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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 3 Oct 2026

Niches / Life Sim + Sandbox

Niche

Life Sim + Sandbox

Games tagged both Life Sim and Sandbox: 139 indie paid launches, 25 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 + Sandbox priced $10 to $20, hiding samples under 30 launches. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats Life Sim and is about level with Sandbox; priced $10 to $20 it is about level with Life Sim and is about level with Sandbox.

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 + Sandbox is about level with Life Sim and is about level with Sandbox: 31.9 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 34.1 in 100 for Life Sim and 32.8 in 100 for Sandbox.

That is about 1.6 times the 20.4 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

TIEA tie
Tag oneLife Sim
34.1in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds34.1 in 100
Typical earnings$37,945
Launches232 / 79 hits
A tie, apart by2.1 in 100
TIEA tie
This pairLife Sim + Sandbox
31.9in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds31.9 in 100
$1k+100 in 100
$10k+83 in 100
Launches47 / 15 hits
Expected20.4 in 100
TIEA tie
Tag twoSandbox
32.8in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds32.8 in 100
Typical earnings$30,251
Launches360 / 118 hits
A tie, apart by0.9 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 $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 prices139 in pairUnder $543 in pair$5 to $1038 in pair$10 to $2047 in pair$20 to $4011 in pair
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 47 games tagged both Life Sim and Sandbox priced $10 to $20. 31.9 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 34.6 in 100 for Life Sim-only games and 32.9 in 100 for Sandbox-only games, so the mix is about level with Life Sim alone and is about level with Sandbox alone.

Both: 47 games priced $10 to $20; 31.9 in 100 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 100 in 100 · $10k+ 83 in 100 · $100k+ 32 in 100.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 47 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

Cash Cleaner Simulatorleads this pair20.9%
PairCash Cleaner Simulator20.9%
Life SimSupermarket Simulator25.5%
SandboxManor Lords23.1%
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 + Sandbox

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

  • Cash Cleaner Simulator earned 20.9% of the estimated first-year money of the 139 Life Sim + Sandbox launches.
  • Life Sim is led by Supermarket Simulator, with 25.5% of its money.
  • Sandbox is led by Manor Lords, with 23.1% 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 + Sandbox 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 + Sandbox through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view138 of 139 launchesWithout the breakout138 of 139 launchesLast 18 months44 of 139 launches
Launches counted13925 hits13825 hits13824 hits448 hits
Earned $100k+18.0 in 10018.1 in 10017.4 in 10018.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$5,899top tenth $274,291+$6,638$5,899under 100 launches
Chance against standardthe base+0.7%0.1 more in 100-3.3%0.6 fewer in 100+1.1%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+12.5%$739 more0.0%no changeunder 100 launches
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Life Sim and Sandbox, 12 to 36 months old: 139 launches.

Launches counted
13925 hits
Earned $100k+
18.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$5,899top tenth $274,291+
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 139 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
13825 hits
Earned $100k+
18.1 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$6,638
Chance against standard
+0.7%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
+12.5%$739 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Cash Cleaner Simulator (20.9% of the money): 138 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
13824 hits
Earned $100k+
17.4 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$5,899
Chance against standard
-3.3%0.6 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 44 of 139.

Launches counted
448 hits
Earned $100k+
18.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
+1.1%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Life Sim and Sandbox, 12 to 36 months old: 139 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 139 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, Cash Cleaner Simulator (20.9% of the money): 138 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: 44 of 139.

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.

Sandbox 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.

Sandbox through every lens, all prices
SandboxBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,173 of 1,220 launchesWithout the breakout1,219 of 1,220 launchesLast 18 months386 of 1,220 launches
Launches counted1,220206 hits1,173194 hits1,219205 hits38665 hits
Earned $100k+16.9 in 10016.5 in 10016.8 in 10016.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$2,007top tenth $290,975+$2,070$1,992$2,439
Chance against standardthe base-2.1%0.3 fewer in 100-0.4%0.1 fewer in 100-0.3%no change
Typical against standardthe base+3.1%$63 more-0.7%$15 less+21.5%$432 more
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Sandbox, 12 to 36 months old: 1,220 launches.

Launches counted
1,220206 hits
Earned $100k+
16.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,007top tenth $290,975+
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: 47 of 1,220 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,173194 hits
Earned $100k+
16.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,070
Chance against standard
-2.1%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+3.1%$63 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Manor Lords (23.1% of the money): 1,219 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
1,219205 hits
Earned $100k+
16.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,992
Chance against standard
-0.4%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-0.7%$15 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 386 of 1,220.

Launches counted
38665 hits
Earned $100k+
16.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,439
Chance against standard
-0.3%no change
Typical against standard
+21.5%$432 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Sandbox, 12 to 36 months old: 1,220 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: 47 of 1,220 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, Manor Lords (23.1% of the money): 1,219 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: 386 of 1,220.

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 + Sandbox 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.