Niche

Exploration + Psychological

Games tagged both Exploration and Psychological: 115 indie paid launches, 4 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 + Psychological 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 + Psychological is too small to compare with Exploration and is too small to compare with Psychological: 0 of its 70 launches earned $100k+ priced under $5, against 0.4 in 100 for Exploration and 3 of 291 launches for Psychological.

Small sample: 70 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 + Psychological

0 of 70launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds0 of 70 launches

$1k+36 in 100

$10k+0 of 70 launches

Launches70 / 0 hits

Expected0.4 in 100

TIEA tie

Tag twomood tagPsychological

3 of 291launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds3 of 291 launches

Typical earnings$454

Launches291 / 3 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 prices115 in pair Under $570 in pair $5 to $1034 in pair$10 to $209: too few$20 to $402: too few

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 70 games tagged both Exploration and Psychological priced under $5. 0 of 70 of them earned $100k+, against 0.4 in 100 for Exploration-only games and 3 of 221 for Psychological-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Exploration alone and is too small to compare with Psychological alone.

Both: 70 games priced under $5; 0 of 70 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 36 in 100 · $10k+ 0 of 70 launches · $100k+ 0 of 70 launches.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 70 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

INDIKAleads this pair56.8%

PairINDIKA56.8%

ExplorationHollow Knight: Silksong23.3%

PsychologicalMouthwashing33.5%

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 Exploration + Psychological

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

INDIKA earned 56.8% of the estimated first-year money of the 115 Exploration + Psychological launches.
Exploration is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 23.3% of its money.
Psychological is led by Mouthwashing, with 33.5% 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 + Psychological is one-hit market: one game earned over half the money. It holds in West-facing view.

Exploration + Psychological through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view111 of 115 launches	Without the breakout114 of 115 launches	Last 18 months37 of 115 launches
Launches counted	1154 hits	1114 hits	1143 hits	371 hits
Earned $100k+	4 of 115too few for a rate	4 of 111too few for a rate	3 of 114too few for a rate	1 of 37too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings	$797top tenth $10,514+	$797	$797	under 100 launches
Chance against standard	the base	+3.6%0.1 more in 100; too few to tell	-24.3%0.8 fewer in 100	-22.3%0.8 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard	the base	0.0%no change	0.0%no change	under 100 launches
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Moves the answer	Too few to tell

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Psychological, 12 to 36 months old: 115 launches.

Launches counted: 1154 hits
Earned $100k+: 4 of 115too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: $797top tenth $10,514+
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: 4 of 115 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 1114 hits
Earned $100k+: 4 of 111too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: $797
Chance against standard: +3.6%0.1 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, INDIKA (56.8% of the money): 114 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 1143 hits
Earned $100k+: 3 of 114too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: $797
Chance against standard: -24.3%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 37 of 115.

Launches counted: 371 hits
Earned $100k+: 1 of 37too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: -22.3%0.8 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Psychological, 12 to 36 months old: 115 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: 4 of 115 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, INDIKA (56.8% of the money): 114 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: 37 of 115.

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.

Psychological 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.

Psychological through every lens, all prices
Psychological	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view427 of 458 launches	Without the breakout457 of 458 launches	Last 18 months144 of 458 launches
Launches counted	45822 hits	42722 hits	45721 hits	1445 hits
Earned $100k+	4.8 in 1001 in 21	5.2 in 1001 in 19	4.6 in 1001 in 22	3.5 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings	$810top tenth $16,339+	$871	$797	$624
Chance against standard	the base	+7.3%0.3 more in 100	-4.3%0.2 fewer in 100	-27.7%1.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard	the base	+7.5%$61 more	-1.6%$13 less	-23.0%$186 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Psychological, 12 to 36 months old: 458 launches.

Launches counted: 45822 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.8 in 1001 in 21
Typical first-year earnings: $810top tenth $16,339+
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: 31 of 458 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 42722 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.2 in 1001 in 19
Typical first-year earnings: $871
Chance against standard: +7.3%0.3 more in 100
Typical against standard: +7.5%$61 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Mouthwashing (33.5% of the money): 457 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 45721 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.6 in 1001 in 22
Typical first-year earnings: $797
Chance against standard: -4.3%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -1.6%$13 less

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 144 of 458.

Launches counted: 1445 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.5 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings: $624
Chance against standard: -27.7%1.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -23.0%$186 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Psychological, 12 to 36 months old: 458 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: 31 of 458 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, Mouthwashing (33.5% of the money): 457 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: 144 of 458.

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 + Psychological 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.