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 187 genres with 30+ launches at any price, Last 18 months, 117 beat the 1 in 15 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 238 under $5, 44 in 100 at $20 to $40.117 of 187 genres beat the 1 in 15 base rate.117 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 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 outHide small samples35 out

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

programmingNot in this view: under 30 launches at any price, Last 18 months.
hackingNot in this view: under 30 launches at any price, Last 18 months.
Bullet Hell 1 in 21 earned $100k+, from 377 launches at any price, Last 18 monthstypical $536. 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#GenreChance of $100k+Typical yearTop 1 in 10LaunchesMarkersPin
All games at any price, Last 18 monthsthe base rate: the row to beat 1 in 151,722 of 26,291 $552not computed 26,291
1 39 in 100 earned $100k+, from 33 launches 39 in 10013 hits under 100 under 100 33 1-hitSmall Pin Shop Keeper
2 33 in 100 earned $100k+, from 30 launches 33 in 10010 hits under 100 under 100 30 1-hitSmall Pin Open World Survival Craft
3 27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 60 launches 27 in 10016 hits under 100 under 100 60 Audience Pin FMV
4 25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 157 launches 25 in 10040 hits $6,067 not computed 157 none Pin Base Building
5 23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 31 launches 23 in 1007 hits under 100 under 100 31 Small Pin Mechs
6 22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 36 launches 22 in 1008 hits under 100 under 100 36 Small Pin Music
7 22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 242 launches 22 in 10053 hits $5,056 not computed 242 none Pin Building
8 21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 194 launches 21 in 10041 hits $3,132 not computed 194 Audience Pin Cozy
9 21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 62 launches 21 in 10013 hits under 100 under 100 62 none Pin Colony Sim
10 21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 34 launches 21 in 1007 hits under 100 under 100 34 Small Pin Vehicular Combat
11 21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 180 launches 21 in 10037 hits $6,168 not computed 180 none Pin Online Co-Op
12 20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 205 launches 20 in 10042 hits $4,570 not computed 205 none Pin Co-op
13 20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 128 launches 20 in 10026 hits $4,213 not computed 128 Audience Pin City Builder
14 20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 51 launches 20 in 10010 hits under 100 under 100 51 none Pin Trading
15 18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 222 launches 18 in 10041 hits $2,528 not computed 222 none Pin Open World
16 18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 33 launches 18 in 1006 hits under 100 under 100 33 Small Pin Lovecraftian
17 18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 50 launches 18 in 1009 hits under 100 under 100 50 none Pin Fishing
18 18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 201 launches 18 in 10036 hits $4,361 not computed 201 none Pin Economy
19 17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 197 launches 17 in 10034 hits $3,090 not computed 197 none Pin Resource Management
20 17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 201 launches 17 in 10034 hits $2,682 not computed 201 none Pin Crafting
21 17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 386 launches 17 in 10065 hits $2,439 not computed 386 none Pin Sandbox
22 17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 144 launches 17 in 10024 hits $1,327 not computed 144 Audience Pin Cinematic
23 17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 30 launches 17 in 1005 hits under 100 under 100 30 1-hitSmall Pin Co-op Campaign
24 16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 363 launches 16 in 10058 hits $4,700 not computed 363 none Pin Management
25 16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 292 launches 16 in 10046 hits $2,054 not computed 292 none Pin Life Sim
26 16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 32 launches 16 in 1005 hits under 100 under 100 32 Small Pin Destruction
27 16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 77 launches 16 in 10012 hits under 100 under 100 77 1-hit Pin Military
28 15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 72 launches 15 in 10011 hits under 100 under 100 72 none Pin Inventory Management
29 15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 101 launches 15 in 10015 hits $2,054 not computed 101 1-hit Pin Automation
30 15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 88 launches 15 in 10013 hits under 100 under 100 88 none Pin War
31 15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 41 launches 15 in 1006 hits under 100 under 100 41 Small Pin Job Simulator
32 15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 110 launches 15 in 10016 hits $1,769 not computed 110 none Pin Farming Sim
33 14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 112 launches 14 in 10016 hits $2,318 not computed 112 none Pin Investigation
