin Animals
61 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 299 launches 11 in 10033 hits $1,516 not computed 299 none Pin War
62 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 299 launches 11 in 10033 hits $1,738 not computed 299 none Pin Wholesome
63 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 472 launches 11 in 10052 hits $953 not computed 472 none Pin Post-apocalyptic
64 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 576 launches 11 in 10063 hits $1,138 not computed 576 1-hit Pin Dark Fantasy
65 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 449 launches 11 in 10049 hits $1,259 not computed 449 none Pin Investigation
66 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 148 launches 11 in 10016 hits $1,239 not computed 148 1-hit Pin Martial Arts
67 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 291 launches 11 in 10031 hits $892 not computed 291 none Pin Automobile Sim
68 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 188 launches 11 in 10020 hits $953 not computed 188 1-hit Pin Mythology
69 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 831 launches 11 in 10088 hits $857 not computed 831 Audience Pin Hack and Slash
70 10 in 100 earned $100k+, from 1,017 launches 10 in 100104 hits $1,095 not computed 1,017 none Pin Survival
71 10 in 100 earned $100k+, from 108 launches 10 in 10011 hits $1,150 not computed 108 none Pin Vehicular Combat
72 10 in 100 earned $100k+, from 1,378 launches 10 in 100139 hits $1,380 not computed 1,378 none Pin Immersive Sim
73 10 in 100 earned $100k+, from 278 launches 10 in 10028 hits $795 not computed 278 1-hit Pin Military
74 4 of 40 launches earned $100k+ 4 of 404 hits under 100 under 100 40 Small Pinned Asynchronous Multiplayer
75 1 in 10 earned $100k+, from 628 launches 1 in 1062 hits $2,442 not computed 628 Audience Pin Dating Sim
Show 25 moreShowing 75 of 255 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.

Releases

Ticker: 30 upcoming games dated within 90 days, with wishlist rank, release date and followers. The same list is on the Upcoming page.