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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 4 Oct 2026

Niches / Minimalist + Retro

Niche

Minimalist + Retro

Games tagged both Minimalist and Retro: 70 indie paid launches, 5 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 Minimalist + Retro priced under $5, hiding samples under 100 launches. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats Minimalist and is about level with Retro; priced under $5 it has too few launches to read.

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

52 launches, under your minimum sample of 100.

Pick another price band, or lower the minimum sample.

TIEA tie
Tag onemood tagMinimalist
4 of 789launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds4 of 789 launches
Typical earnings$106
Launches789 / 4 hits
Pairno reading
--No reading
This pairMinimalist + Retro
--too few
to read
Odds--
Typical earnings--
Launches52

52 launches, under your minimum sample of 100.

TIEA tie
Tag twomood tagRetro
1 of 736launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds1 of 736 launches
Typical earnings$179
Launches736 / 1 hits
Pairno reading
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 $5Minimalist 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 prices70 in pairUnder $552 in pair$5 to $1014 in pair$10 to $204: too few$20 to $40no launches
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 52 games tagged both Minimalist and Retro priced under $5. 0 of 52 of them earned $100k+, against 4 of 737 for Minimalist-only games and 1 of 684 for Retro-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Minimalist alone and is too small to compare with Retro alone.

Both: 52 games priced under $5; 0 of 52 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 12 in 100 · $10k+ 0 of 52 launches · $100k+ 0 of 52 launches.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 52 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

Tiny Aquarium: Social Fishkeepingleads this pair39.5%
PairTiny Aquarium: Social Fishkeeping39.5%
MinimalistCast n Chill20.6%
RetroMouthwashing21.8%
CheckOne game over half?no
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

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

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Minimalist + Retro

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

  • Tiny Aquarium: Social Fishkeeping earned 39.5% of the estimated first-year money of the 70 Minimalist + Retro launches.
  • Minimalist is led by Cast n Chill, with 20.6% of its money.
  • Retro is led by Mouthwashing, with 21.8% 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

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

Minimalist + Retro through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view70 of 70 launchesWithout the breakout69 of 70 launchesLast 18 months21 of 70 launches
Launches counted705 hits705 hits694 hits212 hits
Earned $100k+7.1 in 1001 in 147.1 in 1001 in 144 of 69too few for a rate2 of 21too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+9 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 26 in 100under 100 launchesunder 100 launchesunder 100 launches
Chance against standardthe base0.0%no change-18.8%1.3 fewer in 100+33.3%2.4 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standardthe baseunder 100 launchesunder 100 launchesunder 100 launches
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsToo few to tell
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Minimalist and Retro, 12 to 36 months old: 70 launches.

Launches counted
705 hits
Earned $100k+
7.1 in 1001 in 14
Chance of $10k+
9 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 26 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: 0 of 70 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
705 hits
Earned $100k+
7.1 in 1001 in 14
Chance of $10k+
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Tiny Aquarium: Social Fishkeeping (39.5% of the money): 69 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
694 hits
Earned $100k+
4 of 69too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
-18.8%1.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 21 of 70.

Launches counted
212 hits
Earned $100k+
2 of 21too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
+33.3%2.4 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Minimalist and Retro, 12 to 36 months old: 70 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 70 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, Tiny Aquarium: Social Fishkeeping (39.5% of the money): 69 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: 21 of 70.

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

Minimalist through every lens, all prices
MinimalistBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,039 of 1,069 launchesWithout the breakout1,068 of 1,069 launchesLast 18 months321 of 1,069 launches
Launches counted1,06924 hits1,03924 hits1,06823 hits32111 hits
Earned $100k+2.2 in 1001 in 452.3 in 1001 in 432.2 in 1001 in 463.4 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings$175top tenth $5,648+$179$175$161
Chance against standardthe base+2.9%0.1 more in 100-4.1%0.1 fewer in 100+52.6%1.2 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+2.3%$4 more0.0%no change-8.0%$14 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Minimalist, 12 to 36 months old: 1,069 launches.

Launches counted
1,06924 hits
Earned $100k+
2.2 in 1001 in 45
Typical first-year earnings
$175top tenth $5,648+
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: 30 of 1,069 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,03924 hits
Earned $100k+
2.3 in 1001 in 43
Typical first-year earnings
$179
Chance against standard
+2.9%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
+2.3%$4 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Cast n Chill (20.6% of the money): 1,068 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
1,06823 hits
Earned $100k+
2.2 in 1001 in 46
Typical first-year earnings
$175
Chance against standard
-4.1%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 321 of 1,069.

Launches counted
32111 hits
Earned $100k+
3.4 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings
$161
Chance against standard
+52.6%1.2 more in 100
Typical against standard
-8.0%$14 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Minimalist, 12 to 36 months old: 1,069 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: 30 of 1,069 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, Cast n Chill (20.6% of the money): 1,068 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: 321 of 1,069.

Retro 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.

Retro through every lens, all prices
RetroBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,267 of 1,300 launchesWithout the breakout1,299 of 1,300 launchesLast 18 months361 of 1,300 launches
Launches counted1,30060 hits1,26759 hits1,29959 hits36115 hits
Earned $100k+4.6 in 1001 in 224.7 in 1001 in 214.5 in 1001 in 224.2 in 1001 in 24
Typical first-year earnings$569top tenth $24,754+$596$567$505
Chance against standardthe base+0.9%no change-1.6%0.1 fewer in 100-10.0%0.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe base+4.7%$27 more-0.4%$2 less-11.2%$64 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Retro, 12 to 36 months old: 1,300 launches.

Launches counted
1,30060 hits
Earned $100k+
4.6 in 1001 in 22
Typical first-year earnings
$569top tenth $24,754+
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: 33 of 1,300 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,26759 hits
Earned $100k+
4.7 in 1001 in 21
Typical first-year earnings
$596
Chance against standard
+0.9%no change
Typical against standard
+4.7%$27 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Mouthwashing (21.8% of the money): 1,299 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
1,29959 hits
Earned $100k+
4.5 in 1001 in 22
Typical first-year earnings
$567
Chance against standard
-1.6%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-0.4%$2 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 361 of 1,300.

Launches counted
36115 hits
Earned $100k+
4.2 in 1001 in 24
Typical first-year earnings
$505
Chance against standard
-10.0%0.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-11.2%$64 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Retro, 12 to 36 months old: 1,300 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 1,300 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, Mouthwashing (21.8% of the money): 1,299 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: 361 of 1,300.

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 Minimalist + Retro 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.