Genres

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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192,217
on 3 Oct 2026

Niches 3 Oct

Of 1,116 niches with 30+ launches at $10 to $20, 511 beat the 20 in 100 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 238 under $5, 44 in 100 at $20 to $40.511 of 1,116 niches beat the 20 in 100 base rate.511 beat the base rate.

Typical launch, all prices, first year $552

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.

The niche list

Best odds at my priceChance of $100k+, read within one price band.Now: Building + Life Sim, 63 in 100. 1,116 match.Steady marketsHolds in every lens and no single game owns it.Now: Cozy + Simulation, 56 in 100. 396 match.Biggest typical yearWhat the middle launch earned, highest first.Now: Economy + Management, $51,218 typical. 1,116 match.Biggest upsideWhat the top tenth earned at least.Now: First-Person + Immersive Sim, $903k top 1 in 10. 569 match.Proven at scale100+ launches and above the base rate.Now: Management + Simulation, 38 in 100. 53 match.Busiest marketsMost launches first: where the competition is.Now: Adventure + Exploration, 390 launches. 1,116 match.
Hide one-hit markets244 outHide small samples547 out

1,116 of 4,635 niches have 30+ launches at $10 to $20. Sorted by chance of $100k+, lowest first.

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Niches at $10 to $20, sorted by chance of $100k+. The first row is the base rate.
Rank#NicheChance of $100k+Typical yearTop 1 in 10LaunchesMarkersPin
All games at $10 to $20the base rate: the row to beat 20 in 100878 of 4,304 $10,978$287,297 4,304
1 none of 71 launches earned $100k+ 0 of 71no hits under 100 under 100 71 none Pin 2D + Hidden Object
2 none of 50 launches earned $100k+ 0 of 50no hits under 100 under 100 50 1-hit Pin 3D Platformer + Casual
3 none of 45 launches earned $100k+ 0 of 45no hits under 100 under 100 45 Small Pin Fantasy + Hidden Object
4 none of 37 launches earned $100k+ 0 of 37no hits under 100 under 100 37 Small Pin Immersive Sim + VR
5 none of 35 launches earned $100k+ 0 of 35no hits under 100 under 100 35 Small Pin Arcade + VR
6 none of 31 launches earned $100k+ 0 of 31no hits under 100 under 100 31 1-hitSmall Pin 2D + Magic
7 1 of 56 launches earned $100k+ 1 of 561 hit under 100 under 100 56 none Pin Casual + VR
8 1 of 43 launches earned $100k+ 1 of 431 hit under 100 under 100 43 Small Pin Adventure + Text-Based
9 1 of 41 launches earned $100k+ 1 of 411 hit under 100 under 100 41 1-hitSmall Pin Fantasy + Mystery
10 2 of 80 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 802 hits under 100 under 100 80 none Pin Hidden Object + Point & Click
11 1 of 39 launches earned $100k+ 1 of 391 hit under 100 under 100 39 1-hitSmall Pin Choose Your Own Adventure + Text-Based
12 1 of 39 launches earned $100k+ 1 of 391 hit under 100 under 100 39 1-hitSmall Pin Puzzle + VR
13 2 of 75 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 752 hits under 100 under 100 75 none Pin 2D + Choose Your Own Adventure
14 1 of 36 launches earned $100k+ 1 of 361 hit under 100 under 100 36 Small Pin 3D Platformer + Cute
15 1 of 36 launches earned $100k+ 1 of 361 hit under 100 under 100 36 Small Pin Sports + Strategy
16 1 of 33 launches earned $100k+ 1 of 331 hit under 100 under 100 33 Small Pin Casual + Text-Based
17 1 of 32 launches earned $100k+ 1 of 321 hit under 100 under 100 32 Small Pin 3D Platformer + Puzzle Platformer
18 4 of 124 launches earned $100k+ 4 of 1244 hits $1,150 $18,907 124 none Pin Arcade + Casual
19 2 of 62 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 622 hits under 100 under 100 62 none Pin Adventure + Puzzle Platformer
20 2 of 58 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 582 hits under 100 under 100 58 1-hit Pin Adventure + VR
21 2 of 56 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 562 hits under 100 under 100 56 1-hit Pin Simulation + VR
22 2 of 54 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 542 hits under 100 under 100 54 Audience Pin Anime + Choose Your Own Adventure
23 2 of 53 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 532 hits under 100 under 100 53 1-hit Pin 3D + PvE
24 2 of 53 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 532 hits under 100 under 100 53 none Pin First-Person + VR
25 2 of 52 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 522 hits under 100 under 100 52 1-hit Pin Action-Adventure + Strategy
26 1 in 25 earned $100k+, from 126 launches 1 in 255 hits $2,044 $43,725 126 none Pin Casual + Point & Click
27 4 of 98 launches earned $100k+ 4 of 984 hits under 100 under 100 98 none Pin Adventure + Hidden Object
28 3 of 70 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 703 hits under 100 under 100 70 none Pin Fantasy + Magic
29 3 of 69 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 693 hits under 100 under 100 69 none Pin Fantasy + Puzzle
30 3 of 68 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 683 hits under 100 under 100 68 none Pin Choose Your Own Adventure + Cute
31 2 of 45 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 452 hits under 100 under 100 45 1-hitSmallAudience Pin 2D + Family Friendly
32 2 of 45 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 452 hits under 100 under 100 45 Small Pin Arcade + Strategy
33 3 of 67 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 673 hits under 100 under 100 67 none Pin Casual + Choose Your Own Adventure
34 1 in 21 earned $100k+, from 107 launches 1 in 215 hits $1,328 $20,735 107 none Pin Casual + Hidden Object
35 1 in 21 earned $100k+, from 126 launches 1 in 216 hits $1,533 $37,244 126 none Pin Hidden Object + Puzzle
36 3 of 62 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 623 hits under 100 under 100 62 none Pin Casual + Romance
37 3 of 62 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 623 hits under 100 under 100 62 none Pin Text-Based + Visual Novel
38 2 of 40 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 402 hits under 100 under 100 40 SmallAudience Pin 2D Platformer + Puzzle Platformer
39 2 of 39 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 392 hits under 100 under 100 39 1-hitSmall Pin Adventure + Party-Based RPG
40 3 of 58 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 583 hits under 100 under 100 58 none Pin Adventure + Cartoony
41 1 in 19 earned $100k+, from 95 launches 1 in 195 hits under 100 under 100 95 none Pin 3D + 3D Platformer
42 2 of 38 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 382 hits under 100 under 100 38 1-hitSmall Pin Arcade + PvP
43 2 of 38 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 382 hits under 100 under 100 38 Small Pin Colorful + Visual Novel
44 2 of 37 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 372 hits under 100 under 100 37 Small Pin 1990's + Adventure
45 2 of 37 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 372 hits under 100 under 100 37 1-hitSmall Pin 3D Platformer + Puzzle
46 2 of 37 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 372 hits under 100 under 100 37 Small Pin Casual + Sports
47 1 in 18 earned $100k+, from 129 launches 1 in 187 hits $4,601 $74,366 129 none Pin Adventure + Choose Your Own Adventure
48 3 of 55 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 553 hits under 100 under 100 55 none Pin 3D + Sports
49 3 of 55 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 553 hits under 100 under 100 55 1-hit Pin Fantasy + JRPG
50 4 of 73 launches earned $100k+ 4 of 734 hits under 100 under 100 73 none Pin Casual + Dating Sim
51 1 in 18 earned $100k+, from 145 launches 1 in 188 hits $4,170 $61,149 145 none Pin Casual + Visual Novel
52 2 of 36 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 362 hits under 100 under 100 36 1-hitSmall Pin Action-Adventure + VR
53 Exploration + VR2 of 36 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 362 hits under 100 under 100 36 1-hitSmall Pin Exploration + VR

