Niche

Investigation + Visual Novel

Games tagged both Investigation and Visual Novel: 74 indie paid launches, 11 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 26,291 indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, data of 3 Oct 2026. How it is measured.

Price $10 to $20

All prices1 in 15 hit $100k+Under $51 in 238 hit $100k+$5 to $101 in 28 hit $100k+$10 to $2020 in 100 hit $100k+$20 to $4044 in 100 hit $100k+

Base rate: indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, 26,291 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.

$10 to $20

Showing Investigation + Visual Novel priced $10 to $20. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats both its tags; priced $10 to $20 it is too small to compare with Investigation and is too small to compare with Visual Novel.

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

Investigation + Visual Novel is too small to compare with Investigation and is too small to compare with Visual Novel: 5 of its 24 launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 25.2 in 100 for Investigation and 14.7 in 100 for Visual Novel.

Small sample: 24 launches, 5 hits.

TIEA tie

Tag oneInvestigation

25.2in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds25.2 in 100

Typical earnings$12,547

Launches107 / 27 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

TIEA tie

This pairInvestigation + Visual Novel

5 of 24launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds5 of 24 launches

$1k+22 of 24 launches

$10k+16 of 24 launches

Launches24 / 5 hits

Expected20.4 in 100

TIETied

Tag twoVisual Novel

14.7in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds14.7 in 100

Typical earnings$9,963

Launches434 / 64 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

All indie launches $10 to $20: 20.4 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $10,978, from 4,304 launches.each block is 2 in 100 all indie at $10 to $20

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 prices74 in pair Under $513 in pair $5 to $1027 in pair $10 to $2024 in pair $20 to $4010 in pair

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 24 games tagged both Investigation and Visual Novel priced $10 to $20. 5 of 24 of them earned $100k+, against 26.5 in 100 for Investigation-only games and 14.4 in 100 for Visual Novel-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Investigation alone and is too small to compare with Visual Novel alone.

Both: 24 games priced $10 to $20; 5 of 24 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 22 of 24 launches · $10k+ 16 of 24 launches · $100k+ 5 of 24 launches.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 24 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

No Case Should Remain Unsolvedleads this pair17.8%

PairNo Case Should Remain Unsolved17.8%

InvestigationBlue Prince23.7%

Visual NovelSlay the Princess — The Pristine Cut7.1%

CheckOne game over half?no

NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkHolds in 3 of 3. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: holds.

Open free preview

ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Investigation + 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

No Case Should Remain Unsolved earned 17.8% of the estimated first-year money of the 74 Investigation + Visual Novel launches.
Investigation is led by Blue Prince, with 23.7% of its money.
Visual Novel is led by Slay the Princess — The Pristine Cut, with 7.1% 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

Investigation + Visual Novel 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.

Investigation + Visual Novel through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view73 of 74 launches	Without the breakout73 of 74 launches	Last 18 months20 of 74 launches
Launches counted	7411 hits	7311 hits	7310 hits	205 hits
Earned $100k+	14.9 in 100	15.1 in 100	13.7 in 100	5 of 20too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+	42 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 69 in 100	under 100 launches	under 100 launches	under 100 launches
Chance against standard	the base	+1.4%0.2 more in 100	-7.8%1.2 fewer in 100	+68.2%10.1 more in 100
Typical against standard	the base	under 100 launches	under 100 launches	under 100 launches
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Investigation and Visual Novel, 12 to 36 months old: 74 launches.

Launches counted: 7411 hits
Earned $100k+: 14.9 in 100
Chance of $10k+: 42 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 69 in 100
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: 1 of 74 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 7311 hits
Earned $100k+: 15.1 in 100
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: +1.4%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, No Case Should Remain Unsolved (17.8% of the money): 73 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 7310 hits
Earned $100k+: 13.7 in 100
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: -7.8%1.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 20 of 74.

Launches counted: 205 hits
Earned $100k+: 5 of 20too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: +68.2%10.1 more in 100
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Investigation and Visual Novel, 12 to 36 months old: 74 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: 1 of 74 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, No Case Should Remain Unsolved (17.8% of the money): 73 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: 20 of 74.

Investigation is changed recently: Last 18 months moves the answer more than chance alone would. It holds in West-facing view and Without the breakout.

Investigation through every lens, all prices
Investigation	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view430 of 450 launches	Without the breakout449 of 450 launches	Last 18 months112 of 450 launches
Launches counted	45050 hits	43047 hits	44949 hits	11216 hits
Earned $100k+	11.1 in 100	10.9 in 100	10.9 in 100	14.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings	$1,316top tenth $116,635+	$1,259	$1,259	$2,318
Chance against standard	the base	-1.6%0.2 fewer in 100	-1.8%0.2 fewer in 100	+28.6%3.2 more in 100
Typical against standard	the base	-4.3%$57 less	-4.3%$57 less	+76.1%$1,002 more
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Moves the answer

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Investigation, 12 to 36 months old: 450 launches.

Launches counted: 45050 hits
Earned $100k+: 11.1 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $1,316top tenth $116,635+
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: 20 of 450 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 43047 hits
Earned $100k+: 10.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $1,259
Chance against standard: -1.6%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -4.3%$57 less

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Blue Prince (23.7% of the money): 449 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 44949 hits
Earned $100k+: 10.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $1,259
Chance against standard: -1.8%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -4.3%$57 less

Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 112 of 450.

Launches counted: 11216 hits
Earned $100k+: 14.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $2,318
Chance against standard: +28.6%3.2 more in 100
Typical against standard: +76.1%$1,002 more

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Investigation, 12 to 36 months old: 450 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: 20 of 450 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, Blue Prince (23.7% of the money): 449 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: 112 of 450.

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 view1,641 of 1,872 launches	Without the breakout1,871 of 1,872 launches	Last 18 months534 of 1,872 launches
Launches counted	1,872130 hits	1,64199 hits	1,871129 hits	53441 hits
Earned $100k+	6.9 in 1001 in 14	6.0 in 1001 in 17	6.9 in 1001 in 15	7.7 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings	$1,448top tenth $61,563+	$1,430	$1,445	$1,594
Chance against standard	the base	-13.1%0.9 fewer in 100	-0.7%no change	+10.6%0.7 more in 100
Typical against standard	the base	-1.2%$18 less	-0.2%$3 less	+10.1%$146 more
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: 1,872 launches.

Launches counted: 1,872130 hits
Earned $100k+: 6.9 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings: $1,448top tenth $61,563+
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: 231 of 1,872 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 1,64199 hits
Earned $100k+: 6.0 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings: $1,430
Chance against standard: -13.1%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -1.2%$18 less

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Slay the Princess — The Pristine Cut (7.1% of the money): 1,871 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 1,871129 hits
Earned $100k+: 6.9 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings: $1,445
Chance against standard: -0.7%no change
Typical against standard: -0.2%$3 less

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 534 of 1,872.

Launches counted: 53441 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.7 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings: $1,594
Chance against standard: +10.6%0.7 more in 100
Typical against standard: +10.1%$146 more

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Visual Novel, 12 to 36 months old: 1,872 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: 231 of 1,872 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, Slay the Princess — The Pristine Cut (7.1% of the money): 1,871 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: 534 of 1,872.

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 Investigation + Visual Novel moves, comparables the day they land, and every lens for every pair and price. Free until launch.

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Keep gold access after launch: alerts, comparables, every lens.