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

$10 to $20

Pairs with the best chance of $100k+, above the base rateFree until launch

Building + Life Simabout 3.1 times the 20 in 100 base rate63 in 100

1Building + Life Sim63 in 10030 launches 2Casual + Cozy60 in 10050 launches 3Cozy + Relaxing59 in 10054 launches 4Cozy + Simulation56 in 10036 launches 5Cinematic + Story Rich55 in 10031 launches

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Best nichesFree until launchClick to unlockTag pairs that beat the odds

The genre list

Price $10 to $20

All prices1 in 15 hit $100k+Under $51 in 238 hit $100k+$5 to $101 in 28 hit $100k+$10 to $2020 in 100 hit $100k+$20 to $4044 in 100 hit $100k+

Base rate: indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, 26,291 launches. Odds compare best within one price.

Lens Standard

Standard West-facing view Without the breakout Last 18 months

All indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old. Lenses are computed across all prices only so far, so a lens reads All prices.

Sample 30+

10+ launchesshow small samples 30+ launches 100+ launchesonly big markets

Hides anything measured on fewer launches.

$10 to $20 30+ launches

Best odds at my priceChance of $100k+, read within one price band.Now: Shop Keeper, 57 in 100. 156 match.Steady marketsHolds in every lens and no single game owns it.Now: Online Co-Op, 39 in 100. 68 match.Biggest typical yearWhat the middle launch earned, highest first.Now: Cozy, $117,666 typical. 156 match.Biggest upsideWhat the top tenth earned at least.Now: Co-op, $1M top 1 in 10. 118 match.Proven at scale100+ launches and above the base rate.Now: Cozy, 51 in 100. 40 match.Busiest marketsMost launches first: where the competition is.Now: Simulation, 874 launches. 156 match.

Hide one-hit markets12 out Hide small samples+38 if off

156 of 256 genres have 30+ launches at $10 to $20. 118 match the search and chips. Sorted by chance of $100k+, highest first.

