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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 change shows for genres with 100+ launches. The same figures are on the Genres page.

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on 11 Nov 2026

Niches / Exploration + Linear

Niche

Exploration + Linear

Games tagged both Exploration and Linear: 180 indie paid launches, 3 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.

Showing Exploration + Linear priced $10 to $20.

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

Exploration + Linear is too small to compare with Exploration and is too small to compare with Linear: 1 of its 19 launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 20.6 in 100 for Exploration and 4 of 88 launches for Linear.

Small sample: 19 launches, 1 hits.

TIEA tie
Tag onemood tagExploration
20.6in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds20.6 in 100
Typical earnings$12,769
Launches880 / 181 hits
Pair against ittoo few hits to compare
TIEA tie
This pairExploration + Linear
1 of 19launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds1 of 19 launches
$1k+13 of 19 launches
$10k+5 of 19 launches
Launches19 / 1 hits
Expected20.5 in 100
TIEA tie
Tag twomood tagLinear
4 of 88launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds4 of 88 launches
$1k+70 in 100
$10k+32 in 100
Launches88 / 4 hits
Pair against ittoo few hits to compare
All indie launches $10 to $20: 20.5 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $11,233, from 4,337 launches.each block is 2 in 100 all indie at $10 to $20Exploration 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 prices180 in pairUnder $5110 in pair$5 to $1042 in pair$10 to $2019 in pair$20 to $409: too few
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 19 games tagged both Exploration and Linear priced $10 to $20. 1 of 19 of them earned $100k+, against 20.9 in 100 for Exploration-only games and 3 of 69 for Linear-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Exploration alone and is too small to compare with Linear alone.

Both: 19 games priced $10 to $20; 1 of 19 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 13 of 19 launches · $10k+ 5 of 19 launches · $100k+ 1 of 19 launches.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 19 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

Quartetleads this pair18.5%
PairQuartet18.5%
ExplorationHollow Knight: Silksong23.3%
LinearSpilled!9.8%
CheckOne game over half?no
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkHolds in 2 of 3, 1 too few to tell. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: too few to tell.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Exploration + Linear

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

  • Quartet earned 18.5% of the estimated first-year money of the 180 Exploration + Linear launches.
  • Exploration is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 23.3% of its money.
  • Linear is led by Spilled!, with 9.8% of its money.
  • No game holds over half of this pair's money, so the pair is not a one-hit market.

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 + Linear holds in West-facing view and Without the breakout; too few to tell in Last 18 months. No lens moves the chance or typical earnings more than chance alone would.

Exploration + Linear through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view177 of 180 launchesWithout the breakout179 of 180 launchesLast 18 months46 of 180 launches
Launches counted1803 hits1773 hits1792 hits462 hits
Earned $100k+3 of 180too few for a rate3 of 177too few for a rate2 of 179too few for a rate2 of 46too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings$729top tenth $8,679+$729$698under 100 launches
Chance against standardthe base+1.7%no change; too few to tell-33.0%0.5 fewer in 100+160.9%2.7 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standardthe base0.0%no change-4.3%$31 lessunder 100 launches
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsToo few to tell
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Linear, 12 to 36 months old: 180 launches.

Launches counted
1803 hits
Earned $100k+
3 of 180too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$729top tenth $8,679+
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: 3 of 180 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1773 hits
Earned $100k+
3 of 177too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$729
Chance against standard
+1.7%no change; too few to tell
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Quartet (18.5% of the money): 179 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
1792 hits
Earned $100k+
2 of 179too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$698
Chance against standard
-33.0%0.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-4.3%$31 less
Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 46 of 180.

Launches counted
462 hits
Earned $100k+
2 of 46too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
+160.9%2.7 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Linear, 12 to 36 months old: 180 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: 3 of 180 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, Quartet (18.5% of the money): 179 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: 46 of 180.

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
ExplorationBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view4,432 of 4,635 launchesWithout the breakout4,634 of 4,635 launchesLast 18 months1,277 of 4,635 launches
Launches counted4,635375 hits4,432357 hits4,634374 hits1,27799 hits
Earned $100k+8.1 in 1001 in 128.1 in 1001 in 128.1 in 1001 in 127.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings$876top tenth $64,081+$894$876$858
Chance against standardthe base-0.4%no change-0.2%no change-4.2%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe base+2.1%$18 more0.0%no change-2.1%$18 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
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.

Linear is audience split: West-facing view moves the answer more than chance alone would. It holds in Without the breakout and Last 18 months.

Linear through every lens, all prices
LinearBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,042 of 1,070 launchesWithout the breakout1,069 of 1,070 launchesLast 18 months313 of 1,070 launches
Launches counted1,07012 hits1,04210 hits1,06911 hits3135 hits
Earned $100k+1.1 in 1001 in 891.0 in 1001 in 1041.0 in 1001 in 971.6 in 1001 in 63
Typical first-year earnings$321top tenth $6,358+$325$313$273
Chance against standardthe base-14.4%0.2 fewer in 100-8.2%0.1 fewer in 100+42.4%0.5 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+1.2%$4 more-2.5%$8 less-15.0%$48 less
Does it hold?The base viewMoves the answerHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Linear, 12 to 36 months old: 1,070 launches.

Launches counted
1,07012 hits
Earned $100k+
1.1 in 1001 in 89
Typical first-year earnings
$321top tenth $6,358+
Chance against standard
the base
Typical against standard
the base
West-facing viewMoves the answer

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 28 of 1,070 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,04210 hits
Earned $100k+
1.0 in 1001 in 104
Typical first-year earnings
$325
Chance against standard
-14.4%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+1.2%$4 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Spilled! (9.8% of the money): 1,069 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
1,06911 hits
Earned $100k+
1.0 in 1001 in 97
Typical first-year earnings
$313
Chance against standard
-8.2%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-2.5%$8 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 313 of 1,070.

Launches counted
3135 hits
Earned $100k+
1.6 in 1001 in 63
Typical first-year earnings
$273
Chance against standard
+42.4%0.5 more in 100
Typical against standard
-15.0%$48 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Linear, 12 to 36 months old: 1,070 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: 28 of 1,070 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, Spilled! (9.8% of the money): 1,069 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: 313 of 1,070.

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 + Linear 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.