Niche

Linear + Side Scroller

Games tagged both Linear and Side Scroller: 75 indie paid launches, 0 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 Under $5

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.

Under $5

Showing Linear + Side Scroller 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

Linear + Side Scroller is too small to compare with Linear and is too small to compare with Side Scroller: 0 of its 45 launches earned $100k+ priced under $5, against 3 of 653 launches for Linear and 1 of 616 launches for Side Scroller.

Small sample: 45 launches, 0 hits.

TIEA tie

Tag onemood tagLinear

3 of 653launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds3 of 653 launches

Typical earnings$178

Launches653 / 3 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

TIEA tie

This pairLinear + Side Scroller

0 of 45launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds0 of 45 launches

$1k+16 in 100

$10k+0 of 45 launches

Launches45 / 0 hits

Expected0.4 in 100

TIEA tie

Tag twomood tagSide Scroller

1 of 616launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds1 of 616 launches

Typical earnings$107

Launches616 / 1 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

All indie launches under $5: 0.4 in 100 earned $100k+ (1 in 238), typical $158, from 13,785 launches.each block is 0.5 in 100 all indie at under $5Linear 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 prices75 in pair Under $545 in pair $5 to $1020 in pair$10 to $207: too few$20 to $403: too few

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 45 games tagged both Linear and Side Scroller priced under $5. 0 of 45 of them earned $100k+, against 3 of 608 for Linear-only games and 1 of 571 for Side Scroller-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Linear alone and is too small to compare with Side Scroller alone.

Both: 45 games priced under $5; 0 of 45 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 16 in 100 · $10k+ 0 of 45 launches · $100k+ 0 of 45 launches.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 45 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

Project X: Light Yearsleads this pair23.5%

PairProject X: Light Years23.5%

LinearSpilled!10.6%

Side ScrollerMandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree9.5%

CheckOne game over half?no

NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkHolds in 1 of 3, 2 too few to tell. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: too few to tell. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: too few to tell.

Open free preview

ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Linear + Side Scroller

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

Project X: Light Years earned 23.5% of the estimated first-year money of the 75 Linear + Side Scroller launches.
Linear is led by Spilled!, with 10.6% of its money.
Side Scroller is led by Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, with 9.5% 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

Linear + Side Scroller holds in Without the breakout; too few to tell in West-facing view and Last 18 months. No lens moves the chance or typical earnings more than chance alone would.

Linear + Side Scroller through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view75 of 75 launches	Without the breakout74 of 75 launches	Last 18 months25 of 75 launches
Launches counted	750 hits	750 hits	740 hits	250 hits
Earned $100k+	0 of 75too few for a rate	0 of 75too few for a rate	0 of 74too few for a rate	0 of 25too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+	4 of 75 launchescleared $10k; $1k+ 31 in 100	under 100 launches	under 100 launches	under 100 launches
Chance against standard	the base	0.0%no change; too few to tell	0.0%no change	0.0%no change; 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	Holds	Too few to tell

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Linear and Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 75 launches.

Launches counted: 750 hits
Earned $100k+: 0 of 75too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: 4 of 75 launchescleared $10k; $1k+ 31 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: 0 of 75 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 750 hits
Earned $100k+: 0 of 75too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: 0.0%no change; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Project X: Light Years (23.5% of the money): 74 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 740 hits
Earned $100k+: 0 of 74too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: 0.0%no change
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 25 of 75.

Launches counted: 250 hits
Earned $100k+: 0 of 25too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: 0.0%no change; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Linear and Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 75 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: 0 of 75 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, Project X: Light Years (23.5% of the money): 74 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: 25 of 75.

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

Linear through every lens, all prices
Linear	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view1,010 of 1,038 launches	Without the breakout1,037 of 1,038 launches	Last 18 months289 of 1,038 launches
Launches counted	1,03811 hits	1,0109 hits	1,03710 hits	2894 hits
Earned $100k+	1.1 in 1001 in 94	0.9 in 1001 in 112	1.0 in 1001 in 104	4 of 289too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings	$310top tenth $6,319+	$315	$307	$268
Chance against standard	the base	-15.9%0.2 fewer in 100	-9.0%0.1 fewer in 100	+30.6%0.3 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard	the base	+1.6%$5 more	-1.0%$3 less	-13.5%$42 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Moves the answer	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Linear, 12 to 36 months old: 1,038 launches.

Launches counted: 1,03811 hits
Earned $100k+: 1.1 in 1001 in 94
Typical first-year earnings: $310top tenth $6,319+
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: 28 of 1,038 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 1,0109 hits
Earned $100k+: 0.9 in 1001 in 112
Typical first-year earnings: $315
Chance against standard: -15.9%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: +1.6%$5 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Spilled! (10.6% of the money): 1,037 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 1,03710 hits
Earned $100k+: 1.0 in 1001 in 104
Typical first-year earnings: $307
Chance against standard: -9.0%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -1.0%$3 less

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 289 of 1,038.

Launches counted: 2894 hits
Earned $100k+: 4 of 289too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: $268
Chance against standard: +30.6%0.3 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: -13.5%$42 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Linear, 12 to 36 months old: 1,038 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: 28 of 1,038 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, Spilled! (10.6% of the money): 1,037 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: 289 of 1,038.

Side Scroller 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.

Side Scroller through every lens, all prices
Side Scroller	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view1,042 of 1,065 launches	Without the breakout1,064 of 1,065 launches	Last 18 months288 of 1,065 launches
Launches counted	1,06542 hits	1,04241 hits	1,06441 hits	28814 hits
Earned $100k+	3.9 in 1001 in 25	3.9 in 1001 in 25	3.9 in 1001 in 26	4.9 in 1001 in 21
Typical first-year earnings	$346top tenth $23,350+	$346	$346	$268
Chance against standard	the base	-0.2%no change	-2.3%0.1 fewer in 100	+23.3%0.9 more in 100
Typical against standard	the base	0.0%no change	0.0%no change	-22.5%$78 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 1,065 launches.

Launches counted: 1,06542 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.9 in 1001 in 25
Typical first-year earnings: $346top tenth $23,350+
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: 23 of 1,065 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 1,04241 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.9 in 1001 in 25
Typical first-year earnings: $346
Chance against standard: -0.2%no change
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree (9.5% of the money): 1,064 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 1,06441 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.9 in 1001 in 26
Typical first-year earnings: $346
Chance against standard: -2.3%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 288 of 1,065.

Launches counted: 28814 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.9 in 1001 in 21
Typical first-year earnings: $268
Chance against standard: +23.3%0.9 more in 100
Typical against standard: -22.5%$78 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 1,065 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: 23 of 1,065 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, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree (9.5% of the money): 1,064 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: 288 of 1,065.

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 Linear + Side Scroller 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.