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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 + Platformer

Niche

Difficult + Platformer

Games tagged both Difficult and Platformer: 318 indie paid launches, 14 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 + Platformer priced $10 to $20, hiding samples under 30 launches. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair trails Difficult and is level with Platformer; priced $10 to $20 it is level with Difficult and beats Platformer.

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 + Platformer is level with Difficult and beats Platformer: 22.9 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 22.5 in 100 for Difficult and 16.6 in 100 for Platformer.

That is about 1.2 times the 18.6 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

1STTied winner
Tag onemood tagDifficult
22.5in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds22.5 in 100
Typical earnings$19,202
Launches213 / 48 hits
Pair is level0.4 in 100
1STTied winner
This pairDifficult + Platformer
22.9in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds22.9 in 100
Typical earnings$13,660
Launches48 / 11 hits
Expected18.6 in 100
3RDThird
Tag twoPlatformer
16.6in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds16.6 in 100
Typical earnings$7,285
Launches337 / 56 hits
Pair leads by6.3 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 prices318 in pairUnder $5165 in pair$5 to $1098 in pair$10 to $2048 in pair$20 to $407: too few
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 48 games tagged both Difficult and Platformer priced $10 to $20. 22.9 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 22.4 for Difficult-only games and 15.6 for Platformer-only games, so the mix is level with Difficult alone and beats Platformer alone.

Both: 48 games priced $10 to $20; 22.9 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $13,660.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 48 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

Hollow Knight: Silksongleads this pair83.0%
PairHollow Knight: Silksong83.0%
DifficultHollow Knight: Silksong57.2%
PlatformerHollow Knight: Silksong59.3%
CheckOne game over half?yes
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

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

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Difficult + Platformer

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 83.0% of the estimated first-year money of the 318 Difficult + Platformer launches.
  • It also leads Difficult, with 57.2% of that tag's money.
  • It also leads Platformer, with 59.3% 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 + Platformer is changed recently: Last 18 months moves the answer by more than a quarter. It holds in 2 of 3.

Difficult + Platformer through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view314 of 318 launchesWithout the breakout317 of 318 launchesLast 18 months151 of 318 launches
Launches counted31814 hits31414 hits31713 hits1514 hits
Earned $100k+4.4 in 1001 in 234.5 in 1001 in 224.1 in 1001 in 242.6 in 1001 in 38
Typical first-year earnings$707top tenth $23,373+$708$647$606
Chance against standardthe yardstick+2.3%0.1 more in 100-6.8%0.3 fewer in 100-40.9%1.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+0.1%$1 more-8.5%$60 less-14.3%$101 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Difficult and Platformer, 6 to 30 months old: 318 launches.

Launches counted
31814 hits
Earned $100k+
4.4 in 1001 in 23
Typical first-year earnings
$707top tenth $23,373+
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: 4 of 318 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
31414 hits
Earned $100k+
4.5 in 1001 in 22
Typical first-year earnings
$708
Chance against standard
+2.3%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
+0.1%$1 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (83.0% of the money): 317 launches left.

Launches counted
31713 hits
Earned $100k+
4.1 in 1001 in 24
Typical first-year earnings
$647
Chance against standard
-6.8%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-8.5%$60 less
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 151 of 318.

Launches counted
1514 hits
Earned $100k+
2.6 in 1001 in 38
Typical first-year earnings
$606
Chance against standard
-40.9%1.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-14.3%$101 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Difficult and Platformer, 6 to 30 months old: 318 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: 4 of 318 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 (83.0% of the money): 317 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 151 of 318.

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.

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

Platformer through every lens, all prices
PlatformerBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view2,538 of 2,585 launchesWithout the breakout2,584 of 2,585 launchesLast 18 months1,343 of 2,585 launches
Launches counted2,585100 hits2,53892 hits2,58499 hits1,34349 hits
Earned $100k+3.9 in 1001 in 263.6 in 1001 in 283.8 in 1001 in 263.6 in 1001 in 28
Typical first-year earnings$321top tenth $13,152+$323$321$281
Chance against standardthe yardstick-7.7%0.3 fewer in 100-2.6%0.1 fewer in 100-7.7%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+0.6%$2 more0.0%no change-12.5%$40 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Platformer, 6 to 30 months old: 2,585 launches.

Launches counted
2,585100 hits
Earned $100k+
3.9 in 1001 in 26
Typical first-year earnings
$321top tenth $13,152+
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: 47 of 2,585 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
2,53892 hits
Earned $100k+
3.6 in 1001 in 28
Typical first-year earnings
$323
Chance against standard
-7.7%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+0.6%$2 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (59.3% of the money): 2,584 launches left.

Launches counted
2,58499 hits
Earned $100k+
3.8 in 1001 in 26
Typical first-year earnings
$321
Chance against standard
-2.6%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,343 of 2,585.

Launches counted
1,34349 hits
Earned $100k+
3.6 in 1001 in 28
Typical first-year earnings
$281
Chance against standard
-7.7%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-12.5%$40 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Platformer, 6 to 30 months old: 2,585 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: 47 of 2,585 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 (59.3% of the money): 2,584 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,343 of 2,585.

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 + Platformer 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.