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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 2 Oct 2026

Niches / Cartoon + Strategy

Niche

Cartoon + Strategy

Games tagged both Cartoon and Strategy: 129 indie paid launches, 3 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 Cartoon + Strategy 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

Cartoon + Strategy trails both its tags: 2 of its 21 launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 16.1 in 100 for Cartoon and 16.5 in 100 for Strategy.

Small sample: 21 launches, 2 hits.

1STTied winner
Tag onemood tagCartoon
16.1in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds16.1 in 100
Typical earnings$4,453
Launches93 / 15 hits
Pair trails by6.6 in 100
3RDThird
This pairCartoon + Strategy
2 of 21launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds2 of 21 launches
Typical earnings$5,099
Launches21 / 2 hits
Expected18.6 in 100
1STTied winner
Tag twoStrategy
16.5in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds16.5 in 100
Typical earnings$9,226
Launches978 / 161 hits
Pair trails by7.0 in 100
All indie launches $10 to $20: 18.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $9,226, from 4,810 launches.each block is 1 in 100 all indie at $10 to $20Cartoon 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
All prices129 in pairUnder $575 in pair$5 to $1032 in pair$10 to $2021 in pair$20 to $401: too few
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 21 games tagged both Cartoon and Strategy priced $10 to $20. 9.5 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 18.1 for Cartoon-only games and 16.6 for Strategy-only games, so games with both tags did worse than games with either tag alone.

Both: 21 games priced $10 to $20; 9.5 in 100 earned $100k+ (1 in 11), typical first-year earnings $5,099.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 21 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

Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance TDleads this pair68.5%
PairKingdom Rush 5: Alliance TD68.5%
CartoonStarsand Island21.2%
StrategySlay the Spire 217.1%
CheckOne game over half?yes
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkOne-hit market +2. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: moves the answer. Without the breakout: moves the answer. Last 18 months: moves the answer.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Cartoon + Strategy

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

  • Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance TD earned 68.5% of the estimated first-year money of the 129 Cartoon + Strategy launches.
  • Cartoon is led by Starsand Island, with 21.2% of its money.
  • Strategy is led by Slay the Spire 2, with 17.1% 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: those with a mostly Chinese audience, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

Cartoon + Strategy is one-hit market +2: Without the breakout moves the answer by more than a quarter, and 2 more lenses too. It holds in 0 of 3.

Cartoon + Strategy through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view120 of 129 launchesWithout the breakout128 of 129 launchesLast 18 months67 of 129 launches
Launches counted1293 hits1202 hits1282 hits672 hits
Earned $100k+2.3 in 1001 in 431.7 in 1001 in 591.6 in 1001 in 633.0 in 1001 in 33
Typical first-year earnings$202top tenth $28,230+$202$202$242
Chance against standardthe yardstick-26.1%0.6 fewer in 100-30.4%0.7 fewer in 100+30.4%0.7 more in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change+19.8%$40 more
Does it hold?The base viewMoves the answerMoves the answerMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Cartoon and Strategy, 6 to 30 months old: 129 launches.

Launches counted
1293 hits
Earned $100k+
2.3 in 1001 in 43
Typical first-year earnings
$202top tenth $28,230+
Chance against standard
the yardstick
Typical against standard
the yardstick
West-facing viewMoves the answer

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 9 of 129 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1202 hits
Earned $100k+
1.7 in 1001 in 59
Typical first-year earnings
$202
Chance against standard
-26.1%0.6 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance TD (68.5% of the money): 128 launches left.

Launches counted
1282 hits
Earned $100k+
1.6 in 1001 in 63
Typical first-year earnings
$202
Chance against standard
-30.4%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 67 of 129.

Launches counted
672 hits
Earned $100k+
3.0 in 1001 in 33
Typical first-year earnings
$242
Chance against standard
+30.4%0.7 more in 100
Typical against standard
+19.8%$40 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Cartoon and Strategy, 6 to 30 months old: 129 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: 9 of 129 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, Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance TD (68.5% of the money): 128 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 67 of 129.

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

Cartoon through every lens, all prices
CartoonBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view777 of 826 launchesWithout the breakout825 of 826 launchesLast 18 months430 of 826 launches
Launches counted82628 hits77725 hits82527 hits43013 hits
Earned $100k+3.4 in 1001 in 293.2 in 1001 in 313.3 in 1001 in 303.0 in 1001 in 33
Typical first-year earnings$303top tenth $18,611+$303$303$282
Chance against standardthe yardstick-5.9%0.2 fewer in 100-2.9%0.1 fewer in 100-11.8%0.4 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-6.9%$21 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Cartoon, 6 to 30 months old: 826 launches.

Launches counted
82628 hits
Earned $100k+
3.4 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings
$303top tenth $18,611+
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: 49 of 826 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
77725 hits
Earned $100k+
3.2 in 1001 in 31
Typical first-year earnings
$303
Chance against standard
-5.9%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Starsand Island (21.2% of the money): 825 launches left.

Launches counted
82527 hits
Earned $100k+
3.3 in 1001 in 30
Typical first-year earnings
$303
Chance against standard
-2.9%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 430 of 826.

Launches counted
43013 hits
Earned $100k+
3.0 in 1001 in 33
Typical first-year earnings
$282
Chance against standard
-11.8%0.4 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-6.9%$21 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Cartoon, 6 to 30 months old: 826 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: 49 of 826 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, Starsand Island (21.2% of the money): 825 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 430 of 826.

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

Strategy through every lens, all prices
StrategyBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view4,988 of 5,391 launchesWithout the breakout5,390 of 5,391 launchesLast 18 months3,128 of 5,391 launches
Launches counted5,391337 hits4,988308 hits5,390336 hits3,128178 hits
Earned $100k+6.3 in 1001 in 166.2 in 1001 in 166.2 in 1001 in 165.7 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings$505top tenth $44,532+$545$505$505
Chance against standardthe yardstick-1.6%0.1 fewer in 100-1.6%0.1 fewer in 100-9.5%0.6 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+7.9%$40 more0.0%no change0.0%no change
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Strategy, 6 to 30 months old: 5,391 launches.

Launches counted
5,391337 hits
Earned $100k+
6.3 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$505top tenth $44,532+
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: 403 of 5,391 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
4,988308 hits
Earned $100k+
6.2 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$545
Chance against standard
-1.6%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+7.9%$40 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Slay the Spire 2 (17.1% of the money): 5,390 launches left.

Launches counted
5,390336 hits
Earned $100k+
6.2 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$505
Chance against standard
-1.6%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 3,128 of 5,391.

Launches counted
3,128178 hits
Earned $100k+
5.7 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings
$505
Chance against standard
-9.5%0.6 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Strategy, 6 to 30 months old: 5,391 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: 403 of 5,391 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, Slay the Spire 2 (17.1% of the money): 5,390 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 3,128 of 5,391.

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 Cartoon + Strategy 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.