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on 3 Oct 2026

Niches / Life Sim + Realistic

Niche

Life Sim + Realistic

Games tagged both Life Sim and Realistic: 103 indie paid launches, 14 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.

Showing Life Sim + Realistic priced $10 to $20, hiding samples under 30 launches. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair is about level with Life Sim and beats Realistic; priced $10 to $20 it trails Life Sim and beats Realistic.

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

Life Sim + Realistic trails Life Sim and beats Realistic: 29.0 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 34.1 in 100 for Life Sim and 22.1 in 100 for Realistic.

That is about 1.4 times the 20.4 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

1STWinner
Tag oneLife Sim
34.1in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds34.1 in 100
Typical earnings$37,945
Launches232 / 79 hits
Pair trails by5.0 in 100
2NDRunner-up
This pairLife Sim + Realistic
29.0in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds29.0 in 100
$1k+90 in 100
$10k+74 in 100
Launches31 / 9 hits
Expected20.4 in 100
3RDThird
Tag twomood tagRealistic
22.1in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds22.1 in 100
Typical earnings$11,919
Launches244 / 54 hits
Pair leads by6.9 in 100
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 $20Realistic 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 prices103 in pairUnder $535 in pair$5 to $1031 in pair$10 to $2031 in pair$20 to $406: too few
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 31 games tagged both Life Sim and Realistic priced $10 to $20. 29.0 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 34.8 in 100 for Life Sim-only games and 21.1 in 100 for Realistic-only games, so the mix trails Life Sim alone and beats Realistic alone.

Both: 31 games priced $10 to $20; 29.0 in 100 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 90 in 100 · $10k+ 74 in 100 · $100k+ 29 in 100.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 31 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

Seafarer: The Ship Simleads this pair16.6%
PairSeafarer: The Ship Sim16.6%
Life SimSupermarket Simulator25.5%
RealisticGray Zone Warfare25.1%
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 Life Sim + Realistic

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

  • Seafarer: The Ship Sim earned 16.6% of the estimated first-year money of the 103 Life Sim + Realistic launches.
  • Life Sim is led by Supermarket Simulator, with 25.5% of its money.
  • Realistic is led by Gray Zone Warfare, with 25.1% 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

Life Sim + Realistic 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.

Life Sim + Realistic through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view102 of 103 launchesWithout the breakout102 of 103 launchesLast 18 months30 of 103 launches
Launches counted10314 hits10214 hits10213 hits306 hits
Earned $100k+13.6 in 10013.7 in 10012.7 in 10020.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$7,121top tenth $144,393+$7,121$7,121under 100 launches
Chance against standardthe base+1.0%0.1 more in 100-6.2%0.8 fewer in 100+47.1%6.4 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base0.0%no change0.0%no changeunder 100 launches
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Life Sim and Realistic, 12 to 36 months old: 103 launches.

Launches counted
10314 hits
Earned $100k+
13.6 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$7,121top tenth $144,393+
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 103 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
10214 hits
Earned $100k+
13.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$7,121
Chance against standard
+1.0%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Seafarer: The Ship Sim (16.6% of the money): 102 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
10213 hits
Earned $100k+
12.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$7,121
Chance against standard
-6.2%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 30 of 103.

Launches counted
306 hits
Earned $100k+
20.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
+47.1%6.4 more in 100
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Life Sim and Realistic, 12 to 36 months old: 103 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 103 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, Seafarer: The Ship Sim (16.6% of the money): 102 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: 30 of 103.

Life Sim 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.

Life Sim through every lens, all prices
Life SimBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view846 of 894 launchesWithout the breakout893 of 894 launchesLast 18 months292 of 894 launches
Launches counted894127 hits846119 hits893126 hits29246 hits
Earned $100k+14.2 in 10014.1 in 10014.1 in 10015.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$1,965top tenth $194,928+$2,054$1,928$2,054
Chance against standardthe base-1.0%0.1 fewer in 100-0.7%0.1 fewer in 100+10.9%1.5 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+4.5%$89 more-1.9%$37 less+4.5%$89 more
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Life Sim, 12 to 36 months old: 894 launches.

Launches counted
894127 hits
Earned $100k+
14.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,965top tenth $194,928+
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: 48 of 894 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
846119 hits
Earned $100k+
14.1 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,054
Chance against standard
-1.0%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+4.5%$89 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Supermarket Simulator (25.5% of the money): 893 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
893126 hits
Earned $100k+
14.1 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,928
Chance against standard
-0.7%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-1.9%$37 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 292 of 894.

Launches counted
29246 hits
Earned $100k+
15.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,054
Chance against standard
+10.9%1.5 more in 100
Typical against standard
+4.5%$89 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Life Sim, 12 to 36 months old: 894 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: 48 of 894 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, Supermarket Simulator (25.5% of the money): 893 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: 292 of 894.

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

Realistic through every lens, all prices
RealisticBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,452 of 1,485 launchesWithout the breakout1,484 of 1,485 launchesLast 18 months428 of 1,485 launches
Launches counted1,485112 hits1,452112 hits1,484111 hits42836 hits
Earned $100k+7.5 in 1001 in 137.7 in 1001 in 137.5 in 1001 in 138.4 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings$945top tenth $56,843+$994$945$1,053
Chance against standardthe base+2.3%0.2 more in 100-0.8%0.1 fewer in 100+11.5%0.9 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+5.2%$49 more0.0%no change+11.4%$108 more
Does it hold?The base viewMoves the answerHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Realistic, 12 to 36 months old: 1,485 launches.

Launches counted
1,485112 hits
Earned $100k+
7.5 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$945top tenth $56,843+
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: 33 of 1,485 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,452112 hits
Earned $100k+
7.7 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$994
Chance against standard
+2.3%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard
+5.2%$49 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Gray Zone Warfare (25.1% of the money): 1,484 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
1,484111 hits
Earned $100k+
7.5 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$945
Chance against standard
-0.8%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 428 of 1,485.

Launches counted
42836 hits
Earned $100k+
8.4 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$1,053
Chance against standard
+11.5%0.9 more in 100
Typical against standard
+11.4%$108 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Realistic, 12 to 36 months old: 1,485 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: 33 of 1,485 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, Gray Zone Warfare (25.1% of the money): 1,484 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: 428 of 1,485.

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 Life Sim + Realistic 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.