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

City Builder + Managementabout 2.0 times expected at its prices, could be luck35 in 100

1City Builder + Management35 in 100120 launches 2Base Building + City Builder34 in 100131 launches 3Base Building + Crafting33 in 100141 launches 4Base Building + Management33 in 100123 launches 5City Builder + Colony Sim32 in 100116 launches

Lens checkOne-hit market +1. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: moves the answer. Without the breakout: moves the answer. 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 100+

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

Hides anything measured on fewer launches.

$10 to $20 Last 18 months 100+ 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.Loads the 30+ launches view.Biggest typical yearWhat the middle launch earned, highest first.Loads the 30+ launches view.Biggest upsideWhat the top tenth earned at least.Loads the 30+ launches view.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.Loads the 30+ launches view.

Hide one-hit markets8 out Hide small samples0 out

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

asynchronous-multiplayerNot in this view: under 100 launches at any price, Last 18 months.

Simulation 1 in 10 earned $100k+, from 1,386 launches at any price, Last 18 monthstypical $1,011. Best of the pins none

Hidden Object 1 in 52 earned $100k+, from 464 launches at any price, Last 18 monthstypical $463 none

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	Base Building25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 157 launches	25 in 10040 hits	$6,067	not computed	157	none	Pin Base Building
2	Building22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 242 launches	22 in 10053 hits	$5,056	not computed	242	none	Pin Building
3	Cozy21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 194 launches	21 in 10041 hits	$3,132	not computed	194	Audience	Pin Cozy
4	Online Co-Op21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 180 launches	21 in 10037 hits	$6,168	not computed	180	none	Pin Online Co-Op
5	Co-op20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 205 launches	20 in 10042 hits	$4,570	not computed	205	none	Pin Co-op
6	City Builder20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 128 launches	20 in 10026 hits	$4,213	not computed	128	Audience	Pin City Builder
7	Open World18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 222 launches	18 in 10041 hits	$2,528	not computed	222	none	Pin Open World
8	Economy18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 201 launches	18 in 10036 hits	$4,361	not computed	201	none	Pin Economy
9	Resource Management17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 197 launches	17 in 10034 hits	$3,090	not computed	197	none	Pin Resource Management
10	Crafting17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 201 launches	17 in 10034 hits	$2,682	not computed	201	none	Pin Crafting
11	Sandbox17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 386 launches	17 in 10065 hits	$2,439	not computed	386	none	Pin Sandbox
12	Cinematic17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 144 launches	17 in 10024 hits	$1,327	not computed	144	Audience	Pin Cinematic
13	Management16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 363 launches	16 in 10058 hits	$4,700	not computed	363	none	Pin Management
14	Life Sim16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 292 launches	16 in 10046 hits	$2,054	not computed	292	none	Pin Life Sim
15	Automation15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 101 launches	15 in 10015 hits	$2,054	not computed	101	1-hit	Pin Automation
16	Farming Sim15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 110 launches	15 in 10016 hits	$1,769	not computed	110	none	Pin Farming Sim
17	Investigation14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 112 launches	14 in 10016 hits	$2,318	not computed	112	none	Pin Investigation
18	Dark Humor14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 106 launches	14 in 10015 hits	$1,150	not computed	106	none	Pin Dark Humor
19	Tactical13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 112 launches	13 in 10015 hits	$893	not computed	112	none	Pin Tactical
20	Character Customization12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 243 launches	12 in 10030 hits	$982	not computed	243	none	Pin Character Customization
21	Metroidvania12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 106 launches	12 in 10013 hits	$3,065	not computed	106	1-hitAudience	Pin Metroidvania
22	RTS12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 148 launches	12 in 10018 hits	$1,032	not computed	148	none	Pin RTS
23	Medieval12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 175 launches	12 in 10021 hits	$632	not computed	175	none	Pin Medieval
24	Post-apocalyptic11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 136 launches	11 in 10015 hits	$758	not computed	136	none	Pin Post-apocalyptic
25	Dark Fantasy11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 155 launches	11 in 10017 hits	$1,053	not computed	155	1-hit	Pin Dark Fantasy

Show 25 moreShowing 25 of 106 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.