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 76 genres with 100+ launches at $10 to $20, 40 beat the 20 in 100 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 238 under $5, 44 in 100 at $20 to $40.40 of 76 genres beat the 20 in 100 base rate.40 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
76 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 | 20 in 100878 of 4,304 | $10,978 | $287,297 | 4,304 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Cozy51 in 100 earned $100k+, from 112 launches | 51 in 10057 hits | $117,666 | $968,158 | 112 | Audience | Pin Cozy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Online Co-Op39 in 100 earned $100k+, from 142 launches | 39 in 10056 hits | $46,042 | $865,984 | 142 | none | Pin Online Co-Op | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Building35 in 100 earned $100k+, from 245 launches | 35 in 10085 hits | $30,025 | $621,994 | 245 | none | Pin Building | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Co-op34 in 100 earned $100k+, from 157 launches | 34 in 10054 hits | $25,693 | $1,032,241 | 157 | none | Pin Co-op | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Life Sim34 in 100 earned $100k+, from 232 launches | 34 in 10079 hits | $37,945 | $485,241 | 232 | none | Pin Life Sim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Management34 in 100 earned $100k+, from 297 launches | 34 in 100100 hits | $41,499 | $488,953 | 297 | none | Pin Management | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Economy34 in 100 earned $100k+, from 161 launches | 34 in 10054 hits | $43,540 | $538,397 | 161 | none | Pin Economy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Base Building33 in 100 earned $100k+, from 213 launches | 33 in 10071 hits | $35,118 | $614,301 | 213 | none | Pin Base Building | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Sandbox33 in 100 earned $100k+, from 360 launches | 33 in 100118 hits | $30,251 | $582,205 | 360 | none | Pin Sandbox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Resource Management32 in 100 earned $100k+, from 152 launches | 32 in 10049 hits | $31,149 | $423,187 | 152 | none | Pin Resource Management | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Tower Defense31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 124 launches | 31 in 10038 hits | $10,626 | $569,556 | 124 | none | Pin Tower Defense | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | City Builder30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 145 launches | 30 in 10043 hits | $24,654 | $479,187 | 145 | Audience | Pin City Builder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Open World30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 270 launches | 30 in 10080 hits | $25,972 | $549,260 | 270 | none | Pin Open World | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Roguelite29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 381 launches | 29 in 100112 hits | $24,288 | $561,008 | 381 | none | Pin Roguelite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 381 launches at $10 to $20. That is about 1.4 times the base rate. Base rate at $10 to $20: 20 in 100 (878 of 4,304 launches earned $100k+). Typical first year $24,288; the top 1 in 10 earned at least $561,008. 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. 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. Typical needs 100 launches. Odds compare best within one price. Best tag pairs inside, at $10 to $20
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| 15 | Deckbuilding29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 168 launches | 29 in 10048 hits | $24,727 | $599,192 | 168 | none | Pin Deckbuilding | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Crafting28 in 100 earned $100k+, from 216 launches | 28 in 10061 hits | $27,134 | $392,129 | 216 | none | Pin Crafting | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | Roguelike28 in 100 earned $100k+, from 410 launches | 28 in 100113 hits | $21,406 | $599,192 | 410 | none | Pinned Roguelike | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | Metroidvania27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 129 launches | 27 in 10035 hits | $29,685 | $418,633 | 129 | 1-hitAudience | Pin Metroidvania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Action Roguelike27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 244 launches | 27 in 10066 hits | $17,627 | $528,278 | 244 | none | Pin Action Roguelike | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | Card Battler27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 147 launches | 27 in 10039 hits | $23,752 | $459,301 | 147 | none | Pin Card Battler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | Psychological Horror26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 205 launches | 26 in 10054 hits | $21,183 | $422,417 | 205 | none | Pin Psychological Horror | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | Medieval26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 107 launches | 26 in 10028 hits | $19,088 | $459,068 | 107 | none | Pin Medieval | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | Immersive Sim26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 312 launches | 26 in 10080 hits | $19,296 | $390,351 | 312 | none | Pin Immersive Sim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | Hack and Slash25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 182 launches | 25 in 10046 hits | $19,586 | $303,158 | 182 | Audience | Pin Hack and Slash | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | Investigation25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 107 launches | 25 in 10027 hits | $12,547 | $349,150 | 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.