Genres

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.

Settings
Text size
Game Market DataBuild what sells
Live games
191,979
on 2 Oct 2026

Niches / Difficult + Side Scroller

Niche

Difficult + Side Scroller

Games tagged both Difficult and Side Scroller: 83 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".
  • 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 + Side Scroller priced $10 to $20, hiding samples under 30 launches. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair trails Difficult and beats Side Scroller; 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

17 launches, under your minimum sample of 30.

Pick another price band, or lower the minimum sample.

1STWinner
Tag onemood tagDifficult
22.5in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds22.5 in 100
Typical earnings$19,202
Launches213 / 48 hits
Pairno reading
--No reading
This pairDifficult + Side Scroller
--too few
to read
Odds--
Typical earnings--
Launches17

17 launches, under your minimum sample of 30.

2NDRunner-up
Tag twomood tagSide Scroller
12.8in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds12.8 in 100
Typical earnings$10,120
Launches149 / 19 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 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 prices83 in pairUnder $538 in pair$5 to $1022 in pair$10 to $2017 in pair$20 to $406: too few
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 17 games tagged both Difficult and Side Scroller priced $10 to $20. 17.6 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 23.0 for Difficult-only games and 12.1 for Side Scroller-only games, so the mix trails Difficult alone and beats Side Scroller alone.

Both: 17 games priced $10 to $20; 17.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $29,724.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 17 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

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Treeleads this pair60.6%
PairMandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree60.6%
DifficultHollow Knight: Silksong57.2%
Side ScrollerAbsolum17.8%
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 + 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 60.6% of the estimated first-year money of the 83 Difficult + Side Scroller launches.
  • Difficult is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 57.2% of its money.
  • Side Scroller is led by Absolum, with 17.8% 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: those with a mostly Chinese audience, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

Difficult + Side Scroller is changed recently: Last 18 months moves the answer by more than a quarter. It holds in 2 of 3.

Difficult + Side Scroller through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view82 of 83 launchesWithout the breakout82 of 83 launchesLast 18 months39 of 83 launches
Launches counted835 hits825 hits824 hits392 hits
Earned $100k+6.0 in 1001 in 176.1 in 1001 in 164.9 in 1001 in 205.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings$1,821top tenth $62,342+$1,938$1,821$971
Chance against standardthe yardstick+1.7%0.1 more in 100-18.3%1.1 fewer in 100-15.0%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+6.4%$117 more0.0%no change-46.7%$850 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Difficult and Side Scroller, 6 to 30 months old: 83 launches.

Launches counted
835 hits
Earned $100k+
6.0 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings
$1,821top tenth $62,342+
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: 1 of 83 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
825 hits
Earned $100k+
6.1 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$1,938
Chance against standard
+1.7%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
+6.4%$117 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree (60.6% of the money): 82 launches left.

Launches counted
824 hits
Earned $100k+
4.9 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$1,821
Chance against standard
-18.3%1.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 39 of 83.

Launches counted
392 hits
Earned $100k+
5.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$971
Chance against standard
-15.0%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-46.7%$850 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Difficult and Side Scroller, 6 to 30 months old: 83 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: 1 of 83 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 (60.6% of the money): 82 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 39 of 83.

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.

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

Side Scroller through every lens, all prices
Side ScrollerBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,105 of 1,126 launchesWithout the breakout1,125 of 1,126 launchesLast 18 months592 of 1,126 launches
Launches counted1,12638 hits1,10538 hits1,12537 hits59222 hits
Earned $100k+3.4 in 1001 in 293.4 in 1001 in 293.3 in 1001 in 303.7 in 1001 in 27
Typical first-year earnings$401top tenth $18,826+$385$385$303
Chance against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change-2.9%0.1 fewer in 100+8.8%0.3 more in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-4.0%$16 less-4.0%$16 less-24.4%$98 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Side Scroller, 6 to 30 months old: 1,126 launches.

Launches counted
1,12638 hits
Earned $100k+
3.4 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings
$401top tenth $18,826+
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: 21 of 1,126 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,10538 hits
Earned $100k+
3.4 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings
$385
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
-4.0%$16 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Absolum (17.8% of the money): 1,125 launches left.

Launches counted
1,12537 hits
Earned $100k+
3.3 in 1001 in 30
Typical first-year earnings
$385
Chance against standard
-2.9%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-4.0%$16 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 592 of 1,126.

Launches counted
59222 hits
Earned $100k+
3.7 in 1001 in 27
Typical first-year earnings
$303
Chance against standard
+8.8%0.3 more in 100
Typical against standard
-24.4%$98 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Side Scroller, 6 to 30 months old: 1,126 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: 21 of 1,126 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, Absolum (17.8% of the money): 1,125 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 592 of 1,126.

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 + 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.

Releases

Ticker: 30 upcoming games dated within 90 days, with wishlist rank, release date and followers. The same list is on the Upcoming page.