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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 / Cozy + Exploration

Niche

Cozy + Exploration

Games tagged both Cozy and Exploration: 87 indie paid launches, 24 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 Cozy + Exploration priced $10 to $20, west-facing view. Lens figures exist at all prices only, so inside a price band the page shows the standard figures. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats both its tags; priced $10 to $20 it trails Cozy 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

Cozy + Exploration trails Cozy and beats Exploration: 42.9 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 45.0 in 100 for Cozy and 20.1 in 100 for Exploration.

That is about 2.3 times the 18.6 in 100 expected for any launch at this price. Lens figures by price band are not computed yet, so this band uses the standard figures.

1STWinner
Tag oneCozy
45.0in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds45.0 in 100
Typical earnings$62,342
Launches131 / 59 hits
Pair trails by2.1 in 100
2NDRunner-up
This pairCozy + Exploration
42.9in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds42.9 in 100
Typical earnings$43,313
Launches42 / 18 hits
Expected18.6 in 100
3RDThird
Tag twomood tagExploration
20.1in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds20.1 in 100
Typical earnings$11,535
Launches988 / 199 hits
Pair leads by22.8 in 100
All indie launches $10 to $20: 18.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $9,226, from 4,810 launches.each block is 2.5 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: 0.5 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 prices87 in pairUnder $520 in pair$5 to $1021 in pair$10 to $2042 in pair$20 to $404: too few
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 42 games tagged both Cozy and Exploration priced $10 to $20. 42.9 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 46.1 for Cozy-only games and 19.1 for Exploration-only games, so the mix trails Cozy alone and beats Exploration alone.

Both: 42 games priced $10 to $20; 42.9 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $43,313.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 42 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. The west-facing view lens is not computed for the outer parts, so this diagram uses the standard figures.

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

Hello Kitty Island Adventureleads this pair28.3%
PairHello Kitty Island Adventure28.3%
CozyHello Kitty Island Adventure9.7%
ExplorationHollow Knight: Silksong20.7%
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 Cozy + 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

  • Hello Kitty Island Adventure earned 28.3% of the estimated first-year money of the 87 Cozy + Exploration launches.
  • It also leads Cozy, with 9.7% of that tag's money.
  • Exploration is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 20.7% 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

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

Cozy + Exploration through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view86 of 87 launchesWithout the breakout86 of 87 launchesLast 18 months54 of 87 launches
Launches counted8724 hits8623 hits8623 hits5414 hits
Earned $100k+27.6 in 10026.7 in 10026.7 in 10025.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$12,110top tenth $615,202+$12,110$12,110$9,508
Chance against standardthe yardstick-3.3%0.9 fewer in 100-3.3%0.9 fewer in 100-6.2%1.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-21.5%$2,602 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Cozy and Exploration, 6 to 30 months old: 87 launches.

Launches counted
8724 hits
Earned $100k+
27.6 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$12,110top tenth $615,202+
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: 1 of 87 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
8623 hits
Earned $100k+
26.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$12,110
Chance against standard
-3.3%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hello Kitty Island Adventure (28.3% of the money): 86 launches left.

Launches counted
8623 hits
Earned $100k+
26.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$12,110
Chance against standard
-3.3%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 54 of 87.

Launches counted
5414 hits
Earned $100k+
25.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$9,508
Chance against standard
-6.2%1.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-21.5%$2,602 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Cozy and Exploration, 6 to 30 months old: 87 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: 1 of 87 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, Hello Kitty Island Adventure (28.3% of the money): 86 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 54 of 87.

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

Cozy through every lens, all prices
CozyBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view646 of 651 launchesWithout the breakout650 of 651 launchesLast 18 months431 of 651 launches
Launches counted65188 hits64684 hits65087 hits43150 hits
Earned $100k+13.5 in 10013.0 in 10013.4 in 10011.6 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$2,119top tenth $199,431+$2,101$2,119$1,942
Chance against standardthe yardstick-3.7%0.5 fewer in 100-0.7%0.1 fewer in 100-14.1%1.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-0.8%$18 less0.0%no change-8.4%$177 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Cozy, 6 to 30 months old: 651 launches.

Launches counted
65188 hits
Earned $100k+
13.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,119top tenth $199,431+
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 651 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
64684 hits
Earned $100k+
13.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,101
Chance against standard
-3.7%0.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-0.8%$18 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hello Kitty Island Adventure (9.7% of the money): 650 launches left.

Launches counted
65087 hits
Earned $100k+
13.4 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,119
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: 431 of 651.

Launches counted
43150 hits
Earned $100k+
11.6 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,942
Chance against standard
-14.1%1.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-8.4%$177 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Cozy, 6 to 30 months old: 651 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 651 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, Hello Kitty Island Adventure (9.7% of the money): 650 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 431 of 651.

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

Exploration through every lens, all prices
ExplorationBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view4,867 of 5,078 launchesWithout the breakout5,077 of 5,078 launchesLast 18 months2,727 of 5,078 launches
Launches counted5,078397 hits4,867377 hits5,077396 hits2,727190 hits
Earned $100k+7.8 in 1001 in 137.7 in 1001 in 137.8 in 1001 in 137.0 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings$908top tenth $58,608+$909$902$728
Chance against standardthe yardstick-1.3%0.1 fewer in 1000.0%no change-10.3%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+0.1%$1 more-0.7%$6 less-19.8%$180 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 6 to 30 months old: 5,078 launches.

Launches counted
5,078397 hits
Earned $100k+
7.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$908top tenth $58,608+
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: 211 of 5,078 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
4,867377 hits
Earned $100k+
7.7 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$909
Chance against standard
-1.3%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+0.1%$1 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (20.7% of the money): 5,077 launches left.

Launches counted
5,077396 hits
Earned $100k+
7.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$902
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
-0.7%$6 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 2,727 of 5,078.

Launches counted
2,727190 hits
Earned $100k+
7.0 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$728
Chance against standard
-10.3%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-19.8%$180 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 6 to 30 months old: 5,078 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: 211 of 5,078 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 (20.7% of the money): 5,077 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 2,727 of 5,078.

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 Cozy + 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.