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on 3 Oct 2026

Niches / 2.5D + Exploration

Niche

2.5D + Exploration

Games tagged both 2.5D and Exploration: 91 indie paid launches, 8 of them earned $100k+ in their first year.

How to read this page

  • A hit is an estimated $100k+ first year. Revenue is estimated from Steam reviews, so read figures as "about". 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.
  • Price moves the odds more than genre does, so the page opens on one price band. The keys in section 2 switch it.
  • From 26,280 indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, data of 3 Oct 2026. How it is measured.

Showing 2.5D + Exploration priced $10 to $20, hiding samples under 100 launches. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats 2.5D and is about level with Exploration; priced $10 to $20 it has too few launches to read.

1Scoreboard: the pair against each of its tags

The pair's chance of a $100k+ first year beside each of its two tags, ranked like a high-score table, with typical earnings and the launches behind every figure.

ScoreboardDoes this pair beat its genres?$10 to $20

18 launches, under your minimum sample of 100.

Pick another price band, or lower the minimum sample.

2NDRunner-up
Tag onemood tag2.5D
11.1in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds11.1 in 100
Typical earnings$6,902
Launches108 / 12 hits
Pairno reading
--No reading
This pair2.5D + Exploration
--too few
to read
Odds--
Typical earnings--
Launches18

18 launches, under your minimum sample of 100.

1STWinner
Tag twomood tagExploration
17.3in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds17.3 in 100
Typical earnings$9,369
Launches878 / 152 hits
Pairno reading
All indie launches $10 to $20: 17.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $8,234, from 4,301 launches.each block is 1 in 100 all indie at $10 to $202.5D is a mood tag: GMD never ranks it alone, but every game carrying it is counted.

2Overlap: where the two tags meet

Each circle is one tag, sized by its launches, and the gold overlap is exactly this pair. Click a part to read it. Price changes the odds more than genre does (under $5: 0.5 in 100 launches earned $100k+; $20 to $40: 40.0 in 100), so read it within a price band.

Price bandswitches the whole page
All prices91 in pairUnder $537 in pair$5 to $1028 in pair$10 to $2018 in pair$20 to $408: too few
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 18 games tagged both 2.5D and Exploration priced $10 to $20. 4 of 18 of them earned $100k+, against 8.9 in 100 for 2.5D-only games and 17.2 in 100 for Exploration-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with 2.5D alone and is too small to compare with Exploration alone.

Both: 18 games priced $10 to $20; 4 of 18 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $15,236.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 18 launches. The outer parts are each tag's launches minus the pair's, so their chance is exact; their typical earnings are not computed yet.

3Comparables

Who leads this pair and each of its tags. Free until launch: one click opens the card. The full comparables list (nearest hits by tag pair, price and launch year) is not computed yet, and the card says so.

Comparables

Leaders

Top earner, share of the moneyFree until launch

Cat Quest IIIleads this pair29.4%
PairCat Quest III29.4%
2.5DInto the Dead: Our Darkest Days14.4%
ExplorationHollow Knight: Silksong21.4%
CheckOne game over half?no
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkHolds in 2 of 3, 1 too few to tell. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: too few to tell.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads 2.5D + Exploration

What this card holds

  • Leaders. The top earner in this pair and in each of its two tags, with its share of the money.
  • One-hit check. Whether a single game holds over half of the pair's money.
  • Nearest hits. Similar games that earned $100k+, matched by tag pair, price and launch year: not computed yet.

How the list will be picked

Same tag pairdata ready
Same price banddata ready
Launched within a year of each otherplanned
Earned $100k+planned
The list itselfnot computed yet

Free until launch: one click opens the card.

The leaders, in words

  • Cat Quest III earned 29.4% of the estimated first-year money of the 91 2.5D + Exploration launches.
  • 2.5D is led by Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days, with 14.4% of its money.
  • Exploration is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 21.4% of its money.
  • No game holds over half of this pair's money, so the pair is not a one-hit market.

Nearest hits (similar games that earned $100k+, matched by tag pair, price and launch year): not computed yet.

Filters do not apply here yet. Leaders and shares are for all prices and the Standard view; per price band and per lens they are not computed yet.

4Lens check: does the answer hold?

The same figures with three kinds of games set aside: games mostly reviewed in Chinese, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

2.5D + Exploration holds in West-facing view and Without the breakout; too few to tell in Last 18 months. No lens moves the chance or typical earnings more than chance alone would.

2.5D + Exploration through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view88 of 91 launchesWithout the breakout90 of 91 launchesLast 18 months26 of 91 launches
Launches counted918 hits888 hits907 hits260 hits
Earned $100k+8.8 in 1001 in 119.1 in 1001 in 117.8 in 1001 in 130 of 26too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings$419top tenth $78,158+$470$419$1,261
Chance against standardthe base+3.4%0.3 more in 100-11.5%1.0 fewer in 100-100.0%8.8 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standardthe base+12.2%$51 more; too few to tell0.0%no change+201.0%$842 more; too few to tell
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsToo few to tell
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both 2.5D and Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 91 launches.

