Niche

Exploration + Metroidvania

Games tagged both Exploration and Metroidvania: 201 indie paid launches, 38 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.

Price $10 to $20

All prices1 in 16 hit $100k+Under $51 in 200 hit $100k+$5 to $101 in 26 hit $100k+$10 to $2019 in 100 hit $100k+$20 to $4042 in 100 hit $100k+

Base rate: indie paid launches 6 to 30 months old, 29,637 launches. Odds compare best within one price.

Lens Standard

Standard West-facing view Without the breakout Last 18 months

All indie paid launches 6 to 30 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.

$10 to $20

Showing Exploration + Metroidvania 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 + Metroidvania beats both its tags: 27.9 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 20.1 in 100 for Exploration and 24.5 in 100 for Metroidvania.

That is about 1.5 times the 18.6 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

3RDThird

Tag onemood tagExploration

20.1in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds20.1 in 100

Typical earnings$11,535

Launches988 / 199 hits

Pair leads by7.8 in 100

1STWinner

This pairExploration + Metroidvania

27.9in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds27.9 in 100

Typical earnings$23,883

Launches86 / 24 hits

Expected18.6 in 100

2NDRunner-up

Tag twoMetroidvania

24.5in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds24.5 in 100

Typical earnings$23,478

Launches151 / 37 hits

Pair leads by3.4 in 100

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 $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: 0.5 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 prices201 in pair Under $546 in pair $5 to $1053 in pair $10 to $2086 in pair $20 to $4016 in pair

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 86 games tagged both Exploration and Metroidvania priced $10 to $20. 27.9 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 19.4 for Exploration-only games and 20.0 for Metroidvania-only games, so games with both tags did better than games with either tag alone.

Both: 86 games priced $10 to $20; 27.9 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $23,883.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 86 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

Hollow Knight: Silksongleads this pair83.6%

PairHollow Knight: Silksong83.6%

ExplorationHollow Knight: Silksong20.7%

MetroidvaniaHollow Knight: Silksong68.4%

CheckOne game over half?yes

NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkHolds in 3 of 3. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: holds.

Open free preview

ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Exploration + Metroidvania

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

Hollow Knight: Silksong earned 83.6% of the estimated first-year money of the 201 Exploration + Metroidvania launches.
It also leads Exploration, with 20.7% of that tag's money.
It also leads Metroidvania, with 68.4% 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: those with a mostly Chinese audience, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

Exploration + Metroidvania holds in 3 of 3: every lens keeps the chance and typical earnings within a quarter of the standard figures.

Exploration + Metroidvania through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view196 of 201 launches	Without the breakout200 of 201 launches	Last 18 months117 of 201 launches
Launches counted	20138 hits	19635 hits	20037 hits	11718 hits
Earned $100k+	18.9 in 100	17.9 in 100	18.5 in 100	15.4 in 100
Typical first-year earnings	$4,749top tenth $235,466+	$4,749	$4,749	$4,648
Chance against standard	the yardstick	-5.3%1.0 fewer in 100	-2.1%0.4 fewer in 100	-18.5%3.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard	the yardstick	0.0%no change	0.0%no change	-2.1%$101 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Metroidvania, 6 to 30 months old: 201 launches.

Launches counted: 20138 hits
Earned $100k+: 18.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $4,749top tenth $235,466+
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: 5 of 201 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 19635 hits
Earned $100k+: 17.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $4,749
Chance against standard: -5.3%1.0 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (83.6% of the money): 200 launches left.

Launches counted: 20037 hits
Earned $100k+: 18.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $4,749
Chance against standard: -2.1%0.4 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 117 of 201.

Launches counted: 11718 hits
Earned $100k+: 15.4 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $4,648
Chance against standard: -18.5%3.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -2.1%$101 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Metroidvania, 6 to 30 months old: 201 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: 5 of 201 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 (83.6% of the money): 200 launches left.
Last 18 months: Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 117 of 201.

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

Exploration through every lens, all prices
Exploration	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view4,867 of 5,078 launches	Without the breakout5,077 of 5,078 launches	Last 18 months2,727 of 5,078 launches
Launches counted	5,078397 hits	4,867377 hits	5,077396 hits	2,727190 hits
Earned $100k+	7.8 in 1001 in 13	7.7 in 1001 in 13	7.8 in 1001 in 13	7.0 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings	$908top tenth $58,608+	$909	$902	$728
Chance against standard	the yardstick	-1.3%0.1 fewer in 100	0.0%no change	-10.3%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard	the yardstick	+0.1%$1 more	-0.7%$6 less	-19.8%$180 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 6 to 30 months old: 5,078 launches.

Launches counted: 5,078397 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings: $908top tenth $58,608+
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: 211 of 5,078 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 4,867377 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.7 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings: $909
Chance against standard: -1.3%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: +0.1%$1 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (20.7% of the money): 5,077 launches left.

Launches counted: 5,077396 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings: $902
Chance against standard: 0.0%no change
Typical against standard: -0.7%$6 less

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 2,727 of 5,078.

Launches counted: 2,727190 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.0 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings: $728
Chance against standard: -10.3%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -19.8%$180 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 6 to 30 months old: 5,078 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: 211 of 5,078 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 (20.7% of the money): 5,077 launches left.
Last 18 months: Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 2,727 of 5,078.

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

Metroidvania through every lens, all prices
Metroidvania	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view406 of 420 launches	Without the breakout419 of 420 launches	Last 18 months232 of 420 launches
Launches counted	42061 hits	40658 hits	41960 hits	23229 hits
Earned $100k+	14.5 in 100	14.3 in 100	14.3 in 100	12.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings	$2,894top tenth $168,221+	$3,031	$2,893	$2,901
Chance against standard	the yardstick	-1.4%0.2 fewer in 100	-1.4%0.2 fewer in 100	-13.8%2.0 fewer in 100
Typical against standard	the yardstick	+4.7%$137 more	0.0%$1 less	+0.2%$7 more
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Metroidvania, 6 to 30 months old: 420 launches.

Launches counted: 42061 hits
Earned $100k+: 14.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $2,894top tenth $168,221+
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: 14 of 420 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 40658 hits
Earned $100k+: 14.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $3,031
Chance against standard: -1.4%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: +4.7%$137 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (68.4% of the money): 419 launches left.

Launches counted: 41960 hits
Earned $100k+: 14.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $2,893
Chance against standard: -1.4%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%$1 less

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 232 of 420.

Launches counted: 23229 hits
Earned $100k+: 12.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $2,901
Chance against standard: -13.8%2.0 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: +0.2%$7 more

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Metroidvania, 6 to 30 months old: 420 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: 14 of 420 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 (68.4% of the money): 419 launches left.
Last 18 months: Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 232 of 420.

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 Exploration + Metroidvania moves, comparables the day they land, and every lens for every pair and price. Free until launch.

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Keep gold access after launch: alerts, comparables, every lens.