Genres

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.

Settings
Text size
Game Market DataBuild what sells
Live games
192,217
on 3 Oct 2026

Niches / Exploration + Space

Niche

Exploration + Space

Games tagged both Exploration and Space: 127 indie paid launches, 13 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 26,280 indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, data of 3 Oct 2026. How it is measured.

Showing Exploration + Space priced $10 to $20, west-facing view. Lens figures exist at all prices only, so inside a price band the page shows the standard figures. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair is about level with Exploration and beats Space; priced $10 to $20 it is too small to compare with Exploration and is too small to compare with Space.

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 + Space is too small to compare with Exploration and is too small to compare with Space: 6 of its 29 launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 17.3 in 100 for Exploration and 18.7 in 100 for Space.

Lens figures by price band are not computed yet, so this band uses the standard figures. Small sample: 29 launches, 6 hits.

TIEA tie
Tag onemood tagExploration
17.3in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds17.3 in 100
Typical earnings$9,369
Launches878 / 152 hits
Pair against ittoo few hits to compare
TIEA tie
This pairExploration + Space
6 of 29launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds6 of 29 launches
Typical earnings$12,851
Launches29 / 6 hits
Expected17.6 in 100
TIEA tie
Tag twoSpace
18.7in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds18.7 in 100
Typical earnings$7,527
Launches107 / 20 hits
Pair against ittoo few hits to compare
All indie launches $10 to $20: 17.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $8,234, from 4,301 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: 40.0 in 100), so read it within a price band.

Price bandswitches the whole page
All prices127 in pairUnder $548 in pair$5 to $1038 in pair$10 to $2029 in pair$20 to $4012 in pair
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 29 games tagged both Exploration and Space priced $10 to $20. 6 of 29 of them earned $100k+, against 17.2 in 100 for Exploration-only games and 17.9 in 100 for Space-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Exploration alone and is too small to compare with Space alone.

Both: 29 games priced $10 to $20; 6 of 29 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $12,851.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 29 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. The west-facing view lens is not computed for the outer parts, so this diagram uses the standard figures.

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

Jump Spaceleads this pair34.8%
PairJump Space34.8%
ExplorationHollow Knight: Silksong21.4%
SpaceSTAR WARS™: Battlefront Classic Collection14.4%
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 + Space

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

  • Jump Space earned 34.8% of the estimated first-year money of the 127 Exploration + Space launches.
  • Exploration is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 21.4% of its money.
  • Space is led by STAR WARS™: Battlefront Classic Collection, with 14.4% 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 + Space 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 + Space through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view127 of 127 launchesWithout the breakout126 of 127 launchesLast 18 months37 of 127 launches
Launches counted12713 hits12713 hits12612 hits374 hits
Earned $100k+10.2 in 10010.2 in 1009.5 in 1001 in 114 of 37too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings$938top tenth $111,197+$938$938$2,143
Chance against standardthe base0.0%no change-7.0%0.7 fewer in 100+5.6%0.6 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standardthe base0.0%no change0.0%no change+128.5%$1,205 more; too few to tell
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsToo few to tell
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Space, 12 to 36 months old: 127 launches.

Launches counted
12713 hits
Earned $100k+
10.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$938top tenth $111,197+
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: 0 of 127 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
12713 hits
Earned $100k+
10.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$938
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Jump Space (34.8% of the money): 126 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
12612 hits
Earned $100k+
9.5 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings
$938
Chance against standard
-7.0%0.7 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 127.

Launches counted
374 hits
Earned $100k+
4 of 37too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$2,143
Chance against standard
+5.6%0.6 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard
+128.5%$1,205 more; too few to tell
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Space, 12 to 36 months old: 127 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: 0 of 127 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, Jump Space (34.8% of the money): 126 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 127.

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 view4,379 of 4,579 launchesWithout the breakout4,578 of 4,579 launchesLast 18 months1,268 of 4,579 launches
Launches counted4,579337 hits4,379321 hits4,578336 hits1,26896 hits
Earned $100k+7.4 in 1001 in 147.3 in 1001 in 147.3 in 1001 in 147.6 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings$861top tenth $53,530+$862$861$861
Chance against standardthe base-0.4%no change-0.3%no change+2.9%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+0.1%$1 more0.0%no change0.0%no change
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 4,579 launches.

Launches counted
4,579337 hits
Earned $100k+
7.4 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$861top tenth $53,530+
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: 200 of 4,579 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
4,379321 hits
Earned $100k+
7.3 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$862
Chance against standard
-0.4%no change
Typical against standard
+0.1%$1 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (21.4% of the money): 4,578 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
4,578336 hits
Earned $100k+
7.3 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$861
Chance against standard
-0.3%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,268 of 4,579.

Launches counted
1,26896 hits
Earned $100k+
7.6 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$861
Chance against standard
+2.9%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 4,579 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: 200 of 4,579 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 (21.4% of the money): 4,578 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: 1,268 of 4,579.

Space 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.

Space through every lens, all prices
SpaceBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view659 of 683 launchesWithout the breakout682 of 683 launchesLast 18 months185 of 683 launches
Launches counted68338 hits65937 hits68237 hits18511 hits
Earned $100k+5.6 in 1001 in 185.6 in 1001 in 185.4 in 1001 in 185.9 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings$253top tenth $20,408+$268$253$229
Chance against standardthe base+0.9%0.1 more in 100-2.5%0.1 fewer in 100+6.9%0.4 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+5.9%$15 more0.0%no change-9.5%$24 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Space, 12 to 36 months old: 683 launches.

Launches counted
68338 hits
Earned $100k+
5.6 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings
$253top tenth $20,408+
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: 24 of 683 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
65937 hits
Earned $100k+
5.6 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings
$268
Chance against standard
+0.9%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
+5.9%$15 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, STAR WARS™: Battlefront Classic Collection (14.4% of the money): 682 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
68237 hits
Earned $100k+
5.4 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings
$253
Chance against standard
-2.5%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 185 of 683.

Launches counted
18511 hits
Earned $100k+
5.9 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings
$229
Chance against standard
+6.9%0.4 more in 100
Typical against standard
-9.5%$24 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Space, 12 to 36 months old: 683 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: 24 of 683 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, STAR WARS™: Battlefront Classic Collection (14.4% of the money): 682 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: 185 of 683.

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 + Space 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.