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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 / Difficult + Exploration

Niche

Difficult + Exploration

Games tagged both Difficult and Exploration: 104 indie paid launches, 11 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 Difficult + Exploration priced $10 to $20, without the breakout. Lens figures exist at all prices only, so inside a price band the page shows the standard figures.

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

Difficult + Exploration beats both its tags: 29.4 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 22.5 in 100 for Difficult and 20.1 in 100 for Exploration.

That is about 1.6 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.

2NDRunner-up
Tag onemood tagDifficult
22.5in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds22.5 in 100
Typical earnings$19,202
Launches213 / 48 hits
Pair leads by6.9 in 100
1STWinner
This pairDifficult + Exploration
29.4in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds29.4 in 100
Typical earnings$14,267
Launches34 / 10 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 by9.3 in 100
All indie launches $10 to $20: 18.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $9,226, from 4,810 launches.each block is 2 in 100 all indie at $10 to $20Difficult 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 prices104 in pairUnder $540 in pair$5 to $1026 in pair$10 to $2034 in pair$20 to $404: too few
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 34 games tagged both Difficult and Exploration priced $10 to $20. 29.4 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 21.2 for Difficult-only games and 19.8 for Exploration-only games, so games with both tags did better than games with either tag alone.

Both: 34 games priced $10 to $20; 29.4 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $14,267.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 34 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 without the breakout 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

Hollow Knight: Silksongleads this pair91.3%
PairHollow Knight: Silksong91.3%
DifficultHollow Knight: Silksong57.2%
ExplorationHollow Knight: Silksong20.7%
CheckOne game over half?yes
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 Difficult + 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

  • Hollow Knight: Silksong earned 91.3% of the estimated first-year money of the 104 Difficult + Exploration launches.
  • It also leads Difficult, with 57.2% of that tag's money.
  • It also leads Exploration, with 20.7% of that tag's 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

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

Difficult + Exploration through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view104 of 104 launchesWithout the breakout103 of 104 launchesLast 18 months57 of 104 launches
Launches counted10411 hits10411 hits10310 hits576 hits
Earned $100k+10.6 in 10010.6 in 1009.7 in 1001 in 1010.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$1,518top tenth $105,635+$1,518$1,516$1,518
Chance against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change-8.5%0.9 fewer in 100-0.9%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change-0.1%$2 less0.0%no change
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Difficult and Exploration, 6 to 30 months old: 104 launches.

Launches counted
10411 hits
Earned $100k+
10.6 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,518top tenth $105,635+
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: 0 of 104 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
10411 hits
Earned $100k+
10.6 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,518
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (91.3% of the money): 103 launches left.

Launches counted
10310 hits
Earned $100k+
9.7 in 1001 in 10
Typical first-year earnings
$1,516
Chance against standard
-8.5%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-0.1%$2 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 57 of 104.

Launches counted
576 hits
Earned $100k+
10.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,518
Chance against standard
-0.9%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Difficult and Exploration, 6 to 30 months old: 104 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: 0 of 104 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 (91.3% of the money): 103 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 57 of 104.

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

Difficult through every lens, all prices
DifficultBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,038 of 1,051 launchesWithout the breakout1,050 of 1,051 launchesLast 18 months541 of 1,051 launches
Launches counted1,05171 hits1,03870 hits1,05070 hits54132 hits
Earned $100k+6.8 in 1001 in 156.7 in 1001 in 156.7 in 1001 in 155.9 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings$1,133top tenth $56,182+$1,150$1,133$971
Chance against standardthe yardstick-1.5%0.1 fewer in 100-1.5%0.1 fewer in 100-13.2%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+1.5%$17 more0.0%no change-14.3%$162 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Difficult, 6 to 30 months old: 1,051 launches.

Launches counted
1,05171 hits
Earned $100k+
6.8 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings
$1,133top tenth $56,182+
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: 13 of 1,051 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,03870 hits
Earned $100k+
6.7 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings
$1,150
Chance against standard
-1.5%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+1.5%$17 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (57.2% of the money): 1,050 launches left.

Launches counted
1,05070 hits
Earned $100k+
6.7 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings
$1,133
Chance against standard
-1.5%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 541 of 1,051.

Launches counted
54132 hits
Earned $100k+
5.9 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings
$971
Chance against standard
-13.2%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-14.3%$162 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Difficult, 6 to 30 months old: 1,051 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: 13 of 1,051 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 (57.2% of the money): 1,050 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 541 of 1,051.

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 Difficult + 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.