Niche

Difficult + Retro

Games tagged both Difficult and Retro: 78 indie paid launches, 2 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 Difficult + Retro priced under $5.

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

Difficult + Retro is too small to compare with Difficult and is too small to compare with Retro: 0 of its 48 launches earned $100k+ priced under $5, against 0 of 465 launches for Difficult and 1 of 736 launches for Retro.

Small sample: 48 launches, 0 hits.

TIEA tie

Tag onemood tagDifficult

0 of 465launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds0 of 465 launches

Typical earnings$220

Launches465 / 0 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

TIEA tie

This pairDifficult + Retro

0 of 48launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds0 of 48 launches

$1k+13 in 100

$10k+1 of 48 launches

Launches48 / 0 hits

Expected0.4 in 100

TIEA tie

Tag twomood tagRetro

1 of 736launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds1 of 736 launches

Typical earnings$179

Launches736 / 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 $5Difficult 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 prices78 in pair Under $548 in pair $5 to $1021 in pair$10 to $208: too few$20 to $401: too few

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 48 games tagged both Difficult and Retro priced under $5. 0 of 48 of them earned $100k+, against 0 of 417 for Difficult-only games and 1 of 688 for Retro-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Difficult alone and is too small to compare with Retro alone.

Both: 48 games priced under $5; 0 of 48 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 13 in 100 · $10k+ 1 of 48 launches · $100k+ 0 of 48 launches.

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

UFO 50leads this pair91.3%

PairUFO 5091.3%

DifficultHollow Knight: Silksong66.3%

RetroMouthwashing21.8%

CheckOne game over half?yes

NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkOne-hit market. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: too few to tell. Without the breakout: moves the answer. Last 18 months: too few to tell.

Open free preview

ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Difficult + Retro

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

UFO 50 earned 91.3% of the estimated first-year money of the 78 Difficult + Retro launches.
Difficult is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 66.3% of its money.
Retro is led by Mouthwashing, with 21.8% 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

Difficult + Retro is one-hit market: one game earned over half the money.

Difficult + Retro through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view78 of 78 launches	Without the breakout77 of 78 launches	Last 18 months23 of 78 launches
Launches counted	782 hits	782 hits	771 hits	230 hits
Earned $100k+	2 of 78too few for a rate	2 of 78too few for a rate	1 of 77too few for a rate	0 of 23too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+	10 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 37 in 100	under 100 launches	under 100 launches	under 100 launches
Chance against standard	the base	0.0%no change; too few to tell	-49.4%1.3 fewer in 100	-100.0%2.6 fewer 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	Too few to tell	Moves the answer	Too few to tell

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Difficult and Retro, 12 to 36 months old: 78 launches.

Launches counted: 782 hits
Earned $100k+: 2 of 78too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: 10 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 37 in 100
Chance against standard: the base
Typical against standard: the base

West-facing viewToo few to tell

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 0 of 78 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 782 hits
Earned $100k+: 2 of 78too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: 0.0%no change; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, UFO 50 (91.3% of the money): 77 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 771 hits
Earned $100k+: 1 of 77too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: -49.4%1.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 23 of 78.

Launches counted: 230 hits
Earned $100k+: 0 of 23too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: -100.0%2.6 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Difficult and Retro, 12 to 36 months old: 78 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: 0 of 78 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, UFO 50 (91.3% of the money): 77 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: 23 of 78.

Difficult is one-hit market: one game earned over half the money. It holds in West-facing view and Last 18 months.

Difficult through every lens, all prices
Difficult	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view940 of 953 launches	Without the breakout952 of 953 launches	Last 18 months252 of 953 launches
Launches counted	95372 hits	94071 hits	95271 hits	25222 hits
Earned $100k+	7.6 in 1001 in 13	7.6 in 1001 in 13	7.5 in 1001 in 13	8.7 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings	$1,032top tenth $69,523+	$1,071	$1,032	$1,263
Chance against standard	the base	0.0%no change	-1.3%0.1 fewer in 100	+15.6%1.2 more in 100
Typical against standard	the base	+3.8%$39 more	0.0%no change	+22.4%$231 more
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Moves the answer	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Difficult, 12 to 36 months old: 953 launches.

Launches counted: 95372 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.6 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings: $1,032top tenth $69,523+
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: 13 of 953 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 94071 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.6 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings: $1,071
Chance against standard: 0.0%no change
Typical against standard: +3.8%$39 more

Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (66.3% of the money): 952 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 95271 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.5 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings: $1,032
Chance against standard: -1.3%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 252 of 953.

Launches counted: 25222 hits
Earned $100k+: 8.7 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings: $1,263
Chance against standard: +15.6%1.2 more in 100
Typical against standard: +22.4%$231 more

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Difficult, 12 to 36 months old: 953 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: 13 of 953 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 (66.3% of the money): 952 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: 252 of 953.

Retro 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.

Retro through every lens, all prices
Retro	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view1,267 of 1,300 launches	Without the breakout1,299 of 1,300 launches	Last 18 months361 of 1,300 launches
Launches counted	1,30060 hits	1,26759 hits	1,29959 hits	36115 hits
Earned $100k+	4.6 in 1001 in 22	4.7 in 1001 in 21	4.5 in 1001 in 22	4.2 in 1001 in 24
Typical first-year earnings	$569top tenth $24,754+	$596	$567	$505
Chance against standard	the base	+0.9%no change	-1.6%0.1 fewer in 100	-10.0%0.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard	the base	+4.7%$27 more	-0.4%$2 less	-11.2%$64 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Retro, 12 to 36 months old: 1,300 launches.

Launches counted: 1,30060 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.6 in 1001 in 22
Typical first-year earnings: $569top tenth $24,754+
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: 33 of 1,300 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 1,26759 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.7 in 1001 in 21
Typical first-year earnings: $596
Chance against standard: +0.9%no change
Typical against standard: +4.7%$27 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Mouthwashing (21.8% of the money): 1,299 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 1,29959 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.5 in 1001 in 22
Typical first-year earnings: $567
Chance against standard: -1.6%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -0.4%$2 less

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 361 of 1,300.

Launches counted: 36115 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.2 in 1001 in 24
Typical first-year earnings: $505
Chance against standard: -10.0%0.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -11.2%$64 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Retro, 12 to 36 months old: 1,300 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: 33 of 1,300 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 (21.8% of the money): 1,299 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: 361 of 1,300.

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 Difficult + Retro 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.