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 156 genres with 30+ launches at $10 to $20, 77 beat the 18 in 100 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 219 under $5, 40 in 100 at $20 to $40.77 of 156 genres beat the 18 in 100 base rate.77 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
156 of 256 genres have 30+ launches at $10 to $20. 77 match the search and chips. 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 | Shop Keeper49 in 100 earned $100k+, from 37 launches | 49 in 10018 hits | $92,344 | $655,133 | 37 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Shop Keeper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | FMV48 in 100 earned $100k+, from 40 launches | 48 in 10019 hits | $74,499 | $368,587 | 40 | SmallAudience | Pin FMV | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Cozy44 in 100 earned $100k+, from 113 launches | 44 in 10050 hits | $88,250 | $726,119 | 113 | Audience | Pin Cozy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Online Co-Op35 in 100 earned $100k+, from 142 launches | 35 in 10050 hits | $34,532 | $649,488 | 142 | none | Pin Online Co-Op | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Cooking35 in 100 earned $100k+, from 57 launches | 35 in 10020 hits | $39,498 | $682,937 | 57 | Audience | Pin Cooking | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Music34 in 100 earned $100k+, from 35 launches | 34 in 10012 hits | $32,017 | $573,348 | 35 | Small | Pin Music | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Inventory Management33 in 100 earned $100k+, from 51 launches | 33 in 10017 hits | $21,885 | $740,563 | 51 | none | Pin Inventory Management | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Automation33 in 100 earned $100k+, from 83 launches | 33 in 10027 hits | $33,396 | $456,445 | 83 | 1-hit | Pinned Automation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Lovecraftian32 in 100 earned $100k+, from 41 launches | 32 in 10013 hits | $22,478 | $261,863 | 41 | Small | Pin Lovecraftian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 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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| 11 | Economy31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 161 launches | 31 in 10050 hits | $32,655 | $403,798 | 161 | none | Pin Economy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Roguelike Deckbuilder31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 94 launches | 31 in 10029 hits | $35,955 | $687,081 | 94 | Audience | Pin Roguelike Deckbuilder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Co-op31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 157 launches | 31 in 10048 hits | $19,270 | $774,181 | 157 | none | Pin Co-op | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Life Sim30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 233 launches | 30 in 10071 hits | $28,398 | $363,930 | 233 | none | Pin Life Sim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Management30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 298 launches | 30 in 10089 hits | $31,612 | $366,715 | 298 | none | Pin Management | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Crime30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 47 launches | 30 in 10014 hits | $10,039 | $1,509,973 | 47 | 1-hitSmallAudience | Pin Crime | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | Sandbox30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 360 launches | 30 in 100107 hits | $22,688 | $436,654 | 360 | Audience | Pin Sandbox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | Base Building30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 213 launches | 30 in 10063 hits | $26,339 | $460,726 | 213 | none | Pin Base Building | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Boomer Shooter29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 38 launches | 29 in 10011 hits | $23,359 | $949,501 | 38 | Small | Pin Boomer Shooter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | Martial Arts29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 38 launches | 29 in 10011 hits | $32,840 | $371,751 | 38 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Martial Arts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | Open World Survival Craft29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 59 launches | 29 in 10017 hits | $36,777 | $663,590 | 59 | 1-hit | Pin Open World Survival Craft | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | Driving29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 87 launches | 29 in 10025 hits | $14,174 | $345,792 | 87 | none | Pin Driving | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | Dark Humor29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 70 launches | 29 in 10020 hits | $15,987 | $371,283 | 70 | none | Pin Dark Humor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | Mythology29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 42 launches | 29 in 10012 hits | $19,142 | $432,096 | 42 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Mythology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | Cinematic28 in 100 earned $100k+, from 88 launches | 28 in 10025 hits | $20,773 | $362,051 | 88 | Audience | Pin Cinematic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.