Niche

Programming + Simulation

Games tagged both Programming and Simulation: 52 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".
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.

Price $10 to $20

All prices1 in 16 hit $100k+Under $51 in 200 hit $100k+$5 to $101 in 26 hit $100k+$10 to $2019 in 100 hit $100k+$20 to $4042 in 100 hit $100k+

Base rate: indie paid launches 6 to 30 months old, 29,637 launches. Odds compare best within one price.

Lens Standard

Standard West-facing view Without the breakout Last 18 months

All indie paid launches 6 to 30 months old. Lens figures exist at all prices only; inside a price band this page shows the standard figures.

Sample 30+

10+ launchesshow small samples 30+ launches 100+ launchesonly big markets

Hides anything measured on fewer launches.

$10 to $20 30+ launches Reset

Showing Programming + Simulation priced $10 to $20, hiding samples under 30 launches. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats both its tags; priced $10 to $20 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?$10 to $20

15 launches, under your minimum sample of 30.

Pick another price band, or lower the minimum sample.

--No reading

Tag oneProgramming

--too few
to read

Odds--

Typical earnings--

Launches23

23 launches, under your minimum sample of 30.

--No reading

This pairProgramming + Simulation

--too few
to read

Odds--

Typical earnings--

Launches15

15 launches, under your minimum sample of 30.

1STWinner

Tag twoSimulation

21.5in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds21.5 in 100

Typical earnings$14,573

Launches1,006 / 216 hits

Pairno reading

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 $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: 0.5 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 prices52 in pair Under $514 in pair $5 to $1020 in pair $10 to $2015 in pair$20 to $403: too few

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 15 games tagged both Programming and Simulation priced $10 to $20. 26.7 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 12.5 for Programming-only games and 21.4 for Simulation-only games, so games with both tags did better than games with either tag alone.

Both: 15 games priced $10 to $20; 26.7 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $16,192.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 15 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

Kaizen: A Factory Storyleads this pair24.2%

PairKaizen: A Factory Story24.2%

ProgrammingKaizen: A Factory Story13.9%

SimulationSchedule I15.4%

CheckOne game over half?no

NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkChanged recently. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: moves the answer.

Open free preview

ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Programming + Simulation

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

Kaizen: A Factory Story earned 24.2% of the estimated first-year money of the 52 Programming + Simulation launches.
It also leads Programming, with 13.9% of that tag's money.
Simulation is led by Schedule I, with 15.4% 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

Programming + Simulation is changed recently: Last 18 months moves the answer by more than a quarter. It holds in 2 of 3.

Programming + Simulation through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view52 of 52 launches	Without the breakout51 of 52 launches	Last 18 months29 of 52 launches
Launches counted	525 hits	525 hits	514 hits	295 hits
Earned $100k+	9.6 in 1001 in 10	9.6 in 1001 in 10	7.8 in 1001 in 13	17.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings	$1,695top tenth $51,730+	$1,695	$1,456	$1,877
Chance against standard	the yardstick	0.0%no change	-18.8%1.8 fewer in 100	+79.2%7.6 more in 100
Typical against standard	the yardstick	0.0%no change	-14.1%$239 less	+10.7%$182 more
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Moves the answer

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Programming and Simulation, 6 to 30 months old: 52 launches.

Launches counted: 525 hits
Earned $100k+: 9.6 in 1001 in 10
Typical first-year earnings: $1,695top tenth $51,730+
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 52 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 525 hits
Earned $100k+: 9.6 in 1001 in 10
Typical first-year earnings: $1,695
Chance against standard: 0.0%no change
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Kaizen: A Factory Story (24.2% of the money): 51 launches left.

Launches counted: 514 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings: $1,456
Chance against standard: -18.8%1.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -14.1%$239 less

Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 29 of 52.

Launches counted: 295 hits
Earned $100k+: 17.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $1,877
Chance against standard: +79.2%7.6 more in 100
Typical against standard: +10.7%$182 more

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Programming and Simulation, 6 to 30 months old: 52 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 52 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, Kaizen: A Factory Story (24.2% of the money): 51 launches left.
Last 18 months: Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 29 of 52.

Programming is changed recently: Last 18 months moves the answer by more than a quarter. It holds in 2 of 3.

Programming through every lens, all prices
Programming	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view92 of 92 launches	Without the breakout91 of 92 launches	Last 18 months46 of 92 launches
Launches counted	927 hits	927 hits	916 hits	466 hits
Earned $100k+	7.6 in 1001 in 13	7.6 in 1001 in 13	6.6 in 1001 in 15	13.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings	$1,456top tenth $88,609+	$1,456	$1,214	$2,785
Chance against standard	the yardstick	0.0%no change	-13.2%1.0 fewer in 100	+71.1%5.4 more in 100
Typical against standard	the yardstick	0.0%no change	-16.6%$242 less	+91.3%$1,329 more
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Moves the answer

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Programming, 6 to 30 months old: 92 launches.

Launches counted: 927 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.6 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings: $1,456top tenth $88,609+
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 92 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 927 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.6 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings: $1,456
Chance against standard: 0.0%no change
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Kaizen: A Factory Story (13.9% of the money): 91 launches left.

Launches counted: 916 hits
Earned $100k+: 6.6 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings: $1,214
Chance against standard: -13.2%1.0 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -16.6%$242 less

Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 46 of 92.

Launches counted: 466 hits
Earned $100k+: 13.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $2,785
Chance against standard: +71.1%5.4 more in 100
Typical against standard: +91.3%$1,329 more

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Programming, 6 to 30 months old: 92 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 92 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, Kaizen: A Factory Story (13.9% of the money): 91 launches left.
Last 18 months: Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 46 of 92.

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

Simulation through every lens, all prices
Simulation	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view5,023 of 5,285 launches	Without the breakout5,284 of 5,285 launches	Last 18 months3,070 of 5,285 launches
Launches counted	5,285435 hits	5,023411 hits	5,284434 hits	3,070225 hits
Earned $100k+	8.2 in 1001 in 12	8.2 in 1001 in 12	8.2 in 1001 in 12	7.3 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings	$982top tenth $69,988+	$1,012	$982	$971
Chance against standard	the yardstick	0.0%no change	0.0%no change	-11.0%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard	the yardstick	+3.1%$30 more	0.0%no change	-1.1%$11 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Simulation, 6 to 30 months old: 5,285 launches.

Launches counted: 5,285435 hits
Earned $100k+: 8.2 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings: $982top tenth $69,988+
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: 262 of 5,285 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 5,023411 hits
Earned $100k+: 8.2 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings: $1,012
Chance against standard: 0.0%no change
Typical against standard: +3.1%$30 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Schedule I (15.4% of the money): 5,284 launches left.

Launches counted: 5,284434 hits
Earned $100k+: 8.2 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings: $982
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: 3,070 of 5,285.

Launches counted: 3,070225 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.3 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings: $971
Chance against standard: -11.0%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -1.1%$11 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Simulation, 6 to 30 months old: 5,285 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: 262 of 5,285 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, Schedule I (15.4% of the money): 5,284 launches left.
Last 18 months: Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 3,070 of 5,285.

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 Programming + Simulation 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.