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Genres at $10 to $20, sorted by chance of $100k+. The first row is the base rate.
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	Cooking44 in 100 earned $100k+, from 57 launches	44 in 10025 hits	under 100	under 100	57	Audience	Pin Cooking
3	Online Co-Op39 in 100 earned $100k+, from 142 launches	39 in 10056 hits	$46,042	$865,984	142	none	Pin Online Co-Op
4	Automation39 in 100 earned $100k+, from 83 launches	39 in 10032 hits	under 100	under 100	83	1-hit	Pin Automation
5	Inventory Management35 in 100 earned $100k+, from 51 launches	35 in 10018 hits	under 100	under 100	51	none	Pin Inventory Management
6	Roguelike Deckbuilder35 in 100 earned $100k+, from 94 launches	35 in 10033 hits	under 100	under 100	94	none	Pin Roguelike Deckbuilder
7	Building35 in 100 earned $100k+, from 245 launches	35 in 10085 hits	$30,025	$621,994	245	none	Pin Building
8	Co-op34 in 100 earned $100k+, from 157 launches	34 in 10054 hits	$25,693	$1,032,241	157	none	Pin Co-op
9	Life Sim34 in 100 earned $100k+, from 232 launches	34 in 10079 hits	$37,945	$485,241	232	none	Pin Life Sim
10	Management34 in 100 earned $100k+, from 297 launches	34 in 100100 hits	$41,499	$488,953	297	none	Pin Management
11	Economy34 in 100 earned $100k+, from 161 launches	34 in 10054 hits	$43,540	$538,397	161	none	Pin Economy
12	Base Building33 in 100 earned $100k+, from 213 launches	33 in 10071 hits	$35,118	$614,301	213	none	Pin Base Building
13	Cinematic33 in 100 earned $100k+, from 87 launches	33 in 10029 hits	under 100	under 100	87	Audience	Pin Cinematic
14	Sandbox33 in 100 earned $100k+, from 360 launches	33 in 100118 hits	$30,251	$582,205	360	none	Pin Sandbox
15	Resource Management32 in 100 earned $100k+, from 152 launches	32 in 10049 hits	$31,149	$423,187	152	none	Pin Resource Management
16	Driving31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 87 launches	31 in 10027 hits	under 100	under 100	87	none	Pin Driving
17	Tower Defense31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 124 launches	31 in 10038 hits	$10,626	$569,556	124	none	Pin Tower Defense
18	Open World Survival Craft31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 59 launches	31 in 10018 hits	under 100	under 100	59	1-hit	Pin Open World Survival Craft
19	Dark Humor30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 70 launches	30 in 10021 hits	under 100	under 100	70	none	Pin Dark Humor
20	Wholesome30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 60 launches	30 in 10018 hits	under 100	under 100	60	none	Pin Wholesome
21	Capitalism30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 74 launches	30 in 10022 hits	under 100	under 100	74	1-hit	Pin Capitalism
22	City Builder30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 145 launches	30 in 10043 hits	$24,654	$479,187	145	Audience	Pin City Builder
23	Open World30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 270 launches	30 in 10080 hits	$25,972	$549,260	270	none	Pin Open World
24	Roguelite29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 381 launches	29 in 100112 hits	$24,288	$561,008	381	none	Pin Roguelite
25	Creature Collector29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 79 launches	29 in 10023 hits	under 100	under 100	79	1-hit	Pin Creature Collector
26	Stealth29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 55 launches	29 in 10016 hits	under 100	under 100	55	1-hit	Pin Stealth
27	Deckbuilding29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 168 launches	29 in 10048 hits	$24,727	$599,192	168	none	Pin Deckbuilding
28	Crafting28 in 100 earned $100k+, from 216 launches	28 in 10061 hits	$27,134	$392,129	216	none	Pin Crafting
29	Trading28 in 100 earned $100k+, from 54 launches	28 in 10015 hits	under 100	under 100	54	none	Pin Trading
30	Roguelike28 in 100 earned $100k+, from 410 launches	28 in 100113 hits	$21,406	$599,192	410	none	Pin Roguelike
31	Farming Sim27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 88 launches	27 in 10024 hits	under 100	under 100	88	none	Pin Farming Sim
32	Colony Sim27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 77 launches	27 in 10021 hits	under 100	under 100	77	none	Pin Colony Sim
33	Metroidvania27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 129 launches	27 in 10035 hits	$29,685	$418,633	129	1-hitAudience	Pin Metroidvania
34	Action Roguelike27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 244 launches	27 in 10066 hits	$17,627	$528,278	244	none	Pin Action Roguelike
35	Card Battler27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 147 launches	27 in 10039 hits	$23,752	$459,301	147	none	Pin Card Battler
36	Psychological Horror26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 205 launches	26 in 10054 hits	$21,183	$422,417	205	none	Pin Psychological Horror
37	Medieval26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 107 launches	26 in 10028 hits	$19,088	$459,068	107	none	Pin Medieval
38	Immersive Sim26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 312 launches	26 in 10080 hits	$19,296	$390,351	312	none	Pin Immersive Sim
39	Hack and Slash25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 182 launches	25 in 10046 hits	$19,586	$303,158	182	Audience	Pin Hack and Slash
40	Investigation25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 107 launches	25 in 10027 hits	$12,547	$349,150	107	none	Pin Investigation
41	FPS25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 220 launches	25 in 10055 hits	$11,290	$650,903	220	none	Pin FPS
42	Auto Battler25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 60 launches	25 in 10015 hits	under 100	under 100	60	none	Pin Auto Battler
43	Character Customization25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 191 launches	25 in 10047 hits	$17,568	$343,571	191	none	Pin Character Customization
44	Survival24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 206 launches	24 in 10050 hits	$24,935	$322,489	206	none	Pin Survival
45	Simulation24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 874 launches	24 in 100208 hits	$15,416	$381,863	874	none	Pin Simulation
46	Automobile Sim24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 68 launches	24 in 10016 hits	under 100	under 100	68	none	Pin Automobile Sim
47	Military23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 69 launches	23 in 10016 hits	under 100	under 100	69	1-hit	Pin Military
48	Tactical23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 113 launches	23 in 10026 hits	$25,693	$327,565	113	none	Pin Tactical
49	Dark Fantasy23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 145 launches	23 in 10033 hits	$15,615	$335,771	145	1-hit	Pin Dark Fantasy
50	Detective23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 106 launches	23 in 10024 hits	$12,860	$275,639	106	Audience	Pin Detective
51	Nature23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 80 launches	23 in 10018 hits	under 100	under 100	80	none	Pin Nature
52	Horror22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 345 launches	22 in 10076 hits	$12,981	$309,518	345	none	Pin Horror