Launches counted
918 hits
Earned $100k+
8.8 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings
$419top tenth $78,158+
Chance against standard
the base
Typical against standard
the base
West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 3 of 91 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
888 hits
Earned $100k+
9.1 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings
$470
Chance against standard
+3.4%0.3 more in 100
Typical against standard
+12.2%$51 more; too few to tell
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Cat Quest III (29.4% of the money): 90 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
907 hits
Earned $100k+
7.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$419
Chance against standard
-11.5%1.0 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 26 of 91.

Launches counted
260 hits
Earned $100k+
0 of 26too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$1,261
Chance against standard
-100.0%8.8 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard
+201.0%$842 more; too few to tell
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both 2.5D and Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 91 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 3 of 91 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.
Without the breakout
Drops the single biggest earner, Cat Quest III (29.4% of the money): 90 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 26 of 91.

2.5D is changed recently: Last 18 months moves the answer more than chance alone would. It holds in West-facing view and Without the breakout.

2.5D through every lens, all prices
2.5DBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view571 of 608 launchesWithout the breakout607 of 608 launchesLast 18 months182 of 608 launches
Launches counted60827 hits57126 hits60726 hits1825 hits
Earned $100k+4.4 in 1001 in 234.6 in 1001 in 224.3 in 1001 in 232.7 in 1001 in 36
Typical first-year earnings$328top tenth $25,145+$336$314$419
Chance against standardthe base+2.5%0.1 more in 100-3.5%0.2 fewer in 100-38.1%1.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe base+2.4%$8 more-4.3%$14 less+27.7%$91 more
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged 2.5D, 12 to 36 months old: 608 launches.

Launches counted
60827 hits
Earned $100k+
4.4 in 1001 in 23
Typical first-year earnings
$328top tenth $25,145+
Chance against standard
the base
Typical against standard
the base
West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 37 of 608 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
57126 hits
Earned $100k+
4.6 in 1001 in 22
Typical first-year earnings
$336
Chance against standard
+2.5%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
+2.4%$8 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days (14.4% of the money): 607 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
60726 hits
Earned $100k+
4.3 in 1001 in 23
Typical first-year earnings
$314
Chance against standard
-3.5%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-4.3%$14 less
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 182 of 608.

Launches counted
1825 hits
Earned $100k+
2.7 in 1001 in 36
Typical first-year earnings
$419
Chance against standard
-38.1%1.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+27.7%$91 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged 2.5D, 12 to 36 months old: 608 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 37 of 608 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.
Without the breakout
Drops the single biggest earner, Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days (14.4% of the money): 607 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 182 of 608.

Exploration holds in West-facing view, Without the breakout and Last 18 months. No lens moves the chance or typical earnings more than chance alone would.

Exploration through every lens, all prices
ExplorationBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view4,379 of 4,579 launchesWithout the breakout4,578 of 4,579 launchesLast 18 months1,268 of 4,579 launches
Launches counted4,579337 hits4,379321 hits4,578336 hits1,26896 hits
Earned $100k+7.4 in 1001 in 147.3 in 1001 in 147.3 in 1001 in 147.6 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings$861top tenth $53,530+$862$861$861
Chance against standardthe base-0.4%no change-0.3%no change+2.9%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+0.1%$1 more0.0%no change0.0%no change
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 4,579 launches.

Launches counted
4,579337 hits
Earned $100k+
7.4 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$861top tenth $53,530+
Chance against standard
the base
Typical against standard
the base
West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 200 of 4,579 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
4,379321 hits
Earned $100k+
7.3 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$862
Chance against standard
-0.4%no change
Typical against standard
+0.1%$1 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (21.4% of the money): 4,578 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
4,578336 hits
Earned $100k+
7.3 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$861
Chance against standard
-0.3%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,268 of 4,579.

Launches counted
1,26896 hits
Earned $100k+
7.6 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$861
Chance against standard
+2.9%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 4,579 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 200 of 4,579 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.
Without the breakout
Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (21.4% of the money): 4,578 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,268 of 4,579.

A lens moves the chance only when it differs from standard by more than a random cut of the same size would, with 5+ hits on both sides; typical earnings are compared from 100 launches, within 25%. Without the breakout moves the answer when one game earned over half the money. Lens figures by price band are not computed yet, so this table is for all prices.

5Premium early list

Alerts when 2.5D + Exploration moves, comparables the day they land, and every lens for every pair and price. Free until launch.

Free until launch

Keep gold access after launch: alerts, comparables, every lens.

Releases

Ticker: 30 upcoming games dated within 90 days, with wishlist rank, release date and followers. The same list is on the Upcoming page.