Niches

Every tag pair (two tags on the same game), screened by how often its indie launches earned $100k or more in their first year. Pick your price first: price moves the odds more than the tags do.

Indie paid Steam launches 12 to 36 months old, data 3 Oct 2026. A hit is an estimated first year of $100k+. 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. The revenue estimate is soft: about 6 to 7.5 in 100 launches overall.

Best niches

All prices

Pairs with the best chance of $100k+, above the base rateFree until launch

City Builder + Managementabout 2.0 times expected at its prices, could be luck35 in 100

1City Builder + Management35 in 100120 launches 2Base Building + City Builder34 in 100131 launches 3Base Building + Crafting33 in 100141 launches 4Base Building + Management33 in 100123 launches 5City Builder + Colony Sim32 in 100116 launches

Lens checkOne-hit market +1. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: moves the answer. Without the breakout: moves the answer. Last 18 months: holds.

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Best nichesFree until launchClick to unlockTag pairs that beat the odds

The niche list

Price $10 to $20

All prices1 in 15 hit $100k+Under $51 in 238 hit $100k+$5 to $101 in 28 hit $100k+$10 to $2020 in 100 hit $100k+$20 to $4044 in 100 hit $100k+

Base rate: indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, 26,291 launches. Odds compare best within one price.

Lens Last 18 months

Standard West-facing view Without the breakout Last 18 months

Only launches from the last 18 months. Lenses are computed across all prices only so far, so a lens reads All prices.

Sample 100+

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

Hides anything measured on fewer launches.

$10 to $20 Last 18 months 100+ launches Reset

The Last 18 months lens is computed across all prices only for now, so this list reads All prices. Pick Standard to read $10 to $20.

Best odds at my priceChance of $100k+, read within one price band.Opens $10 to $20, Standard lens.Steady marketsHolds in every lens and no single game owns it.Loads the 30+ launches view.Biggest typical yearWhat the middle launch earned, highest first.Loads the 30+ launches view.Biggest upsideWhat the top tenth earned at least.Loads the 30+ launches view.Proven at scale100+ launches and above the base rate.Now: Building + Simulation, 25 in 100. 148 match.Busiest marketsMost launches first: where the competition is.Loads the 30+ launches view.

Hide one-hit markets48 out Hide small samples0 out

436 of 4,635 niches have 100+ launches at any price, Last 18 months. Sorted by chance of $100k+, lowest first.

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Niches at any price, Last 18 months, sorted by chance of $100k+. The first row is the base rate.
Rank#	Niche	Chance of $100k+	Typical year	Top 1 in 10	Launches	Markers	Pin
	All games at any price, Last 18 monthsthe base rate: the row to beat	1 in 151,722 of 26,291	$552	not computed	26,291
1	Casual + Top-Downnone of 187 launches earned $100k+	0 of 187no hits	$89	not computed	187	1-hit	Pin Casual + Top-Down
2	Cute + Hidden Objectnone of 127 launches earned $100k+	0 of 127no hits	$482	not computed	127	none	Pin Cute + Hidden Object
3	Casual + Shooternone of 126 launches earned $100k+	0 of 126no hits	$53	not computed	126	1-hit	Pin Casual + Shooter
4	Shooter + Top-Down Shooternone of 117 launches earned $100k+	0 of 117no hits	$147	not computed	117	Audience	Pin Shooter + Top-Down Shooter
5	Casual + Side Scrollernone of 109 launches earned $100k+	0 of 109no hits	$71	not computed	109	none	Pin Casual + Side Scroller
6	2D + Hidden Object1 of 149 launches earned $100k+	1 of 1491 hit	$442	not computed	149	none	Pin 2D + Hidden Object
7	2D + Linear1 of 130 launches earned $100k+	1 of 1301 hit	$214	not computed	130	none	Pin 2D + Linear
8	Incremental + Point & Click1 of 121 launches earned $100k+	1 of 1211 hit	$159	not computed	121	none	Pin Incremental + Point & Click
9	2D Platformer + Precision Platformer1 of 115 launches earned $100k+	1 of 1151 hit	$356	not computed	115	Audience	Pin 2D Platformer + Precision Platformer
10	2D Platformer + Puzzle1 of 115 launches earned $100k+	1 of 1151 hit	$89	not computed	115	Audience	Pin 2D Platformer + Puzzle
11	2D Platformer + Puzzle Platformer1 of 114 launches earned $100k+	1 of 1141 hit	$211	not computed	114	Audience	Pin 2D Platformer + Puzzle Platformer
12	Simulation + Walking Simulator1 of 106 launches earned $100k+	1 of 1061 hit	$569	not computed	106	none	Pin Simulation + Walking Simulator
13	Action + Precision Platformer1 of 105 launches earned $100k+	1 of 1051 hit	$214	not computed	105	Audience	Pin Action + Precision Platformer
14	2D + Comedy1 of 100 launches earned $100k+	1 of 1001 hit	$332	not computed	100	1-hit	Pin 2D + Comedy
15	Casual + Stylized2 of 190 launches earned $100k+	2 of 1902 hits	$211	not computed	190	none	Pin Casual + Stylized
16	Platformer + Precision Platformer2 of 179 launches earned $100k+	2 of 1792 hits	$214	not computed	179	Audience	Pin Platformer + Precision Platformer
17	Casual + Point & Click4 of 335 launches earned $100k+	4 of 3354 hits	$268	not computed	335	none	Pin Casual + Point & Click
18	Puzzle + Strategy4 of 306 launches earned $100k+	4 of 3064 hits	$266	not computed	306	none	Pin Puzzle + Strategy
19	Platformer + Puzzle Platformer2 of 153 launches earned $100k+	2 of 1532 hits	$169	not computed	153	Audience	Pin Platformer + Puzzle Platformer
20	Pixel Graphics + Top-Down2 of 145 launches earned $100k+	2 of 1452 hits	$179	not computed	145	Audience	Pin Pixel Graphics + Top-Down
21	Arcade + Strategy2 of 142 launches earned $100k+	2 of 1422 hits	$213	not computed	142	none	Pin Arcade + Strategy
22	2D Platformer + Casual4 of 283 launches earned $100k+	4 of 2834 hits	$35	not computed	283	none	Pin 2D Platformer + Casual
23	3D + Walking Simulator3 of 209 launches earned $100k+	3 of 2093 hits	$517	not computed	209	none	Pin 3D + Walking Simulator
24	3D + Hidden Object2 of 135 launches earned $100k+	2 of 1352 hits	$214	not computed	135	none	Pin 3D + Hidden Object
25	Casual + Hidden Object4 of 268 launches earned $100k+	4 of 2684 hits	$442	not computed	268	none	Pin Casual + Hidden Object

Show 25 moreShowing 25 of 436 niches

green beats the base ratecoral below it bar: the chance; amber tick: the base rate1-hit one game holds over half the moneySmall under 50 launches in this viewAudience reads differently for Western players

Under 30 launches or 5 hits a chance is written as a count ("3 of 12"), never as odds. Typical year is the middle launch's first-year earnings. Lenses, the one-hit share and the audience split are measured across all prices. A game counts in every pair its tags make.