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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 + Strategy RPG

Niche

Exploration + Strategy RPG

Games tagged both Exploration and Strategy RPG: 100 indie paid launches, 6 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 + Strategy RPG priced $10 to $20. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair is about level with Exploration and is about level with Strategy RPG; priced $10 to $20 it is too small to compare with Exploration and is too small to compare with Strategy RPG.

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 + Strategy RPG is too small to compare with Exploration and is too small to compare with Strategy RPG: 4 of its 22 launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 20.6 in 100 for Exploration and 17.5 in 100 for Strategy RPG.

Small sample: 22 launches, 4 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 + Strategy RPG
4 of 22launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds4 of 22 launches
$1k+15 of 22 launches
$10k+9 of 22 launches
Launches22 / 4 hits
Expected20.5 in 100
TIETied
Tag twoStrategy RPG
17.5in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds17.5 in 100
Typical earnings$12,482
Launches126 / 22 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 prices100 in pairUnder $544 in pair$5 to $1033 in pair$10 to $2022 in pair$20 to $401: too few
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 22 games tagged both Exploration and Strategy RPG priced $10 to $20. 4 of 22 of them earned $100k+, against 20.6 in 100 for Exploration-only games and 17.3 in 100 for Strategy RPG-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Exploration alone and is too small to compare with Strategy RPG alone.

Both: 22 games priced $10 to $20; 4 of 22 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 15 of 22 launches · $10k+ 9 of 22 launches · $100k+ 4 of 22 launches.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 22 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

Erenshorleads this pair36.9%
PairErenshor36.9%
ExplorationHollow Knight: Silksong23.3%
Strategy RPGTactical Breach Wizards18.3%
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 + Strategy RPG

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

  • Erenshor earned 36.9% of the estimated first-year money of the 100 Exploration + Strategy RPG launches.
  • Exploration is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 23.3% of its money.
  • Strategy RPG is led by Tactical Breach Wizards, with 18.3% 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 + Strategy RPG 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 + Strategy RPG through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view77 of 100 launchesWithout the breakout99 of 100 launchesLast 18 months33 of 100 launches
Launches counted1006 hits776 hits995 hits331 hits
Earned $100k+6.0 in 1001 in 177.8 in 1001 in 135.1 in 1001 in 201 of 33too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings$297top tenth $32,046+under 100 launchesunder 100 launchesunder 100 launches
Chance against standardthe base+29.9%1.8 more in 100-15.8%0.9 fewer in 100-49.5%3.0 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standardthe baseunder 100 launchesunder 100 launchesunder 100 launches
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsToo few to tell
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Strategy RPG, 12 to 36 months old: 100 launches.

Launches counted
1006 hits
Earned $100k+
6.0 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings
$297top tenth $32,046+
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: 23 of 100 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
776 hits
Earned $100k+
7.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
+29.9%1.8 more in 100
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Erenshor (36.9% of the money): 99 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
995 hits
Earned $100k+
5.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
-15.8%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 33 of 100.

Launches counted
331 hits
Earned $100k+
1 of 33too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
-49.5%3.0 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Strategy RPG, 12 to 36 months old: 100 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: 23 of 100 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, Erenshor (36.9% of the money): 99 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: 33 of 100.

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.

Strategy RPG 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.

Strategy RPG through every lens, all prices
Strategy RPGBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view427 of 520 launchesWithout the breakout519 of 520 launchesLast 18 months165 of 520 launches
Launches counted52037 hits42730 hits51936 hits16512 hits
Earned $100k+7.1 in 1001 in 147.0 in 1001 in 146.9 in 1001 in 147.3 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings$690top tenth $62,624+$663$690$643
Chance against standardthe base-1.3%0.1 fewer in 100-2.5%0.2 fewer in 100+2.2%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base-3.9%$27 less0.0%no change-6.8%$47 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Strategy RPG, 12 to 36 months old: 520 launches.

Launches counted
52037 hits
Earned $100k+
7.1 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$690top tenth $62,624+
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: 93 of 520 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
42730 hits
Earned $100k+
7.0 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$663
Chance against standard
-1.3%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-3.9%$27 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Tactical Breach Wizards (18.3% of the money): 519 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
51936 hits
Earned $100k+
6.9 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$690
Chance against standard
-2.5%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 165 of 520.

Launches counted
16512 hits
Earned $100k+
7.3 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$643
Chance against standard
+2.2%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard
-6.8%$47 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Strategy RPG, 12 to 36 months old: 520 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: 93 of 520 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, Tactical Breach Wizards (18.3% of the money): 519 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: 165 of 520.

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 + Strategy RPG 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.