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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 same figures are on the Genres page.

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on 30 Sep 2026

Niches / Hand-drawn + Visual Novel

Niche

Hand-drawn + Visual Novel

Games tagged both Hand-drawn and Visual Novel: 166 indie paid launches, 5 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.

Showing Hand-drawn + Visual Novel priced $10 to $20, hiding samples under 30 launches. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair trails both its tags; priced $10 to $20 it has too few launches to read.

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

26 launches, under your minimum sample of 30.

Pick another price band, or lower the minimum sample.

1STWinner
Tag onemood tagHand-drawn
17.4in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds17.4 in 100
Typical earnings$12,625
Launches172 / 30 hits
Pairno reading
--No reading
This pairHand-drawn + Visual Novel
--too few
to read
Odds--
Typical earnings--
Launches26

26 launches, under your minimum sample of 30.

2NDRunner-up
14.6in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds14.6 in 100
Typical earnings$7,366
Launches460 / 67 hits
Pairno reading
All indie launches $10 to $20: 18.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $9,226, from 4,810 launches.each block is 1 in 100 all indie at $10 to $20Hand-drawn 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
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 26 games tagged both Hand-drawn and Visual Novel priced $10 to $20. 7.7 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 19.2 for Hand-drawn-only games and 15.0 for Visual Novel-only games, so games with both tags did worse than games with either tag alone.

Both: 26 games priced $10 to $20; 7.7 in 100 earned $100k+ (1 in 13), typical first-year earnings $11,003.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 26 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

UNBEATABLEleads this pair62.4%
PairUNBEATABLE62.4%
Hand-drawnNine Sols37.2%
Visual NovelUntil Then7.5%
CheckOne game over half?yes
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkChanged recently. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: moves the answer.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Hand-drawn + Visual Novel

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

  • UNBEATABLE earned 62.4% of the estimated first-year money of the 166 Hand-drawn + Visual Novel launches.
  • Hand-drawn is led by Nine Sols, with 37.2% of its money.
  • Visual Novel is led by Until Then, with 7.5% 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: those with a mostly Chinese audience, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

Hand-drawn + Visual Novel is changed recently: Last 18 months moves the answer by more than a quarter. It holds in 2 of 3.

Hand-drawn + Visual Novel through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view155 of 166 launchesWithout the breakout165 of 166 launchesLast 18 months86 of 166 launches
Launches counted1665 hits1555 hits1654 hits862 hits
Earned $100k+3.0 in 1001 in 333.2 in 1001 in 312.4 in 1001 in 422.3 in 1001 in 43
Typical first-year earnings$1,468top tenth $18,747+$1,456$1,456$971
Chance against standardthe yardstick+6.7%0.2 more in 100-20.0%0.6 fewer in 100-23.3%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-0.8%$12 less-0.8%$12 less-33.9%$497 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Hand-drawn and Visual Novel, 6 to 30 months old: 166 launches.

Launches counted
1665 hits
Earned $100k+
3.0 in 1001 in 33
Typical first-year earnings
$1,468top tenth $18,747+
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: 11 of 166 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1555 hits
Earned $100k+
3.2 in 1001 in 31
Typical first-year earnings
$1,456
Chance against standard
+6.7%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard
-0.8%$12 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, UNBEATABLE (62.4% of the money): 165 launches left.

Launches counted
1654 hits
Earned $100k+
2.4 in 1001 in 42
Typical first-year earnings
$1,456
Chance against standard
-20.0%0.6 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-0.8%$12 less
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 86 of 166.

Launches counted
862 hits
Earned $100k+
2.3 in 1001 in 43
Typical first-year earnings
$971
Chance against standard
-23.3%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-33.9%$497 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Hand-drawn and Visual Novel, 6 to 30 months old: 166 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: 11 of 166 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, UNBEATABLE (62.4% of the money): 165 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 86 of 166.

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

Hand-drawn through every lens, all prices
Hand-drawnBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,125 of 1,182 launchesWithout the breakout1,181 of 1,182 launchesLast 18 months593 of 1,182 launches
Launches counted1,18259 hits1,12558 hits1,18158 hits59324 hits
Earned $100k+5.0 in 1001 in 205.2 in 1001 in 194.9 in 1001 in 204.0 in 1001 in 25
Typical first-year earnings$809top tenth $31,652+$842$809$787
Chance against standardthe yardstick+4.0%0.2 more in 100-2.0%0.1 fewer in 100-20.0%1.0 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+4.1%$33 more0.0%no change-2.7%$22 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Hand-drawn, 6 to 30 months old: 1,182 launches.

Launches counted
1,18259 hits
Earned $100k+
5.0 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$809top tenth $31,652+
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: 57 of 1,182 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,12558 hits
Earned $100k+
5.2 in 1001 in 19
Typical first-year earnings
$842
Chance against standard
+4.0%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard
+4.1%$33 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Nine Sols (37.2% of the money): 1,181 launches left.

Launches counted
1,18158 hits
Earned $100k+
4.9 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$809
Chance against standard
-2.0%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 593 of 1,182.

Launches counted
59324 hits
Earned $100k+
4.0 in 1001 in 25
Typical first-year earnings
$787
Chance against standard
-20.0%1.0 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-2.7%$22 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Hand-drawn, 6 to 30 months old: 1,182 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: 57 of 1,182 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, Nine Sols (37.2% of the money): 1,181 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 593 of 1,182.

Visual Novel is changed recently: Last 18 months moves the answer by more than a quarter. It holds in 2 of 3.

Visual Novel through every lens, all prices
Visual NovelBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,823 of 2,114 launchesWithout the breakout2,113 of 2,114 launchesLast 18 months1,162 of 2,114 launches
Launches counted2,114130 hits1,823100 hits2,113129 hits1,16263 hits
Earned $100k+6.1 in 1001 in 165.5 in 1001 in 186.1 in 1001 in 165.4 in 1001 in 19
Typical first-year earnings$1,293top tenth $48,802+$1,214$1,287$910
Chance against standardthe yardstick-9.8%0.6 fewer in 1000.0%no change-11.5%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-6.1%$79 less-0.5%$6 less-29.6%$383 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Visual Novel, 6 to 30 months old: 2,114 launches.

Launches counted
2,114130 hits
Earned $100k+
6.1 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$1,293top tenth $48,802+
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: 291 of 2,114 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,823100 hits
Earned $100k+
5.5 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings
$1,214
Chance against standard
-9.8%0.6 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-6.1%$79 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Until Then (7.5% of the money): 2,113 launches left.

Launches counted
2,113129 hits
Earned $100k+
6.1 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$1,287
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
-0.5%$6 less
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,162 of 2,114.

Launches counted
1,16263 hits
Earned $100k+
5.4 in 1001 in 19
Typical first-year earnings
$910
Chance against standard
-11.5%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-29.6%$383 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Visual Novel, 6 to 30 months old: 2,114 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: 291 of 2,114 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, Until Then (7.5% of the money): 2,113 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,162 of 2,114.

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 Hand-drawn + Visual Novel 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.