Niche

Hidden Object + Visual Novel

Games tagged both Hidden Object and Visual Novel: 70 indie paid launches, 2 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 Hidden Object + Visual Novel 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

Hidden Object + Visual Novel is too small to compare with Hidden Object and is too small to compare with Visual Novel: 0 of its 36 launches earned $100k+ priced under $5, against 1 of 1,064 launches for Hidden Object and 3 of 795 launches for Visual Novel.

Small sample: 36 launches, 0 hits.

TIEA tie

Tag oneHidden Object

1 of 1,064launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds1 of 1,064 launches

Typical earnings$353

Launches1,064 / 1 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

TIEA tie

This pairHidden Object + Visual Novel

0 of 36launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds0 of 36 launches

$1k+25 in 100

$10k+1 of 36 launches

Launches36 / 0 hits

Expected0.4 in 100

TIEA tie

Tag twoVisual Novel

3 of 795launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds3 of 795 launches

Typical earnings$325

Launches795 / 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 $5

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 prices70 in pair Under $536 in pair $5 to $1026 in pair$10 to $205: too few$20 to $403: too few

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 36 games tagged both Hidden Object and Visual Novel priced under $5. 0 of 36 of them earned $100k+, against 1 of 1,028 for Hidden Object-only games and 3 of 759 for Visual Novel-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Hidden Object alone and is too small to compare with Visual Novel alone.

Both: 36 games priced under $5; 0 of 36 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 25 in 100 · $10k+ 1 of 36 launches · $100k+ 0 of 36 launches.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 36 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

Amerzone - The Explorer's Legacyleads this pair54.1%

PairAmerzone - The Explorer's Legacy54.1%

Hidden ObjectWhisper of the House13.5%

Visual NovelThe Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty6.6%

CheckOne game over half?yes

NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkOne-hit market. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: too few to tell. Without the breakout: moves the answer. Last 18 months: too few to tell.

Open free preview

ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Hidden Object + 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

Amerzone - The Explorer's Legacy earned 54.1% of the estimated first-year money of the 70 Hidden Object + Visual Novel launches.
Hidden Object is led by Whisper of the House, with 13.5% of its money.
Visual Novel is led by The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty, with 6.6% 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

Hidden Object + Visual Novel is one-hit market: one game earned over half the money.

Hidden Object + Visual Novel through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view68 of 70 launches	Without the breakout69 of 70 launches	Last 18 months18 of 70 launches
Launches counted	702 hits	682 hits	691 hits	181 hits
Earned $100k+	2 of 70too few for a rate	2 of 68too few for a rate	1 of 69too few for a rate	1 of 18too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+	10 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 43 in 100	under 100 launches	under 100 launches	under 100 launches
Chance against standard	the base	+2.9%0.1 more in 100; too few to tell	-49.3%1.4 fewer in 100	+94.4%2.7 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard	the base	under 100 launches	under 100 launches	under 100 launches
Does it hold?	The base view	Too few to tell	Moves the answer	Too few to tell

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Hidden Object and Visual Novel, 12 to 36 months old: 70 launches.

Launches counted: 702 hits
Earned $100k+: 2 of 70too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: 10 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 43 in 100
Chance against standard: the base
Typical against standard: the base

West-facing viewToo few to tell

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 2 of 70 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 682 hits
Earned $100k+: 2 of 68too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: +2.9%0.1 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, Amerzone - The Explorer's Legacy (54.1% of the money): 69 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 691 hits
Earned $100k+: 1 of 69too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: -49.3%1.4 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 18 of 70.

Launches counted: 181 hits
Earned $100k+: 1 of 18too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: +94.4%2.7 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Hidden Object and Visual Novel, 12 to 36 months old: 70 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: 2 of 70 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, Amerzone - The Explorer's Legacy (54.1% of the money): 69 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: 18 of 70.

Hidden Object 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.

Hidden Object through every lens, all prices
Hidden Object	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view1,615 of 1,657 launches	Without the breakout1,656 of 1,657 launches	Last 18 months476 of 1,657 launches
Launches counted	1,65724 hits	1,61523 hits	1,65623 hits	4766 hits
Earned $100k+	1.4 in 1001 in 69	1.4 in 1001 in 70	1.4 in 1001 in 72	1.3 in 1001 in 79
Typical first-year earnings	$541top tenth $6,829+	$541	$541	$520
Chance against standard	the base	-1.7%no change	-4.1%0.1 fewer in 100	-13.0%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard	the base	0.0%no change	0.0%no change	-3.9%$21 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Hidden Object, 12 to 36 months old: 1,657 launches.

Launches counted: 1,65724 hits
Earned $100k+: 1.4 in 1001 in 69
Typical first-year earnings: $541top tenth $6,829+
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: 42 of 1,657 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 1,61523 hits
Earned $100k+: 1.4 in 1001 in 70
Typical first-year earnings: $541
Chance against standard: -1.7%no change
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Whisper of the House (13.5% of the money): 1,656 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 1,65623 hits
Earned $100k+: 1.4 in 1001 in 72
Typical first-year earnings: $541
Chance against standard: -4.1%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 476 of 1,657.

Launches counted: 4766 hits
Earned $100k+: 1.3 in 1001 in 79
Typical first-year earnings: $520
Chance against standard: -13.0%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -3.9%$21 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Hidden Object, 12 to 36 months old: 1,657 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: 42 of 1,657 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, Whisper of the House (13.5% of the money): 1,656 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: 476 of 1,657.

Visual Novel is audience split: West-facing view moves the answer more than chance alone would. It holds in Without the breakout and Last 18 months.

Visual Novel through every lens, all prices
Visual Novel	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view1,671 of 1,901 launches	Without the breakout1,900 of 1,901 launches	Last 18 months533 of 1,901 launches
Launches counted	1,901128 hits	1,67198 hits	1,900127 hits	53335 hits
Earned $100k+	6.7 in 1001 in 15	5.9 in 1001 in 17	6.7 in 1001 in 15	6.6 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings	$1,453top tenth $60,301+	$1,414	$1,453	$1,308
Chance against standard	the base	-12.9%0.9 fewer in 100	-0.7%no change	-2.5%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard	the base	-2.7%$39 less	0.0%no change	-10.0%$145 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Moves the answer	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Visual Novel, 12 to 36 months old: 1,901 launches.

Launches counted: 1,901128 hits
Earned $100k+: 6.7 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings: $1,453top tenth $60,301+
Chance against standard: the base
Typical against standard: the base

West-facing viewMoves the answer

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 230 of 1,901 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 1,67198 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.9 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings: $1,414
Chance against standard: -12.9%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -2.7%$39 less

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty (6.6% of the money): 1,900 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 1,900127 hits
Earned $100k+: 6.7 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings: $1,453
Chance against standard: -0.7%no change
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 533 of 1,901.

Launches counted: 53335 hits
Earned $100k+: 6.6 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings: $1,308
Chance against standard: -2.5%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -10.0%$145 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Visual Novel, 12 to 36 months old: 1,901 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: 230 of 1,901 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, The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty (6.6% of the money): 1,900 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: 533 of 1,901.

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 Hidden Object + 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.