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 75 genres with 100+ launches at $10 to $20, 38 beat the 18 in 100 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 219 under $5, 40 in 100 at $20 to $40.38 of 75 genres beat the 18 in 100 base rate.38 beat the base rate.
Typical launch, all prices, first year $540
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 5 to 8 in 100 launches overall.
Pairs with the best chance of $100k+, above the base rateFree until launch
75 of 256 genres have 100+ launches at $10 to $20. Sorted by chance of $100k+, highest 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 | 18 in 100758 of 4,301 | $8,234 | $217,858 | 4,301 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Cozy44 in 100 earned $100k+, from 113 launches | 44 in 10050 hits | $88,250 | $726,119 | 113 | Audience | Pin Cozy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Online Co-Op35 in 100 earned $100k+, from 142 launches | 35 in 10050 hits | $34,532 | $649,488 | 142 | none | Pin Online Co-Op | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Building31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 245 launches | 31 in 10077 hits | $22,519 | $466,495 | 245 | none | Pin Building | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 245 launches at $10 to $20. That is about 1.8 times the base rate. Base rate at $10 to $20: 18 in 100 (758 of 4,301 launches earned $100k+). Typical first year $22,519; the top 1 in 10 earned at least $466,495. Lens check, all pricesChanged recently. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: moves the answer. No warning markers: no single game holds half the money, the sample is 50+ launches and the West-facing view does not move the answer.
Grey: under 30 launches or 5 hits at that price, written as a count. Odds compare best within one price. Best tag pairs inside, at $10 to $20
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| 4 | Economy31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 161 launches | 31 in 10050 hits | $32,655 | $403,798 | 161 | none | Pin Economy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Co-op31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 157 launches | 31 in 10048 hits | $19,270 | $774,181 | 157 | none | Pin Co-op | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Life Sim30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 233 launches | 30 in 10071 hits | $28,398 | $363,930 | 233 | none | Pin Life Sim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Management30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 298 launches | 30 in 10089 hits | $31,612 | $366,715 | 298 | none | Pin Management | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Sandbox30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 360 launches | 30 in 100107 hits | $22,688 | $436,654 | 360 | Audience | Pin Sandbox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Base Building30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 213 launches | 30 in 10063 hits | $26,339 | $460,726 | 213 | none | Pinned Base Building | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Open World28 in 100 earned $100k+, from 270 launches | 28 in 10075 hits | $19,479 | $411,945 | 270 | none | Pin Open World | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Resource Management26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 152 launches | 26 in 10040 hits | $23,362 | $317,390 | 152 | none | Pin Resource Management | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | City Builder26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 145 launches | 26 in 10038 hits | $18,490 | $359,391 | 145 | none | Pin City Builder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Roguelite26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 381 launches | 26 in 10098 hits | $18,216 | $420,756 | 381 | none | Pin Roguelite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Deckbuilding26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 168 launches | 26 in 10043 hits | $18,545 | $449,394 | 168 | none | Pin Deckbuilding | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Crafting25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 216 launches | 25 in 10055 hits | $20,351 | $294,097 | 216 | none | Pin Crafting | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Card Battler25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 148 launches | 25 in 10037 hits | $17,887 | $346,863 | 148 | none | Pin Card Battler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | Roguelike25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 410 launches | 25 in 100102 hits | $16,055 | $449,394 | 410 | none | Pin Roguelike | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | Action Roguelike24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 243 launches | 24 in 10059 hits | $13,214 | $396,209 | 243 | none | Pin Action Roguelike | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Tower Defense23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 124 launches | 23 in 10029 hits | $7,966 | $427,167 | 124 | none | Pin Tower Defense | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | FPS23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 219 launches | 23 in 10051 hits | $8,437 | $488,177 | 219 | none | Pin FPS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | Immersive Sim23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 312 launches | 23 in 10071 hits | $14,472 | $292,763 | 312 | none | Pin Immersive Sim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | Medieval23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 106 launches | 23 in 10024 hits | $14,322 | $344,301 | 106 | none | Pin Medieval | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | Metroidvania22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 129 launches | 22 in 10029 hits | $22,264 | $313,975 | 129 | 1-hitAudience | Pin Metroidvania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | Hack and Slash22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 180 launches | 22 in 10039 hits | $14,890 | $292,848 | 180 | Audience | Pin Hack and Slash | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | Investigation21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 107 launches | 21 in 10023 hits | $9,410 | $261,863 | 107 | none | Pin Investigation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.