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Ticker: price and year-over-year change for 40 genres. Price is the median estimated first-year revenue of indie paid launches. The same figures are on the Genres page.

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on 30 Sep 2026

Niches / 2D + Sandbox

Niche

2D + Sandbox

Games tagged both 2D and Sandbox: 221 indie paid launches, 11 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".
  • Price moves the odds more than genre does, so the page opens on one price band. The keys in section 2 switch it.
  • From 29,637 indie paid launches 6 to 30 months old, data of 1 Oct 2026. How it is measured.

Showing 2D + Sandbox priced $10 to $20.

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

2D + Sandbox beats 2D and trails Sandbox: 21.9 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 14.4 in 100 for 2D and 30.7 in 100 for Sandbox.

That is about 1.2 times the 18.6 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

3RDThird
Tag onemood tag2D
14.4in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds14.4 in 100
Typical earnings$6,072
Launches1,032 / 149 hits
Pair leads by7.5 in 100
2NDRunner-up
This pair2D + Sandbox
21.9in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds21.9 in 100
Typical earnings$23,411
Launches32 / 7 hits
Expected18.6 in 100
1STWinner
Tag twoSandbox
30.7in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds30.7 in 100
Typical earnings$26,551
Launches388 / 119 hits
Pair trails by8.8 in 100
All indie launches $10 to $20: 18.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $9,226, from 4,810 launches.each block is 2 in 100 all indie at $10 to $202D 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: 42.4 in 100), so read it within a price band.

Price bandswitches the whole page
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 32 games tagged both 2D and Sandbox priced $10 to $20. 21.9 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 14.2 for 2D-only games and 31.5 for Sandbox-only games, so the mix beats 2D alone and trails Sandbox alone.

Both: 32 games priced $10 to $20; 21.9 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $23,411.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 32 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

Tinkerlandsleads this pair17.3%
PairTinkerlands17.3%
2DHollow Knight: Silksong32.4%
SandboxManor Lords22.6%
CheckOne game over half?no
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkHolds in 3 of 3. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: holds.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads 2D + Sandbox

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

  • Tinkerlands earned 17.3% of the estimated first-year money of the 221 2D + Sandbox launches.
  • 2D is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 32.4% of its money.
  • Sandbox is led by Manor Lords, with 22.6% 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: those with a mostly Chinese audience, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

2D + Sandbox holds in 3 of 3: every lens keeps the chance and typical earnings within a quarter of the standard figures.

2D + Sandbox through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view216 of 221 launchesWithout the breakout220 of 221 launchesLast 18 months145 of 221 launches
Launches counted22111 hits21611 hits22010 hits1458 hits
Earned $100k+5.0 in 1001 in 205.1 in 1001 in 204.5 in 1001 in 225.5 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings$546top tenth $30,355+$566$546$487
Chance against standardthe yardstick+2.0%0.1 more in 100-10.0%0.5 fewer in 100+10.0%0.5 more in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+3.7%$20 more0.0%no change-10.8%$59 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both 2D and Sandbox, 6 to 30 months old: 221 launches.

Launches counted
22111 hits
Earned $100k+
5.0 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$546top tenth $30,355+
Chance against standard
the yardstick
Typical against standard
the yardstick
West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 5 of 221 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
21611 hits
Earned $100k+
5.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$566
Chance against standard
+2.0%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
+3.7%$20 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Tinkerlands (17.3% of the money): 220 launches left.

Launches counted
22010 hits
Earned $100k+
4.5 in 1001 in 22
Typical first-year earnings
$546
Chance against standard
-10.0%0.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 145 of 221.

Launches counted
1458 hits
Earned $100k+
5.5 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings
$487
Chance against standard
+10.0%0.5 more in 100
Typical against standard
-10.8%$59 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both 2D and Sandbox, 6 to 30 months old: 221 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 5 of 221 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, Tinkerlands (17.3% of the money): 220 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 145 of 221.

2D holds in 3 of 3: every lens keeps the chance and typical earnings within a quarter of the standard figures.

2D through every lens, all prices
2DBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view8,723 of 9,279 launchesWithout the breakout9,278 of 9,279 launchesLast 18 months5,071 of 9,279 launches
Launches counted9,279280 hits8,723261 hits9,278279 hits5,071141 hits
Earned $100k+3.0 in 1001 in 333.0 in 1001 in 333.0 in 1001 in 332.8 in 1001 in 36
Typical first-year earnings$303top tenth $12,749+$303$303$243
Chance against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-6.7%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-19.8%$60 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged 2D, 6 to 30 months old: 9,279 launches.

Launches counted
9,279280 hits
Earned $100k+
3.0 in 1001 in 33
Typical first-year earnings
$303top tenth $12,749+
Chance against standard
the yardstick
Typical against standard
the yardstick
West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 556 of 9,279 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
8,723261 hits
Earned $100k+
3.0 in 1001 in 33
Typical first-year earnings
$303
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (32.4% of the money): 9,278 launches left.

Launches counted
9,278279 hits
Earned $100k+
3.0 in 1001 in 33
Typical first-year earnings
$303
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 5,071 of 9,279.

Launches counted
5,071141 hits
Earned $100k+
2.8 in 1001 in 36
Typical first-year earnings
$243
Chance against standard
-6.7%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-19.8%$60 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged 2D, 6 to 30 months old: 9,279 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 556 of 9,279 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 (32.4% of the money): 9,278 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 5,071 of 9,279.

Sandbox holds in 3 of 3: every lens keeps the chance and typical earnings within a quarter of the standard figures.

Sandbox through every lens, all prices
SandboxBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,352 of 1,394 launchesWithout the breakout1,393 of 1,394 launchesLast 18 months822 of 1,394 launches
Launches counted1,394210 hits1,352198 hits1,393209 hits822109 hits
Earned $100k+15.1 in 10014.6 in 10015.0 in 10013.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$1,841top tenth $239,640+$1,840$1,841$1,618
Chance against standardthe yardstick-3.3%0.5 fewer in 100-0.7%0.1 fewer in 100-11.9%1.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-0.1%$1 less0.0%no change-12.1%$223 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Sandbox, 6 to 30 months old: 1,394 launches.

Launches counted
1,394210 hits
Earned $100k+
15.1 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,841top tenth $239,640+
Chance against standard
the yardstick
Typical against standard
the yardstick
West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 42 of 1,394 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,352198 hits
Earned $100k+
14.6 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,840
Chance against standard
-3.3%0.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-0.1%$1 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Manor Lords (22.6% of the money): 1,393 launches left.

Launches counted
1,393209 hits
Earned $100k+
15.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,841
Chance against standard
-0.7%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 822 of 1,394.

Launches counted
822109 hits
Earned $100k+
13.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,618
Chance against standard
-11.9%1.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-12.1%$223 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Sandbox, 6 to 30 months old: 1,394 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 42 of 1,394 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, Manor Lords (22.6% of the money): 1,393 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 822 of 1,394.

A lens holds when chance and typical earnings both stay within 25% of standard. Lens figures by price band are not computed yet, so this table is for all prices.

5Premium early list

Alerts when 2D + Sandbox 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.