53	Flight22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 55 launches	22 in 10012 hits	under 100	under 100	55	none	Pin Flight
54	Action RPG22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 281 launches	22 in 10061 hits	$10,294	$303,158	281	none	Pin Action RPG
55	Space21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 107 launches	21 in 10023 hits	$10,036	$252,312	107	none	Pin Space
56	Dungeon Crawler21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 205 launches	21 in 10044 hits	$16,387	$338,755	205	none	Pin Dungeon Crawler
57	Shooter21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 363 launches	21 in 10077 hits	$9,621	$330,193	363	none	Pin Shooter
58	Card Game21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 201 launches	21 in 10042 hits	$18,010	$360,680	201	none	Pin Card Game
59	Perma Death21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 53 launches	21 in 10011 hits	under 100	under 100	53	Audience	Pin Perma Death
60	RTS21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 111 launches	21 in 10023 hits	$14,115	$264,556	111	none	Pin RTS
61	Rhythm21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 63 launches	21 in 10013 hits	under 100	under 100	63	none	Pin Rhythm
62	Post-apocalyptic21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 112 launches	21 in 10023 hits	$14,458	$258,277	112	none	Pin Post-apocalyptic
63	Souls-like20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 98 launches	20 in 10020 hits	under 100	under 100	98	none	Pin Souls-like
64	RPG20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 789 launches	20 in 100160 hits	$11,268	$303,279	789	none	Pin RPG
65	Time Management20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 144 launches	20 in 10029 hits	$9,514	$305,184	144	Audience	Pin Time Management
66	Turn-Based Combat20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 185 launches	20 in 10037 hits	$11,496	$293,138	185	none	Pin Turn-Based Combat
67	War20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 60 launches	20 in 10012 hits	under 100	under 100	60	none	Pin War
68	Bullet Hell20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 126 launches	20 in 10025 hits	$10,479	$465,124	126	Audience	Pin Bullet Hell
69	Racing20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 112 launches	20 in 10022 hits	$5,960	$256,760	112	none	Pin Racing
70	Turn-Based Strategy20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 276 launches	20 in 10054 hits	$11,113	$270,265	276	none	Pin Turn-Based Strategy
71	Third-Person Shooter19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 103 launches	19 in 10020 hits	$4,056	$497,270	103	none	Pin Third-Person Shooter
72	Dating Sim19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 186 launches	19 in 10036 hits	$8,738	$287,297	186	Audience	Pin Dating Sim
73	Tabletop19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 68 launches	19 in 10013 hits	under 100	under 100	68	none	Pin Tabletop
74	Strategy19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 845 launches	19 in 100159 hits	$10,037	$243,656	845	none	Pin Strategy
75	Beat 'em up18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 60 launches	18 in 10011 hits	under 100	under 100	60	Audience	Pin Beat 'em up
76	Survival Horror18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 117 launches	18 in 10021 hits	$14,458	$198,970	117	none	Pin Survival Horror
77	Walking Simulator18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 95 launches	18 in 10017 hits	under 100	under 100	95	none	Pin Walking Simulator
78	Arena Shooter18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 56 launches	18 in 10010 hits	under 100	under 100	56	Audience	Pin Arena Shooter
79	Top-Down Shooter18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 74 launches	18 in 10013 hits	under 100	under 100	74	none	Pin Top-Down Shooter
80	1990's17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 109 launches	17 in 10019 hits	$11,661	$210,321	109	none	Pin 1990's
81	Strategy RPG17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 132 launches	17 in 10023 hits	$11,091	$180,714	132	none	Pin Strategy RPG
82	Real Time Tactics17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 115 launches	17 in 10020 hits	$4,905	$193,413	115	none	Pin Real Time Tactics
83	Platformer17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 311 launches	17 in 10054 hits	$10,197	$318,870	311	1-hitAudience	Pin Platformer
84	Turn-Based Tactics17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 243 launches	17 in 10042 hits	$8,519	$178,090	243	none	Pin Turn-Based Tactics
85	Zombies16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 73 launches	16 in 10012 hits	under 100	under 100	73	none	Pin Zombies
86	Board Game16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 98 launches	16 in 10016 hits	under 100	under 100	98	none	Pin Board Game
87	Action-Adventure16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 547 launches	16 in 10089 hits	$7,909	$192,839	547	none	Pin Action-Adventure
88	LGBTQ+16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 100 launches	16 in 10016 hits	$11,661	$148,757	100	none	Pin LGBTQ+
89	Cyberpunk16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 69 launches	16 in 10011 hits	under 100	under 100	69	none	Pin Cyberpunk
90	Collectathon16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 113 launches	16 in 10018 hits	$8,758	$205,980	113	1-hit	Pin Collectathon
91	1980s16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 57 launches	16 in 1009 hits	under 100	under 100	57	none	Pin 1980s
92	2D Platformer16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 311 launches	16 in 10049 hits	$8,758	$239,522	311	none	Pin 2D Platformer
93	Wargame16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 83 launches	16 in 10013 hits	under 100	under 100	83	Audience	Pin Wargame
94	Interactive Fiction15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 230 launches	15 in 10035 hits	$10,240	$220,268	230	Audience	Pin Interactive Fiction
95	Shoot 'Em Up15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 106 launches	15 in 10016 hits	$7,510	$252,312	106	Audience	Pin Shoot 'Em Up
96	Visual Novel15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 434 launches	15 in 10064 hits	$9,963	$199,513	434	Audience	Pin Visual Novel
97	Puzzle14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 684 launches	14 in 10098 hits	$5,070	$173,428	684	none	Pin Puzzle
98	Precision Platformer14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 84 launches	14 in 10012 hits	under 100	under 100	84	Audience	Pin Precision Platformer
99	Point & Click14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 249 launches	14 in 10035 hits	$4,508	$190,045	249	none	Pin Point & Click
100	Comic Book14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 57 launches	14 in 1008 hits	under 100	under 100	57	none	Pin Comic Book

Show 18 moreShowing 100 of 118 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.