Best niches
$10 to $20Pairs with the best chance of $100k+, above the base rateFree until launch
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 |
| 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 | Pinned 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 | Pin 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 |
| 26 | Psychological Horror21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 205 launches | 21 in 10044 hits | $15,887 | $316,813 | 205 | none | Pin Psychological Horror |
| 27 | Survival21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 206 launches | 21 in 10044 hits | $18,573 | $241,867 | 206 | none | Pin Survival |
| 28 | Simulation21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 876 launches | 21 in 100183 hits | $11,548 | $289,238 | 876 | none | Pin Simulation |
| 29 | Detective21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 106 launches | 21 in 10022 hits | $9,645 | $206,730 | 106 | Audience | Pin Detective |
| 30 | Character Customization20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 191 launches | 20 in 10038 hits | $13,176 | $257,678 | 191 | Audience | Pin Character Customization |
| 31 | Racing20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 112 launches | 20 in 10022 hits | $4,470 | $192,570 | 112 | none | Pin Racing |
| 32 | Dungeon Crawler20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 204 launches | 20 in 10040 hits | $12,625 | $254,066 | 204 | none | Pin Dungeon Crawler |
| 33 | Tactical19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 113 launches | 19 in 10022 hits | $19,270 | $244,943 | 113 | none | Pin Tactical |
| 34 | Action RPG19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 281 launches | 19 in 10054 hits | $7,717 | $227,369 | 281 | Audience | Pin Action RPG |
| 35 | Horror19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 345 launches | 19 in 10066 hits | $9,724 | $232,139 | 345 | none | Pin Horror |
| 36 | Card Game19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 201 launches | 19 in 10038 hits | $13,501 | $270,510 | 201 | none | Pin Card Game |
| 37 | Shooter19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 363 launches | 19 in 10068 hits | $7,216 | $247,645 | 363 | none | Pin Shooter |
| 38 | Space19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 107 launches | 19 in 10020 hits | $7,527 | $189,234 | 107 | none | Pin Space |
| 39 | RPG18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 786 launches | 18 in 100138 hits | $8,454 | $227,369 | 786 | none | Pin RPG |
| 40 | Third-Person Shooter17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 103 launches | 17 in 10018 hits | $3,038 | $372,953 | 103 | none | Pin Third-Person Shooter |
| 41 | Bullet Hell17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 126 launches | 17 in 10022 hits | $7,849 | $348,843 | 126 | Audience | Pin Bullet Hell |
| 42 | Dating Sim17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 186 launches | 17 in 10032 hits | $6,550 | $214,822 | 186 | Audience | Pin Dating Sim |
| 43 | Dark Fantasy17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 143 launches | 17 in 10024 hits | $11,334 | $250,680 | 143 | 1-hit | Pin Dark Fantasy |
| 44 | Time Management17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 144 launches | 17 in 10024 hits | $7,135 | $228,888 | 144 | Audience | Pin Time Management |
| 45 | 1990's17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 109 launches | 17 in 10018 hits | $8,729 | $157,741 | 109 | none | Pin 1990's |
| 46 | Turn-Based Combat16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 185 launches | 16 in 10030 hits | $8,618 | $219,854 | 185 | none | Pin Turn-Based Combat |
| 47 | RTS16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 111 launches | 16 in 10018 hits | $10,586 | $198,417 | 111 | none | Pin RTS |
| 48 | Strategy16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 844 launches | 16 in 100135 hits | $7,843 | $182,742 | 844 | none | Pin Strategy |
| 49 | Turn-Based Strategy16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 275 launches | 16 in 10043 hits | $8,331 | $202,699 | 275 | none | Pin Turn-Based Strategy |
| 50 | Platformer15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 310 launches | 15 in 10048 hits | $7,756 | $252,165 | 310 | 1-hitAudience | Pin Platformer |
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.