Niche

Dark + Sci-fi

Games tagged both Dark and Sci-fi: 42 indie paid launches, 5 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 26,291 indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, data of 3 Oct 2026. How it is measured.

Price Under $5

All prices1 in 15 hit $100k+Under $51 in 238 hit $100k+$5 to $101 in 28 hit $100k+$10 to $2020 in 100 hit $100k+$20 to $4044 in 100 hit $100k+

Base rate: indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, 26,291 launches. Odds compare best within one price.

Lens Standard

Standard West-facing view Without the breakout Last 18 months

All indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old. Lens figures exist at all prices only; inside a price band this page shows the standard figures.

Sample 10+

10+ launchesshow small samples 30+ launches 100+ launchesonly big markets

Hides anything measured on fewer launches.

Under $5

Showing Dark + Sci-fi priced under $5. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats both its tags; priced under $5 it is too small to compare with Dark and is too small to compare with Sci-fi.

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?Under $5

Dark + Sci-fi is too small to compare with Dark and is too small to compare with Sci-fi: 0 of its 21 launches earned $100k+ priced under $5, against 4 of 705 launches for Dark and 1 of 553 launches for Sci-fi.

Small sample: 21 launches, 0 hits.

TIEA tie

Tag onemood tagDark

4 of 705launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds4 of 705 launches

Typical earnings$315

Launches705 / 4 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

TIEA tie

This pairDark + Sci-fi

0 of 21launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds0 of 21 launches

$1k+7 of 21 launches

$10k+1 of 21 launches

Launches21 / 0 hits

Expected0.4 in 100

TIEA tie

Tag twomood tagSci-fi

1 of 553launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds1 of 553 launches

Typical earnings$89

Launches553 / 1 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

All indie launches under $5: 0.4 in 100 earned $100k+ (1 in 238), typical $158, from 13,785 launches.each block is 0.5 in 100 all indie at under $5Dark 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 prices42 in pair Under $521 in pair $5 to $1014 in pair$10 to $204: too few$20 to $403: too few

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 21 games tagged both Dark and Sci-fi priced under $5. 0 of 21 of them earned $100k+, against 4 of 684 for Dark-only games and 1 of 532 for Sci-fi-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Dark alone and is too small to compare with Sci-fi alone.

Both: 21 games priced under $5; 0 of 21 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 7 of 21 launches · $10k+ 1 of 21 launches · $100k+ 0 of 21 launches.

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

Project Silverfishleads this pair64.5%

PairProject Silverfish64.5%

DarkNo, I'm not a Human12.9%

Sci-fiLethal Company32.7%

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: too few to tell.

Open free preview

ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Dark + Sci-fi

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

Project Silverfish earned 64.5% of the estimated first-year money of the 42 Dark + Sci-fi launches.
Dark is led by No, I'm not a Human, with 12.9% of its money.
Sci-fi is led by Lethal Company, with 32.7% 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

Dark + Sci-fi is one-hit market: one game earned over half the money. It holds in West-facing view.

Dark + Sci-fi through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view41 of 42 launches	Without the breakout41 of 42 launches	Last 18 months16 of 42 launches
Launches counted	425 hits	415 hits	414 hits	163 hits
Earned $100k+	11.9 in 100	12.2 in 100	4 of 41too few for a rate	3 of 16too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+	26 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 50 in 100	under 100 launches	under 100 launches	under 100 launches
Chance against standard	the base	+2.4%0.3 more in 100	-18.0%2.1 fewer in 100	+57.5%6.8 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard	the base	under 100 launches	under 100 launches	under 100 launches
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Moves the answer	Too few to tell

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Dark and Sci-fi, 12 to 36 months old: 42 launches.

Launches counted: 425 hits
Earned $100k+: 11.9 in 100
Chance of $10k+: 26 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 50 in 100
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: 1 of 42 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 415 hits
Earned $100k+: 12.2 in 100
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: +2.4%0.3 more in 100
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, Project Silverfish (64.5% of the money): 41 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 414 hits
Earned $100k+: 4 of 41too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: -18.0%2.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 16 of 42.

Launches counted: 163 hits
Earned $100k+: 3 of 16too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: +57.5%6.8 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Dark and Sci-fi, 12 to 36 months old: 42 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: 1 of 42 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, Project Silverfish (64.5% of the money): 41 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: 16 of 42.

Dark 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.

Dark through every lens, all prices
Dark	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view1,201 of 1,224 launches	Without the breakout1,223 of 1,224 launches	Last 18 months343 of 1,224 launches
Launches counted	1,22473 hits	1,20171 hits	1,22372 hits	34320 hits
Earned $100k+	6.0 in 1001 in 17	5.9 in 1001 in 17	5.9 in 1001 in 17	5.8 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings	$884top tenth $36,744+	$884	$862	$884
Chance against standard	the base	-0.9%0.1 fewer in 100	-1.3%0.1 fewer in 100	-2.2%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard	the base	0.0%no change	-2.5%$22 less	0.0%no change
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Dark, 12 to 36 months old: 1,224 launches.

Launches counted: 1,22473 hits
Earned $100k+: 6.0 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings: $884top tenth $36,744+
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: 23 of 1,224 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 1,20171 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.9 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings: $884
Chance against standard: -0.9%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, No, I'm not a Human (12.9% of the money): 1,223 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 1,22372 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.9 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings: $862
Chance against standard: -1.3%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -2.5%$22 less

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 343 of 1,224.

Launches counted: 34320 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.8 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings: $884
Chance against standard: -2.2%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Dark, 12 to 36 months old: 1,224 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: 23 of 1,224 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, No, I'm not a Human (12.9% of the money): 1,223 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: 343 of 1,224.

Sci-fi 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.

Sci-fi through every lens, all prices
Sci-fi	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view1,187 of 1,222 launches	Without the breakout1,221 of 1,222 launches	Last 18 months337 of 1,222 launches
Launches counted	1,222107 hits	1,187103 hits	1,221106 hits	33727 hits
Earned $100k+	8.8 in 1001 in 11	8.7 in 1001 in 12	8.7 in 1001 in 12	8.0 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings	$551top tenth $71,208+	$548	$548	$536
Chance against standard	the base	-0.9%0.1 fewer in 100	-0.9%0.1 fewer in 100	-8.5%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standard	the base	-0.5%$3 less	-0.5%$3 less	-2.7%$15 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Sci-fi, 12 to 36 months old: 1,222 launches.

Launches counted: 1,222107 hits
Earned $100k+: 8.8 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings: $551top tenth $71,208+
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: 35 of 1,222 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 1,187103 hits
Earned $100k+: 8.7 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings: $548
Chance against standard: -0.9%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -0.5%$3 less

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Lethal Company (32.7% of the money): 1,221 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 1,221106 hits
Earned $100k+: 8.7 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings: $548
Chance against standard: -0.9%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -0.5%$3 less

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 337 of 1,222.

Launches counted: 33727 hits
Earned $100k+: 8.0 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings: $536
Chance against standard: -8.5%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -2.7%$15 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Sci-fi, 12 to 36 months old: 1,222 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: 35 of 1,222 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, Lethal Company (32.7% of the money): 1,221 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: 337 of 1,222.

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 Dark + Sci-fi 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.