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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 / Cute + Side Scroller

Niche

Cute + Side Scroller

Games tagged both Cute and Side Scroller: 225 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 Cute + Side Scroller 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

Cute + Side Scroller trails both its tags: 2 of its 21 launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 16.3 in 100 for Cute and 12.8 in 100 for Side Scroller.

Small sample: 21 launches, 2 hits.

1STWinner
Tag onemood tagCute
16.3in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds16.3 in 100
Typical earnings$9,124
Launches615 / 100 hits
Pair trails by6.8 in 100
3RDThird
This pairCute + Side Scroller
2 of 21launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds2 of 21 launches
Typical earnings$7,628
Launches21 / 2 hits
Expected18.6 in 100
2NDRunner-up
Tag twomood tagSide Scroller
12.8in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds12.8 in 100
Typical earnings$10,120
Launches149 / 19 hits
Pair trails by3.3 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 $20Cute 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 21 games tagged both Cute and Side Scroller priced $10 to $20. 9.5 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 16.5 for Cute-only games and 13.3 for Side Scroller-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 $7,628.

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

PICO PARK 2leads this pair32.7%
PairPICO PARK 232.7%
CuteMewgenics15.9%
Side ScrollerAbsolum17.8%
CheckOne game over half?no
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkChanged recently +1. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: moves the answer. Last 18 months: moves the answer.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Cute + Side Scroller

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

  • PICO PARK 2 earned 32.7% of the estimated first-year money of the 225 Cute + Side Scroller launches.
  • Cute is led by Mewgenics, with 15.9% of its money.
  • Side Scroller is led by Absolum, with 17.8% 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

Cute + Side Scroller is changed recently +1: Last 18 months moves the answer by more than a quarter, and 1 more lens too. It holds in 1 of 3.

Cute + Side Scroller through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view222 of 225 launchesWithout the breakout224 of 225 launchesLast 18 months129 of 225 launches
Launches counted2253 hits2223 hits2242 hits1292 hits
Earned $100k+1.3 in 1001 in 771.4 in 1001 in 710.9 in 1001 in 1111.6 in 1001 in 63
Typical first-year earnings$324top tenth $7,628+$324$324$201
Chance against standardthe yardstick+7.7%0.1 more in 100-30.8%0.4 fewer in 100+23.1%0.3 more in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-38.0%$123 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsMoves the answerMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Cute and Side Scroller, 6 to 30 months old: 225 launches.

Launches counted
2253 hits
Earned $100k+
1.3 in 1001 in 77
Typical first-year earnings
$324top tenth $7,628+
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: 3 of 225 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
2223 hits
Earned $100k+
1.4 in 1001 in 71
Typical first-year earnings
$324
Chance against standard
+7.7%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, PICO PARK 2 (32.7% of the money): 224 launches left.

Launches counted
2242 hits
Earned $100k+
0.9 in 1001 in 111
Typical first-year earnings
$324
Chance against standard
-30.8%0.4 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 129 of 225.

Launches counted
1292 hits
Earned $100k+
1.6 in 1001 in 63
Typical first-year earnings
$201
Chance against standard
+23.1%0.3 more in 100
Typical against standard
-38.0%$123 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Cute and Side Scroller, 6 to 30 months old: 225 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: 3 of 225 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, PICO PARK 2 (32.7% of the money): 224 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 129 of 225.

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

Cute through every lens, all prices
CuteBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view4,089 of 4,279 launchesWithout the breakout4,278 of 4,279 launchesLast 18 months2,326 of 4,279 launches
Launches counted4,279218 hits4,089200 hits4,278217 hits2,326111 hits
Earned $100k+5.1 in 1001 in 204.9 in 1001 in 205.1 in 1001 in 204.8 in 1001 in 21
Typical first-year earnings$725top tenth $28,533+$727$725$642
Chance against standardthe yardstick-3.9%0.2 fewer in 1000.0%no change-5.9%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+0.3%$2 more0.0%no change-11.4%$83 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Cute, 6 to 30 months old: 4,279 launches.

Launches counted
4,279218 hits
Earned $100k+
5.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$725top tenth $28,533+
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: 190 of 4,279 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
4,089200 hits
Earned $100k+
4.9 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$727
Chance against standard
-3.9%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+0.3%$2 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Mewgenics (15.9% of the money): 4,278 launches left.

Launches counted
4,278217 hits
Earned $100k+
5.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$725
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: 2,326 of 4,279.

Launches counted
2,326111 hits
Earned $100k+
4.8 in 1001 in 21
Typical first-year earnings
$642
Chance against standard
-5.9%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-11.4%$83 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Cute, 6 to 30 months old: 4,279 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: 190 of 4,279 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, Mewgenics (15.9% of the money): 4,278 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 2,326 of 4,279.

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

Side Scroller through every lens, all prices
Side ScrollerBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,105 of 1,126 launchesWithout the breakout1,125 of 1,126 launchesLast 18 months592 of 1,126 launches
Launches counted1,12638 hits1,10538 hits1,12537 hits59222 hits
Earned $100k+3.4 in 1001 in 293.4 in 1001 in 293.3 in 1001 in 303.7 in 1001 in 27
Typical first-year earnings$401top tenth $18,826+$385$385$303
Chance against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change-2.9%0.1 fewer in 100+8.8%0.3 more in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-4.0%$16 less-4.0%$16 less-24.4%$98 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Side Scroller, 6 to 30 months old: 1,126 launches.

Launches counted
1,12638 hits
Earned $100k+
3.4 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings
$401top tenth $18,826+
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: 21 of 1,126 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,10538 hits
Earned $100k+
3.4 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings
$385
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
-4.0%$16 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Absolum (17.8% of the money): 1,125 launches left.

Launches counted
1,12537 hits
Earned $100k+
3.3 in 1001 in 30
Typical first-year earnings
$385
Chance against standard
-2.9%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-4.0%$16 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 592 of 1,126.

Launches counted
59222 hits
Earned $100k+
3.7 in 1001 in 27
Typical first-year earnings
$303
Chance against standard
+8.8%0.3 more in 100
Typical against standard
-24.4%$98 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Side Scroller, 6 to 30 months old: 1,126 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: 21 of 1,126 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, Absolum (17.8% of the money): 1,125 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 592 of 1,126.

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 Cute + Side Scroller 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.