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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 / Dark + Strategy

Niche

Dark + Strategy

Games tagged both Dark and Strategy: 128 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 Dark + Strategy priced $10 to $20, hiding samples under 100 launches. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair trails both its tags; priced $10 to $20 it has too few launches to read.

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

18 launches, under your minimum sample of 100.

Pick another price band, or lower the minimum sample.

1STTied winner
Tag onemood tagDark
16.7in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds16.7 in 100
Typical earnings$10,525
Launches168 / 28 hits
Pairno reading
--No reading
This pairDark + Strategy
--too few
to read
Odds--
Typical earnings--
Launches18

18 launches, under your minimum sample of 100.

1STTied winner
Tag twoStrategy
16.5in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds16.5 in 100
Typical earnings$9,226
Launches978 / 161 hits
Pairno reading
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 $20Dark 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 18 games tagged both Dark and Strategy priced $10 to $20. 11.1 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 17.3 for Dark-only games and 16.6 for Strategy-only games, so games with both tags did worse than games with either tag alone.

Both: 18 games priced $10 to $20; 11.1 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $16,597.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 18 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

Buckshot Rouletteleads this pair87.8%
PairBuckshot Roulette87.8%
DarkMouthwashing11.5%
StrategySlay the Spire 217.1%
CheckOne game over half?yes
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 Dark + 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

  • Buckshot Roulette earned 87.8% of the estimated first-year money of the 128 Dark + Strategy launches.
  • Dark is led by Mouthwashing, with 11.5% 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

Dark + Strategy 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.

Dark + Strategy through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view126 of 128 launchesWithout the breakout127 of 128 launchesLast 18 months71 of 128 launches
Launches counted1283 hits1263 hits1272 hits711 hits
Earned $100k+2.3 in 1001 in 432.4 in 1001 in 421.6 in 1001 in 631.4 in 1001 in 71
Typical first-year earnings$404top tenth $18,216+$404$404$404
Chance against standardthe yardstick+4.3%0.1 more in 100-30.4%0.7 fewer in 100-39.1%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change0.0%no change
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsMoves the answerMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Dark and Strategy, 6 to 30 months old: 128 launches.

Launches counted
1283 hits
Earned $100k+
2.3 in 1001 in 43
Typical first-year earnings
$404top tenth $18,216+
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: 2 of 128 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1263 hits
Earned $100k+
2.4 in 1001 in 42
Typical first-year earnings
$404
Chance against standard
+4.3%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, Buckshot Roulette (87.8% of the money): 127 launches left.

Launches counted
1272 hits
Earned $100k+
1.6 in 1001 in 63
Typical first-year earnings
$404
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: 71 of 128.

Launches counted
711 hits
Earned $100k+
1.4 in 1001 in 71
Typical first-year earnings
$404
Chance against standard
-39.1%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Dark and Strategy, 6 to 30 months old: 128 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: 2 of 128 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, Buckshot Roulette (87.8% of the money): 127 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 71 of 128.

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

Dark through every lens, all prices
DarkBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,414 of 1,445 launchesWithout the breakout1,444 of 1,445 launchesLast 18 months785 of 1,445 launches
Launches counted1,44574 hits1,41472 hits1,44473 hits78534 hits
Earned $100k+5.1 in 1001 in 205.1 in 1001 in 205.1 in 1001 in 204.3 in 1001 in 23
Typical first-year earnings$849top tenth $28,119+$887$849$808
Chance against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-15.7%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+4.5%$38 more0.0%no change-4.8%$41 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Dark, 6 to 30 months old: 1,445 launches.

Launches counted
1,44574 hits
Earned $100k+
5.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$849top tenth $28,119+
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: 31 of 1,445 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,41472 hits
Earned $100k+
5.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$887
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
+4.5%$38 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Mouthwashing (11.5% of the money): 1,444 launches left.

Launches counted
1,44473 hits
Earned $100k+
5.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$849
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: 785 of 1,445.

Launches counted
78534 hits
Earned $100k+
4.3 in 1001 in 23
Typical first-year earnings
$808
Chance against standard
-15.7%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-4.8%$41 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Dark, 6 to 30 months old: 1,445 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: 31 of 1,445 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, Mouthwashing (11.5% of the money): 1,444 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 785 of 1,445.

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 Dark + 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.