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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 same figures are on the Genres page.

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on 2 Oct 2026

Niches / Linear + Surreal

Niche

Linear + Surreal

Games tagged both Linear and Surreal: 68 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".
  • Price moves the odds more than genre does, so the page opens on one price band. The keys in section 2 switch it.
  • From 29,637 indie paid launches 6 to 30 months old, data of 1 Oct 2026. How it is measured.

Showing Linear + Surreal priced under $5. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats Linear and trails Surreal; priced under $5 it beats both its tags.

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 + Surreal beats both its tags: 4.4 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced under $5, against 0.5 in 100 for Linear and 1.7 in 100 for Surreal.

That is 1 in 23, about 8.8 times the 0.5 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

3RDThird
Tag onemood tagLinear
0.5in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds1 in 200
Typical earnings$200
Launches745 / 4 hits
Pair leads by3.9 in 100
1STWinner
This pairLinear + Surreal
4.4in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds1 in 23
Typical earnings$404
Launches45 / 2 hits
Expected0.5 in 100
2NDRunner-up
Tag twomood tagSurreal
1.7in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds1 in 59
Typical earnings$443
Launches358 / 6 hits
Pair leads by2.7 in 100
All indie launches under $5: 0.5 in 100 earned $100k+ (1 in 200), typical $198, from 15,379 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: 0.5 in 100 launches earned $100k+; $20 to $40: 42.4 in 100), so read it within a price band.

Price bandswitches the whole page
All prices68 in pairUnder $545 in pair$5 to $1018 in pair$10 to $205: too few$20 to $40no launches
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 45 games tagged both Linear and Surreal priced under $5. 4.4 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 0.3 for Linear-only games and 1.3 for Surreal-only games, so games with both tags did better than games with either tag alone.

Both: 45 games priced under $5; 4.4 in 100 earned $100k+ (1 in 23), typical first-year earnings $404.

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

RATSHAKER™leads this pair37.6%
PairRATSHAKER™37.6%
LinearCrisol: Theater of Idols17.3%
SurrealINDIKA12.0%
CheckOne game over half?no
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkOne-hit market +1. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: moves the answer. Last 18 months: moves the answer.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Linear + Surreal

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

  • RATSHAKER™ earned 37.6% of the estimated first-year money of the 68 Linear + Surreal launches.
  • Linear is led by Crisol: Theater of Idols, with 17.3% of its money.
  • Surreal is led by INDIKA, with 12.0% 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: those with a mostly Chinese audience, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

Linear + Surreal is one-hit market +1: Without the breakout moves the answer by more than a quarter, and 1 more lens too. It holds in 1 of 3.

Linear + Surreal through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view68 of 68 launchesWithout the breakout67 of 68 launchesLast 18 months36 of 68 launches
Launches counted682 hits682 hits671 hits361 hits
Earned $100k+2.9 in 1001 in 342.9 in 1001 in 341.5 in 1001 in 672.8 in 1001 in 36
Typical first-year earnings$607top tenth $7,604+$607$485$889
Chance against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change-48.3%1.4 fewer in 100-3.4%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change-20.1%$122 less+46.5%$282 more
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsMoves the answerMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Linear and Surreal, 6 to 30 months old: 68 launches.

Launches counted
682 hits
Earned $100k+
2.9 in 1001 in 34
Typical first-year earnings
$607top tenth $7,604+
Chance against standard
the yardstick
Typical against standard
the yardstick
West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 0 of 68 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+
2.9 in 1001 in 34
Typical first-year earnings
$607
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, RATSHAKER™ (37.6% of the money): 67 launches left.

Launches counted
671 hits
Earned $100k+
1.5 in 1001 in 67
Typical first-year earnings
$485
Chance against standard
-48.3%1.4 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-20.1%$122 less
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 36 of 68.

Launches counted
361 hits
Earned $100k+
2.8 in 1001 in 36
Typical first-year earnings
$889
Chance against standard
-3.4%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+46.5%$282 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Linear and Surreal, 6 to 30 months old: 68 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 0 of 68 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, RATSHAKER™ (37.6% of the money): 67 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 36 of 68.

Linear holds in 3 of 3: every lens keeps the chance and typical earnings within a quarter of the standard figures.

Linear through every lens, all prices
LinearBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,153 of 1,188 launchesWithout the breakout1,187 of 1,188 launchesLast 18 months639 of 1,188 launches
Launches counted1,18814 hits1,15312 hits1,18713 hits6399 hits
Earned $100k+1.2 in 1001 in 831.0 in 1001 in 1001.1 in 1001 in 911.4 in 1001 in 71
Typical first-year earnings$323top tenth $6,871+$323$322$243
Chance against standardthe yardstick-16.7%0.2 fewer in 100-8.3%0.1 fewer in 100+16.7%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change-0.3%$1 less-24.8%$80 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Linear, 6 to 30 months old: 1,188 launches.

Launches counted
1,18814 hits
Earned $100k+
1.2 in 1001 in 83
Typical first-year earnings
$323top tenth $6,871+
Chance against standard
the yardstick
Typical against standard
the yardstick
West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 35 of 1,188 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,15312 hits
Earned $100k+
1.0 in 1001 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$323
Chance against standard
-16.7%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Crisol: Theater of Idols (17.3% of the money): 1,187 launches left.

Launches counted
1,18713 hits
Earned $100k+
1.1 in 1001 in 91
Typical first-year earnings
$322
Chance against standard
-8.3%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-0.3%$1 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 639 of 1,188.

Launches counted
6399 hits
Earned $100k+
1.4 in 1001 in 71
Typical first-year earnings
$243
Chance against standard
+16.7%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard
-24.8%$80 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Linear, 6 to 30 months old: 1,188 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 35 of 1,188 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, Crisol: Theater of Idols (17.3% of the money): 1,187 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 639 of 1,188.

Surreal holds in 3 of 3: every lens keeps the chance and typical earnings within a quarter of the standard figures.

Surreal through every lens, all prices
SurrealBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view657 of 678 launchesWithout the breakout677 of 678 launchesLast 18 months368 of 678 launches
Launches counted67843 hits65742 hits67742 hits36822 hits
Earned $100k+6.3 in 1001 in 166.4 in 1001 in 166.2 in 1001 in 166.0 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings$1,271top tenth $50,389+$1,214$1,271$1,271
Chance against standardthe yardstick+1.6%0.1 more in 100-1.6%0.1 fewer in 100-4.8%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-4.5%$57 less0.0%no change0.0%no change
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Surreal, 6 to 30 months old: 678 launches.

Launches counted
67843 hits
Earned $100k+
6.3 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$1,271top tenth $50,389+
Chance against standard
the yardstick
Typical against standard
the yardstick
West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 21 of 678 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
65742 hits
Earned $100k+
6.4 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$1,214
Chance against standard
+1.6%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
-4.5%$57 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, INDIKA (12.0% of the money): 677 launches left.

Launches counted
67742 hits
Earned $100k+
6.2 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$1,271
Chance against standard
-1.6%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 368 of 678.

Launches counted
36822 hits
Earned $100k+
6.0 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings
$1,271
Chance against standard
-4.8%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Surreal, 6 to 30 months old: 678 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 21 of 678 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, INDIKA (12.0% of the money): 677 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 368 of 678.

A lens holds when chance and typical earnings both stay within 25% of standard. Lens figures by price band are not computed yet, so this table is for all prices.

5Premium early list

Alerts when Linear + Surreal 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.