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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 30 Sep 2026

Niches / Physics + Sandbox

Niche

Physics + Sandbox

Games tagged both Physics and Sandbox: 160 indie paid launches, 18 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 Physics + Sandbox priced $10 to $20, west-facing view. Lens figures exist at all prices only, so inside a price band the page shows the standard figures.

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

Physics + Sandbox beats Physics and trails Sandbox: 18.9 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 17.5 in 100 for Physics and 30.7 in 100 for Sandbox.

That is about 1.0 times the 18.6 in 100 expected for any launch at this price. Lens figures by price band are not computed yet, so this band uses the standard figures.

3RDThird
Tag onemood tagPhysics
17.5in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds17.5 in 100
Typical earnings$11,350
Launches183 / 32 hits
Pair leads by1.4 in 100
2NDRunner-up
This pairPhysics + Sandbox
18.9in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds18.9 in 100
Typical earnings$15,177
Launches53 / 10 hits
Expected18.6 in 100
1STWinner
Tag twoSandbox
30.7in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds30.7 in 100
Typical earnings$26,551
Launches388 / 119 hits
Pair trails by11.8 in 100
All indie launches $10 to $20: 18.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $9,226, from 4,810 launches.each block is 2 in 100 all indie at $10 to $20Physics 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
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 53 games tagged both Physics and Sandbox priced $10 to $20. 18.9 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 16.9 for Physics-only games and 32.5 for Sandbox-only games, so the mix beats Physics alone and trails Sandbox alone.

Both: 53 games priced $10 to $20; 18.9 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $15,177.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 53 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. The west-facing view lens is not computed for the outer parts, so this diagram uses the standard figures.

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

Space Engineers 2leads this pair16.0%
PairSpace Engineers 216.0%
PhysicsR.E.P.O.29.2%
SandboxManor Lords22.6%
CheckOne game over half?no
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkHolds in 3 of 3. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: holds.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Physics + 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

  • Space Engineers 2 earned 16.0% of the estimated first-year money of the 160 Physics + Sandbox launches.
  • Physics is led by R.E.P.O., with 29.2% of its money.
  • Sandbox is led by Manor Lords, with 22.6% 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

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

Physics + Sandbox through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view157 of 160 launchesWithout the breakout159 of 160 launchesLast 18 months106 of 160 launches
Launches counted16018 hits15718 hits15917 hits10612 hits
Earned $100k+11.3 in 10011.5 in 10010.7 in 10011.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$2,526top tenth $258,868+$2,530$2,428$2,560
Chance against standardthe yardstick+1.8%0.2 more in 100-5.3%0.6 fewer in 1000.0%no change
Typical against standardthe yardstick+0.2%$4 more-3.9%$98 less+1.3%$34 more
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Physics and Sandbox, 6 to 30 months old: 160 launches.

Launches counted
16018 hits
Earned $100k+
11.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,526top tenth $258,868+
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: 3 of 160 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
15718 hits
Earned $100k+
11.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,530
Chance against standard
+1.8%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard
+0.2%$4 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Space Engineers 2 (16.0% of the money): 159 launches left.

Launches counted
15917 hits
Earned $100k+
10.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,428
Chance against standard
-5.3%0.6 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-3.9%$98 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 106 of 160.

Launches counted
10612 hits
Earned $100k+
11.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,560
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
+1.3%$34 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Physics and Sandbox, 6 to 30 months old: 160 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: 3 of 160 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, Space Engineers 2 (16.0% of the money): 159 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 106 of 160.

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

Physics through every lens, all prices
PhysicsBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,277 of 1,303 launchesWithout the breakout1,302 of 1,303 launchesLast 18 months723 of 1,303 launches
Launches counted1,30384 hits1,27783 hits1,30283 hits72352 hits
Earned $100k+6.4 in 1001 in 166.5 in 1001 in 156.4 in 1001 in 167.2 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings$527top tenth $34,097+$564$527$606
Chance against standardthe yardstick+1.6%0.1 more in 1000.0%no change+12.5%0.8 more in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+7.0%$37 more0.0%no change+15.0%$79 more
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Physics, 6 to 30 months old: 1,303 launches.

Launches counted
1,30384 hits
Earned $100k+
6.4 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$527top tenth $34,097+
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: 26 of 1,303 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,27783 hits
Earned $100k+
6.5 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings
$564
Chance against standard
+1.6%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
+7.0%$37 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, R.E.P.O. (29.2% of the money): 1,302 launches left.

Launches counted
1,30283 hits
Earned $100k+
6.4 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$527
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 723 of 1,303.

Launches counted
72352 hits
Earned $100k+
7.2 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$606
Chance against standard
+12.5%0.8 more in 100
Typical against standard
+15.0%$79 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Physics, 6 to 30 months old: 1,303 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: 26 of 1,303 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, R.E.P.O. (29.2% of the money): 1,302 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 723 of 1,303.

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

Sandbox through every lens, all prices
SandboxBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,352 of 1,394 launchesWithout the breakout1,393 of 1,394 launchesLast 18 months822 of 1,394 launches
Launches counted1,394210 hits1,352198 hits1,393209 hits822109 hits
Earned $100k+15.1 in 10014.6 in 10015.0 in 10013.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$1,841top tenth $239,640+$1,840$1,841$1,618
Chance against standardthe yardstick-3.3%0.5 fewer in 100-0.7%0.1 fewer in 100-11.9%1.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-0.1%$1 less0.0%no change-12.1%$223 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Sandbox, 6 to 30 months old: 1,394 launches.

Launches counted
1,394210 hits
Earned $100k+
15.1 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,841top tenth $239,640+
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: 42 of 1,394 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,352198 hits
Earned $100k+
14.6 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,840
Chance against standard
-3.3%0.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-0.1%$1 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Manor Lords (22.6% of the money): 1,393 launches left.

Launches counted
1,393209 hits
Earned $100k+
15.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,841
Chance against standard
-0.7%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 822 of 1,394.

Launches counted
822109 hits
Earned $100k+
13.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,618
Chance against standard
-11.9%1.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-12.1%$223 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Sandbox, 6 to 30 months old: 1,394 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: 42 of 1,394 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 (22.6% of the money): 1,393 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 822 of 1,394.

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 Physics + 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.