Niche

Exploration + Idler

Games tagged both Exploration and Idler: 56 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 26,758 indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, data of 2 Nov 2026. How it is measured.

Price Under $5

All prices1 in 15 hit $100k+Under $51 in 230 hit $100k+$5 to $101 in 28 hit $100k+$10 to $2021 in 100 hit $100k+$20 to $4044 in 100 hit $100k+

Base rate: indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, 26,758 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 Exploration + Idler 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

Exploration + Idler is too small to compare with Exploration and is too small to compare with Idler: 0 of its 39 launches earned $100k+ priced under $5, against 0.4 in 100 for Exploration and 1.7 in 100 for Idler.

Small sample: 39 launches, 0 hits.

TIEA tie

Tag onemood tagExploration

0.4in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds1 in 275

Typical earnings$217

Launches2,198 / 8 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

TIEA tie

This pairExploration + Idler

0 of 39launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds0 of 39 launches

$1k+36 in 100

$10k+4 of 39 launches

Launches39 / 0 hits

Expected0.4 in 100

TIEA tie

Tag twoIdler

1.7in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds1 in 60

Typical earnings$272

Launches658 / 11 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

All indie launches under $5: 0.4 in 100 earned $100k+ (1 in 230), typical $162, from 14,050 launches.each block is 0.5 in 100 all indie at under $5Exploration 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 prices56 in pair Under $539 in pair $5 to $1012 in pair$10 to $205: too few$20 to $40no launches

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 39 games tagged both Exploration and Idler priced under $5. 0 of 39 of them earned $100k+, against 0.4 in 100 for Exploration-only games and 1.8 in 100 for Idler-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Exploration alone and is too small to compare with Idler alone.

Both: 39 games priced under $5; 0 of 39 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 36 in 100 · $10k+ 4 of 39 launches · $100k+ 0 of 39 launches.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 39 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

BitCraft Onlineleads this pair74.8%

PairBitCraft Online74.8%

ExplorationHollow Knight: Silksong23.3%

IdlerSpirit City: Lofi Sessions12.3%

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 Exploration + Idler

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

BitCraft Online earned 74.8% of the estimated first-year money of the 56 Exploration + Idler launches.
Exploration is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 23.3% of its money.
Idler is led by Spirit City: Lofi Sessions, with 12.3% 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

Exploration + Idler is one-hit market: one game earned over half the money.

Exploration + Idler through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view50 of 56 launches	Without the breakout55 of 56 launches	Last 18 months21 of 56 launches
Launches counted	562 hits	502 hits	551 hits	212 hits
Earned $100k+	2 of 56too few for a rate	2 of 50too few for a rate	1 of 55too few for a rate	2 of 21too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+	20 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 43 in 100	under 100 launches	under 100 launches	under 100 launches
Chance against standard	the base	+12.0%0.4 more in 100; too few to tell	-49.1%1.8 fewer in 100	+166.7%6.0 more 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 Exploration and Idler, 12 to 36 months old: 56 launches.

Launches counted: 562 hits
Earned $100k+: 2 of 56too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: 20 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 43 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: 6 of 56 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 502 hits
Earned $100k+: 2 of 50too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: +12.0%0.4 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, BitCraft Online (74.8% of the money): 55 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 551 hits
Earned $100k+: 1 of 55too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: -49.1%1.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 21 of 56.

Launches counted: 212 hits
Earned $100k+: 2 of 21too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: +166.7%6.0 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Idler, 12 to 36 months old: 56 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: 6 of 56 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, BitCraft Online (74.8% of the money): 55 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: 21 of 56.

Exploration 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.

Exploration through every lens, all prices
Exploration	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view4,432 of 4,635 launches	Without the breakout4,634 of 4,635 launches	Last 18 months1,277 of 4,635 launches
Launches counted	4,635375 hits	4,432357 hits	4,634374 hits	1,27799 hits
Earned $100k+	8.1 in 1001 in 12	8.1 in 1001 in 12	8.1 in 1001 in 12	7.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings	$876top tenth $64,081+	$894	$876	$858
Chance against standard	the base	-0.4%no change	-0.2%no change	-4.2%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard	the base	+2.1%$18 more	0.0%no change	-2.1%$18 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 4,635 launches.

Launches counted: 4,635375 hits
Earned $100k+: 8.1 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings: $876top tenth $64,081+
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: 203 of 4,635 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 4,432357 hits
Earned $100k+: 8.1 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings: $894
Chance against standard: -0.4%no change
Typical against standard: +2.1%$18 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (23.3% of the money): 4,634 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 4,634374 hits
Earned $100k+: 8.1 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings: $876
Chance against standard: -0.2%no change
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,277 of 4,635.

Launches counted: 1,27799 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings: $858
Chance against standard: -4.2%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -2.1%$18 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 4,635 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: 203 of 4,635 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 (23.3% of the money): 4,634 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: 1,277 of 4,635.

Idler 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.

Idler through every lens, all prices
Idler	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view803 of 882 launches	Without the breakout881 of 882 launches	Last 18 months363 of 882 launches
Launches counted	88243 hits	80337 hits	88142 hits	36322 hits
Earned $100k+	4.9 in 1001 in 21	4.6 in 1001 in 22	4.8 in 1001 in 21	6.1 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings	$509top tenth $32,462+	$514	$509	$515
Chance against standard	the base	-5.5%0.3 fewer in 100	-2.2%0.1 fewer in 100	+24.3%1.2 more in 100
Typical against standard	the base	+1.0%$5 more	0.0%no change	+1.2%$6 more
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Idler, 12 to 36 months old: 882 launches.

Launches counted: 88243 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.9 in 1001 in 21
Typical first-year earnings: $509top tenth $32,462+
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: 79 of 882 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 80337 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.6 in 1001 in 22
Typical first-year earnings: $514
Chance against standard: -5.5%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: +1.0%$5 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Spirit City: Lofi Sessions (12.3% of the money): 881 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 88142 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.8 in 1001 in 21
Typical first-year earnings: $509
Chance against standard: -2.2%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 363 of 882.

Launches counted: 36322 hits
Earned $100k+: 6.1 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings: $515
Chance against standard: +24.3%1.2 more in 100
Typical against standard: +1.2%$6 more

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Idler, 12 to 36 months old: 882 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: 79 of 882 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, Spirit City: Lofi Sessions (12.3% of the money): 881 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: 363 of 882.

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 Exploration + Idler 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.