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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 11 Nov 2026

Niches / Shooter + Side Scroller

Niche

Shooter + Side Scroller

Games tagged both Shooter and Side Scroller: 118 indie paid launches, 9 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 26,758 indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, data of 2 Nov 2026. How it is measured.

Showing Shooter + Side Scroller priced $10 to $20. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair is about level with Shooter and beats Side Scroller; priced $10 to $20 it is too small to compare with Shooter and is too small to compare with Side Scroller.

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

Shooter + Side Scroller is too small to compare with Shooter and is too small to compare with Side Scroller: 6 of its 15 launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 21.3 in 100 for Shooter and 16.9 in 100 for Side Scroller.

Small sample: 15 launches, 6 hits.

TIEA tie
Tag oneShooter
21.3in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds21.3 in 100
Typical earnings$9,694
Launches366 / 78 hits
Pair against ittoo few hits to compare
TIEA tie
This pairShooter + Side Scroller
6 of 15launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds6 of 15 launches
$1k+14 of 15 launches
$10k+10 of 15 launches
Launches15 / 6 hits
Expected20.5 in 100
TIETied
Tag twomood tagSide Scroller
16.9in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds16.9 in 100
Typical earnings$10,139
Launches142 / 24 hits
Pair against ittoo few hits to compare
All indie launches $10 to $20: 20.5 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $11,233, from 4,337 launches.each block is 2 in 100 all indie at $10 to $20Side Scroller 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 prices118 in pairUnder $569 in pair$5 to $1031 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 Shooter and Side Scroller priced $10 to $20. 6 of 15 of them earned $100k+, against 20.5 in 100 for Shooter-only games and 14.2 in 100 for Side Scroller-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Shooter alone and is too small to compare with Side Scroller alone.

Both: 15 games priced $10 to $20; 6 of 15 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 14 of 15 launches · $10k+ 10 of 15 launches · $100k+ 6 of 15 launches.

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

Alex Jones: NWO Warsleads this pair24.9%
PairAlex Jones: NWO Wars24.9%
ShooterGray Zone Warfare18.0%
Side ScrollerAbsolum18.1%
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 Shooter + 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

  • Alex Jones: NWO Wars earned 24.9% of the estimated first-year money of the 118 Shooter + Side Scroller launches.
  • Shooter is led by Gray Zone Warfare, with 18.0% of its money.
  • Side Scroller is led by Absolum, with 18.1% 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

Shooter + Side Scroller 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.

Shooter + Side Scroller through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view117 of 118 launchesWithout the breakout117 of 118 launchesLast 18 months29 of 118 launches
Launches counted1189 hits1179 hits1178 hits291 hits
Earned $100k+7.6 in 1001 in 137.7 in 1001 in 136.8 in 1001 in 151 of 29too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings$268top tenth $54,807+$268$260under 100 launches
Chance against standardthe base+0.9%0.1 more in 100-10.4%0.8 fewer in 100-54.8%4.2 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standardthe base0.0%no change-3.0%$8 lessunder 100 launches
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsToo few to tell
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Shooter and Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 118 launches.

Launches counted
1189 hits
Earned $100k+
7.6 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$268top tenth $54,807+
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: 1 of 118 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1179 hits
Earned $100k+
7.7 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$268
Chance against standard
+0.9%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Alex Jones: NWO Wars (24.9% of the money): 117 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
1178 hits
Earned $100k+
6.8 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings
$260
Chance against standard
-10.4%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-3.0%$8 less
Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 29 of 118.

Launches counted
291 hits
Earned $100k+
1 of 29too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
-54.8%4.2 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Shooter and Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 118 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: 1 of 118 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, Alex Jones: NWO Wars (24.9% of the money): 117 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: 29 of 118.

Shooter 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.

Shooter through every lens, all prices
ShooterBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view2,392 of 2,482 launchesWithout the breakout2,481 of 2,482 launchesLast 18 months635 of 2,482 launches
Launches counted2,482153 hits2,392147 hits2,481152 hits63541 hits
Earned $100k+6.2 in 1001 in 166.1 in 1001 in 166.1 in 1001 in 166.5 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings$319top tenth $24,188+$325$319$291
Chance against standardthe base-0.3%no change-0.6%no change+4.7%0.3 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+1.9%$6 more0.0%no change-8.8%$28 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Shooter, 12 to 36 months old: 2,482 launches.

Launches counted
2,482153 hits
Earned $100k+
6.2 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$319top tenth $24,188+
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: 90 of 2,482 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
2,392147 hits
Earned $100k+
6.1 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$325
Chance against standard
-0.3%no change
Typical against standard
+1.9%$6 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Gray Zone Warfare (18.0% of the money): 2,481 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
2,481152 hits
Earned $100k+
6.1 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$319
Chance against standard
-0.6%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 635 of 2,482.

Launches counted
63541 hits
Earned $100k+
6.5 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings
$291
Chance against standard
+4.7%0.3 more in 100
Typical against standard
-8.8%$28 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Shooter, 12 to 36 months old: 2,482 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: 90 of 2,482 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, Gray Zone Warfare (18.0% of the money): 2,481 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: 635 of 2,482.

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 ScrollerBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,054 of 1,076 launchesWithout the breakout1,075 of 1,076 launchesLast 18 months284 of 1,076 launches
Launches counted1,07644 hits1,05443 hits1,07543 hits28411 hits
Earned $100k+4.1 in 1001 in 244.1 in 1001 in 254.0 in 1001 in 253.9 in 1001 in 26
Typical first-year earnings$349top tenth $21,855+$349$348$291
Chance against standardthe base-0.2%no change-2.2%0.1 fewer in 100-5.3%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe base0.0%no change-0.3%$1 less-16.6%$58 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 1,076 launches.

Launches counted
1,07644 hits
Earned $100k+
4.1 in 1001 in 24
Typical first-year earnings
$349top tenth $21,855+
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: 22 of 1,076 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,05443 hits
Earned $100k+
4.1 in 1001 in 25
Typical first-year earnings
$349
Chance against standard
-0.2%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Absolum (18.1% of the money): 1,075 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
1,07543 hits
Earned $100k+
4.0 in 1001 in 25
Typical first-year earnings
$348
Chance against standard
-2.2%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-0.3%$1 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 284 of 1,076.

Launches counted
28411 hits
Earned $100k+
3.9 in 1001 in 26
Typical first-year earnings
$291
Chance against standard
-5.3%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-16.6%$58 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 1,076 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: 22 of 1,076 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, Absolum (18.1% of the money): 1,075 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: 284 of 1,076.

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 Shooter + 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.

Releases

Ticker: 30 upcoming games dated within 90 days, with wishlist rank, release date and followers. The same list is on the Upcoming page.