34 14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 42 launches 14 in 1006 hits under 100 under 100 42 Small Pin Noir
35 14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 106 launches 14 in 10015 hits $1,150 not computed 106 none Pin Dark Humor
36 14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 93 launches 14 in 10013 hits under 100 under 100 93 1-hit Pin Capitalism
37 14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 37 launches 14 in 1005 hits under 100 under 100 37 Small Pin Parody
38 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 52 launches 13 in 1007 hits under 100 under 100 52 none Pin Mining
39 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 82 launches 13 in 10011 hits under 100 under 100 82 none Pin Roguelike Deckbuilder
40 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 97 launches 13 in 10013 hits under 100 under 100 97 none Pin Wholesome
41 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 112 launches 13 in 10015 hits $893 not computed 112 none Pin Tactical
42 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 47 launches 13 in 1006 hits under 100 under 100 47 1-hitSmall Pin Mythology
43 13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 56 launches 13 in 1007 hits under 100 under 100 56 none Pin Robots
44 4 of 32 launches earned $100k+ 4 of 324 hits under 100 under 100 32 Small Pin Agriculture
45 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 243 launches 12 in 10030 hits $982 not computed 243 none Pin Character Customization
46 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 106 launches 12 in 10013 hits $3,065 not computed 106 1-hitAudience Pin Metroidvania
47 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 148 launches 12 in 10018 hits $1,032 not computed 148 none Pin RTS
48 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 175 launches 12 in 10021 hits $632 not computed 175 none Pin Medieval
49 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 50 launches 12 in 1006 hits under 100 under 100 50 none Pin Bullet Heaven
50 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 84 launches 12 in 10010 hits under 100 under 100 84 Audience Pin Cooking
51 12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 95 launches 12 in 10011 hits under 100 under 100 95 none Pin Souls-like
52 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 90 launches 11 in 10010 hits under 100 under 100 90 Audience Pin Beat 'em up
53 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 136 launches 11 in 10015 hits $758 not computed 136 none Pin Post-apocalyptic
54 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 155 launches 11 in 10017 hits $1,053 not computed 155 1-hit Pin Dark Fantasy
55 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 119 launches 11 in 10013 hits $1,429 not computed 119 none Pin Auto Battler
56 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 46 launches 11 in 1005 hits under 100 under 100 46 1-hitSmall Pin eSports
57 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 166 launches 11 in 10018 hits $2,359 not computed 166 Audience Pin Dating Sim
58 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 222 launches 11 in 10024 hits $857 not computed 222 Audience Pin Hack and Slash
59 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 433 launches 11 in 10046 hits $1,380 not computed 433 none Pin Immersive Sim
60 11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 379 launches 11 in 10040 hits $625 not computed 379 none Pin FPS
61 10 in 100 earned $100k+, from 48 launches 10 in 1005 hits under 100 under 100 48 Small Pin Combat Racing
62 10 in 100 earned $100k+, from 244 launches 10 in 10025 hits $1,250 not computed 244 none Pin Dungeon Crawler
63 10 in 100 earned $100k+, from 79 launches 10 in 1008 hits under 100 under 100 79 none Pin Cyberpunk
64 10 in 100 earned $100k+, from 60 launches 10 in 1006 hits under 100 under 100 60 1-hitAudience Pin Crime
65 4 of 40 launches earned $100k+ 4 of 404 hits under 100 under 100 40 1-hitSmall Pin Team-Based
66 3 of 30 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 303 hits under 100 under 100 30 Small Pin Science
67 1 in 10 earned $100k+, from 161 launches 1 in 1016 hits $1,348 not computed 161 1-hit Pin Creature Collector
68 1 in 10 earned $100k+, from 112 launches 1 in 1011 hits $843 not computed 112 none Pin Driving
69 1 in 10 earned $100k+, from 102 launches 1 in 1010 hits $625 not computed 102 1-hit Pin Stealth
70 1 in 10 earned $100k+, from 164 launches 1 in 1016 hits $442 not computed 164 none Pin Nature
71 1 in 10 earned $100k+, from 1,386 launches 1 in 10133 hits $1,011 not computed 1,386 none Pin Simulation
72 1 in 10 earned $100k+, from 199 launches 1 in 1019 hits $1,916 not computed 199 none Pin Deckbuilding
73 1 in 11 earned $100k+, from 611 launches 1 in 1158 hits $1,177 not computed 611 none Pin Roguelite
74 1 in 11 earned $100k+, from 169 launches 1 in 1116 hits $1,759 not computed 169 none Pin Card Battler
75 1 in 11 earned $100k+, from 53 launches 1 in 115 hits under 100 under 100 53 1-hit Pin Action RTS
Show 25 moreShowing 75 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.

Releases

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