Niche

Difficult + Side Scroller

Games tagged both Difficult and Side Scroller: 72 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 $10 to $20

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 Without the breakout

Standard West-facing view Without the breakout Last 18 months

Drops the single biggest earner. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money. 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.

$10 to $20 Without the breakout Reset

Showing Difficult + Side Scroller 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. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair is about level with Difficult and beats Side Scroller; priced $10 to $20 it is too small to compare with Difficult and is too small to compare with Side Scroller.

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 + Side Scroller is too small to compare with Difficult and is too small to compare with Side Scroller: 3 of its 14 launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 27.5 in 100 for Difficult and 16.1 in 100 for Side Scroller.

Lens figures by price band are not computed yet, so this band uses the standard figures. Small sample: 14 launches, 3 hits.

TIEA tie

Tag onemood tagDifficult

27.5in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds27.5 in 100

Typical earnings$28,434

Launches182 / 50 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

TIEA tie

This pairDifficult + Side Scroller

3 of 14launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds3 of 14 launches

Typical earnings$67,414

Launches14 / 3 hits

Expected20.4 in 100

TIETied

Tag twomood tagSide Scroller

16.1in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds16.1 in 100

Typical earnings$10,294

Launches143 / 23 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

All indie launches $10 to $20: 20.4 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $10,978, from 4,304 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: 0.4 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 prices72 in pair Under $535 in pair $5 to $1017 in pair $10 to $2014 in pair$20 to $406: too few

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 14 games tagged both Difficult and Side Scroller priced $10 to $20. 3 of 14 of them earned $100k+, against 28.0 in 100 for Difficult-only games and 15.5 in 100 for Side Scroller-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Difficult alone and is too small to compare with Side Scroller alone.

Both: 14 games priced $10 to $20; 3 of 14 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $67,414.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 14 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

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Treeleads this pair66.0%

PairMandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree66.0%

DifficultHollow Knight: Silksong66.3%

Side ScrollerMandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree9.5%

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 Difficult + Side Scroller

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

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree earned 66.0% of the estimated first-year money of the 72 Difficult + Side Scroller launches.
Difficult is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 66.3% of its money.
It also leads Side Scroller, with 9.5% 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: games mostly reviewed in Chinese, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

Difficult + Side Scroller is one-hit market: one game earned over half the money. It holds in West-facing view.

Difficult + Side Scroller through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view71 of 72 launches	Without the breakout71 of 72 launches	Last 18 months17 of 72 launches
Launches counted	725 hits	715 hits	714 hits	172 hits
Earned $100k+	6.9 in 1001 in 14	7.0 in 1001 in 14	4 of 71too few for a rate	2 of 17too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings	$1,301top tenth $84,380+	$1,301	$1,180	$737
Chance against standard	the base	+1.4%0.1 more in 100	-18.9%1.3 fewer in 100	+69.4%4.8 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard	the base	0.0%no change; too few to tell	-9.3%$121 less	-43.4%$564 less; too few to tell
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Moves the answer	Too few to tell

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Difficult and Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 72 launches.

Launches counted: 725 hits
Earned $100k+: 6.9 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings: $1,301top tenth $84,380+
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 72 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 715 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.0 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings: $1,301
Chance against standard: +1.4%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change; too few to tell

Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree (66.0% of the money): 71 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 714 hits
Earned $100k+: 4 of 71too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: $1,180
Chance against standard: -18.9%1.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -9.3%$121 less

Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 17 of 72.

Launches counted: 172 hits
Earned $100k+: 2 of 17too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: $737
Chance against standard: +69.4%4.8 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: -43.4%$564 less; too few to tell

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Difficult and Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 72 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 72 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, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree (66.0% of the money): 71 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: 17 of 72.

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.

Side Scroller 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.

Side Scroller through every lens, all prices
Side Scroller	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view1,042 of 1,065 launches	Without the breakout1,064 of 1,065 launches	Last 18 months288 of 1,065 launches
Launches counted	1,06542 hits	1,04241 hits	1,06441 hits	28814 hits
Earned $100k+	3.9 in 1001 in 25	3.9 in 1001 in 25	3.9 in 1001 in 26	4.9 in 1001 in 21
Typical first-year earnings	$346top tenth $23,350+	$346	$346	$268
Chance against standard	the base	-0.2%no change	-2.3%0.1 fewer in 100	+23.3%0.9 more in 100
Typical against standard	the base	0.0%no change	0.0%no change	-22.5%$78 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 1,065 launches.

Launches counted: 1,06542 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.9 in 1001 in 25
Typical first-year earnings: $346top tenth $23,350+
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 1,065 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 1,04241 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.9 in 1001 in 25
Typical first-year earnings: $346
Chance against standard: -0.2%no change
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree (9.5% of the money): 1,064 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 1,06441 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.9 in 1001 in 26
Typical first-year earnings: $346
Chance against standard: -2.3%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 288 of 1,065.

Launches counted: 28814 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.9 in 1001 in 21
Typical first-year earnings: $268
Chance against standard: +23.3%0.9 more in 100
Typical against standard: -22.5%$78 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 1,065 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 1,065 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, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree (9.5% of the money): 1,064 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: 288 of 1,065.

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 + Side Scroller 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.