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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 change shows for genres with 100+ launches. The same figures are on the Genres page.

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on 11 Nov 2026

Niches / Building + Exploration

Niche

Building + Exploration

Games tagged both Building and Exploration: 125 indie paid launches, 26 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 26,758 indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, data of 2 Nov 2026. How it is measured.

Showing Building + Exploration priced $10 to $20. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair is about level with Building and beats Exploration; priced $10 to $20 it trails Building and beats Exploration.

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

Building + Exploration trails Building and beats Exploration: 30.0 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 35.5 in 100 for Building and 20.6 in 100 for Exploration.

That is about 1.5 times the 20.5 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

1STWinner
Tag oneBuilding
35.5in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds35.5 in 100
Typical earnings$31,277
Launches234 / 83 hits
Pair trails by5.5 in 100
2NDRunner-up
This pairBuilding + Exploration
30.0in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds30.0 in 100
$1k+90 in 100
$10k+63 in 100
Launches40 / 12 hits
Expected20.5 in 100
3RDThird
Tag twomood tagExploration
20.6in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds20.6 in 100
Typical earnings$12,769
Launches880 / 181 hits
Pair leads by9.4 in 100
All indie launches $10 to $20: 20.5 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $11,233, from 4,337 launches.each block is 2 in 100 all indie at $10 to $20Exploration 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: 0.4 in 100 launches earned $100k+; $20 to $40: 44.2 in 100), so read it within a price band.

Price bandswitches the whole page
All prices125 in pairUnder $532 in pair$5 to $1036 in pair$10 to $2040 in pair$20 to $4017 in pair
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 40 games tagged both Building and Exploration priced $10 to $20. 30.0 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 36.6 in 100 for Building-only games and 20.1 in 100 for Exploration-only games, so the mix trails Building alone and beats Exploration alone.

Both: 40 games priced $10 to $20; 30.0 in 100 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 90 in 100 · $10k+ 63 in 100 · $100k+ 30 in 100.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 40 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

Enshroudedleads this pair63.7%
PairEnshrouded63.7%
BuildingEnshrouded17.6%
ExplorationHollow Knight: Silksong23.3%
CheckOne game over half?yes
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkOne-hit market. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: moves the answer. Last 18 months: holds.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Building + 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

  • Enshrouded earned 63.7% of the estimated first-year money of the 125 Building + Exploration launches.
  • It also leads Building, with 17.6% of that tag's money.
  • Exploration is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 23.3% of its money.
  • One game holds over half of this pair's money: read every figure here as that game's story.

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

Building + Exploration is one-hit market: one game earned over half the money. It holds in West-facing view and Last 18 months.

Building + Exploration through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view122 of 125 launchesWithout the breakout124 of 125 launchesLast 18 months28 of 125 launches
Launches counted12526 hits12225 hits12425 hits286 hits
Earned $100k+20.8 in 10020.5 in 10020.2 in 1006 of 28too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings$2,144top tenth $758,885+$2,144$2,144under 100 launches
Chance against standardthe base-1.5%0.3 fewer in 100-3.1%0.6 fewer in 100+3.0%0.6 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base0.0%no change0.0%no changeunder 100 launches
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsMoves the answerHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Building and Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 125 launches.

Launches counted
12526 hits
Earned $100k+
20.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,144top tenth $758,885+
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 125 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
12225 hits
Earned $100k+
20.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,144
Chance against standard
-1.5%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, Enshrouded (63.7% of the money): 124 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
12425 hits
Earned $100k+
20.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,144
Chance against standard
-3.1%0.6 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 28 of 125.

Launches counted
286 hits
Earned $100k+
6 of 28too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
+3.0%0.6 more in 100
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Building and Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 125 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 125 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, Enshrouded (63.7% of the money): 124 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: 28 of 125.

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

Building through every lens, all prices
BuildingBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view806 of 833 launchesWithout the breakout832 of 833 launchesLast 18 months222 of 833 launches
Launches counted833165 hits806161 hits832164 hits22246 hits
Earned $100k+19.8 in 10020.0 in 10019.7 in 10020.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$2,573top tenth $412,328+$2,725$2,573$3,726
Chance against standardthe base+0.8%0.2 more in 100-0.5%0.1 fewer in 100+4.6%0.9 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+5.9%$152 more0.0%no change+44.8%$1,153 more
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Building, 12 to 36 months old: 833 launches.

Launches counted
833165 hits
Earned $100k+
19.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,573top tenth $412,328+
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: 27 of 833 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
806161 hits
Earned $100k+
20.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,725
Chance against standard
+0.8%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard
+5.9%$152 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Enshrouded (17.6% of the money): 832 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
832164 hits
Earned $100k+
19.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,573
Chance against standard
-0.5%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 222 of 833.

Launches counted
22246 hits
Earned $100k+
20.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$3,726
Chance against standard
+4.6%0.9 more in 100
Typical against standard
+44.8%$1,153 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Building, 12 to 36 months old: 833 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: 27 of 833 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, Enshrouded (17.6% of the money): 832 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: 222 of 833.

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 view4,432 of 4,635 launchesWithout the breakout4,634 of 4,635 launchesLast 18 months1,277 of 4,635 launches
Launches counted4,635375 hits4,432357 hits4,634374 hits1,27799 hits
Earned $100k+8.1 in 1001 in 128.1 in 1001 in 128.1 in 1001 in 127.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings$876top tenth $64,081+$894$876$858
Chance against standardthe base-0.4%no change-0.2%no change-4.2%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe base+2.1%$18 more0.0%no change-2.1%$18 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 4,635 launches.

Launches counted
4,635375 hits
Earned $100k+
8.1 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$876top tenth $64,081+
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: 203 of 4,635 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
4,432357 hits
Earned $100k+
8.1 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$894
Chance against standard
-0.4%no change
Typical against standard
+2.1%$18 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (23.3% of the money): 4,634 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
4,634374 hits
Earned $100k+
8.1 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$876
Chance against standard
-0.2%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,277 of 4,635.

Launches counted
1,27799 hits
Earned $100k+
7.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$858
Chance against standard
-4.2%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-2.1%$18 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 4,635 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: 203 of 4,635 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 (23.3% of the money): 4,634 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: 1,277 of 4,635.

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 Building + 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.