Niche

Simulation + Tower Defense

Games tagged both Simulation and Tower Defense: 77 indie paid launches, 10 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.

Price $10 to $20

All prices1 in 15 hit $100k+Under $51 in 230 hit $100k+$5 to $101 in 28 hit $100k+$10 to $2021 in 100 hit $100k+$20 to $4044 in 100 hit $100k+

Base rate: indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, 26,758 launches. Odds compare best within one price.

Lens Standard

Standard West-facing view Without the breakout Last 18 months

All indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old. Lens figures exist at all prices only; inside a price band this page shows the standard figures.

Sample 10+

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

Hides anything measured on fewer launches.

$10 to $20

Showing Simulation + Tower Defense priced $10 to $20. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats both its tags; priced $10 to $20 it is too small to compare with Simulation and is too small to compare with Tower Defense.

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

Simulation + Tower Defense is too small to compare with Simulation and is too small to compare with Tower Defense: 3 of its 13 launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 23.5 in 100 for Simulation and 29.5 in 100 for Tower Defense.

Small sample: 13 launches, 3 hits.

TIETied

Tag oneSimulation

23.5in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds23.5 in 100

Typical earnings$15,885

Launches865 / 203 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

TIEA tie

This pairSimulation + Tower Defense

3 of 13launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds3 of 13 launches

$1k+9 of 13 launches

$10k+4 of 13 launches

Launches13 / 3 hits

Expected20.5 in 100

TIEA tie

Tag twoTower Defense

29.5in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds29.5 in 100

Typical earnings$9,482

Launches122 / 36 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 $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: 0.4 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 prices77 in pair Under $534 in pair $5 to $1025 in pair $10 to $2013 in pair$20 to $405: too few

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 13 games tagged both Simulation and Tower Defense priced $10 to $20. 3 of 13 of them earned $100k+, against 23.5 in 100 for Simulation-only games and 30.3 in 100 for Tower Defense-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Simulation alone and is too small to compare with Tower Defense alone.

Both: 13 games priced $10 to $20; 3 of 13 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 9 of 13 launches · $10k+ 4 of 13 launches · $100k+ 3 of 13 launches.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 13 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

Lessaria: Fantasy Kingdom Simleads this pair38.1%

PairLessaria: Fantasy Kingdom Sim38.1%

SimulationSchedule I19.1%

Tower DefenseStronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition12.5%

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 Simulation + Tower Defense

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

Lessaria: Fantasy Kingdom Sim earned 38.1% of the estimated first-year money of the 77 Simulation + Tower Defense launches.
Simulation is led by Schedule I, with 19.1% of its money.
Tower Defense is led by Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition, with 12.5% 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

Simulation + Tower Defense 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.

Simulation + Tower Defense through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view70 of 77 launches	Without the breakout76 of 77 launches	Last 18 months27 of 77 launches
Launches counted	7710 hits	7010 hits	769 hits	273 hits
Earned $100k+	13.0 in 100	14.3 in 100	11.8 in 100	3 of 27too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+	18 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 36 in 100	under 100 launches	under 100 launches	under 100 launches
Chance against standard	the base	+10.0%1.3 more in 100	-8.8%1.1 fewer in 100	-14.4%1.9 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard	the base	under 100 launches	under 100 launches	under 100 launches
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Too few to tell

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Simulation and Tower Defense, 12 to 36 months old: 77 launches.

Launches counted: 7710 hits
Earned $100k+: 13.0 in 100
Chance of $10k+: 18 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 36 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: 7 of 77 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 7010 hits
Earned $100k+: 14.3 in 100
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: +10.0%1.3 more in 100
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Lessaria: Fantasy Kingdom Sim (38.1% of the money): 76 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 769 hits
Earned $100k+: 11.8 in 100
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: -8.8%1.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 27 of 77.

Launches counted: 273 hits
Earned $100k+: 3 of 27too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: -14.4%1.9 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Simulation and Tower Defense, 12 to 36 months old: 77 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: 7 of 77 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, Lessaria: Fantasy Kingdom Sim (38.1% of the money): 76 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: 27 of 77.

Simulation 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.

Simulation through every lens, all prices
Simulation	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view4,264 of 4,518 launches	Without the breakout4,517 of 4,518 launches	Last 18 months1,367 of 4,518 launches
Launches counted	4,518406 hits	4,264387 hits	4,517405 hits	1,367121 hits
Earned $100k+	9.0 in 1001 in 11	9.1 in 1001 in 11	9.0 in 1001 in 11	8.9 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings	$926top tenth $82,841+	$1,005	$925	$936
Chance against standard	the base	+1.0%0.1 more in 100	-0.2%no change	-1.5%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard	the base	+8.5%$79 more	-0.1%$1 less	+1.1%$10 more
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Simulation, 12 to 36 months old: 4,518 launches.

Launches counted: 4,518406 hits
Earned $100k+: 9.0 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings: $926top tenth $82,841+
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: 254 of 4,518 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 4,264387 hits
Earned $100k+: 9.1 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings: $1,005
Chance against standard: +1.0%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard: +8.5%$79 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Schedule I (19.1% of the money): 4,517 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 4,517405 hits
Earned $100k+: 9.0 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings: $925
Chance against standard: -0.2%no change
Typical against standard: -0.1%$1 less

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,367 of 4,518.

Launches counted: 1,367121 hits
Earned $100k+: 8.9 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings: $936
Chance against standard: -1.5%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: +1.1%$10 more

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Simulation, 12 to 36 months old: 4,518 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: 254 of 4,518 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 (19.1% of the money): 4,517 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: 1,367 of 4,518.

Tower Defense 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.

Tower Defense through every lens, all prices
Tower Defense	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view750 of 796 launches	Without the breakout795 of 796 launches	Last 18 months215 of 796 launches
Launches counted	79652 hits	75048 hits	79551 hits	21514 hits
Earned $100k+	6.5 in 1001 in 15	6.4 in 1001 in 16	6.4 in 1001 in 16	6.5 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings	$383top tenth $33,659+	$406	$383	$390
Chance against standard	the base	-2.0%0.1 fewer in 100	-1.8%0.1 fewer in 100	-0.3%no change
Typical against standard	the base	+6.0%$23 more	0.0%no change	+1.8%$7 more
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Tower Defense, 12 to 36 months old: 796 launches.

Launches counted: 79652 hits
Earned $100k+: 6.5 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings: $383top tenth $33,659+
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: 46 of 796 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 75048 hits
Earned $100k+: 6.4 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings: $406
Chance against standard: -2.0%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: +6.0%$23 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition (12.5% of the money): 795 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 79551 hits
Earned $100k+: 6.4 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings: $383
Chance against standard: -1.8%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 215 of 796.

Launches counted: 21514 hits
Earned $100k+: 6.5 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings: $390
Chance against standard: -0.3%no change
Typical against standard: +1.8%$7 more

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Tower Defense, 12 to 36 months old: 796 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: 46 of 796 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, Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition (12.5% of the money): 795 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: 215 of 796.

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 Simulation + Tower Defense 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.