2 of 36 launches earned $100k+ at $10 to $20.

Base rate at $10 to $20: 20 in 100 (878 of 4,304 launches earned $100k+).

Odds by size: $1k+ 78 in 100 · $10k+ 44 in 100 · $100k+ 2 of 36 launches. Under 100 launches, so no typical figure.

Lens check, all pricesOne-hit market. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: moves the answer. Last 18 months: too few to tell.

  • 1-hitFive Nights at Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic holds 67% of all the money here (all prices). Read the typical figure, not the total.
  • SmallOnly 36 launches at $10 to $20: one or two games swing the odds.
  • LuckOnly 2 games reached $100k+ here, so the odds could be luck.
Chance of $100k+ at every price (Standard lens)
PriceChanceLaunchesTypical
All prices1 in 12107$1,207
Under $50 of 21 launches21under 100
$5 to $100 of 34 launches34under 100
$10 to $202 of 36 launches36under 100
$20 to $407 of 16 launches16under 100

Grey: under 30 launches or 5 hits at that price, written as a count. Typical needs 100 launches. Odds compare best within one price.

Its two tags alone, at $10 to $20

  • Explorationstyle tag21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 878 launches
  • VR1 in 22 earned $100k+, from 195 launches
Open niche pageCheck this idea
54 3 of 53 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 533 hits under 100 under 100 53 1-hit Pin 3D + VR
55 1 in 18 earned $100k+, from 105 launches 1 in 186 hits $1,803 $52,382 105 none Pin Casual + Fantasy
56 1 in 17 earned $100k+, from 86 launches 1 in 175 hits under 100 under 100 86 none Pin Action + VR
57 3 of 51 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 513 hits under 100 under 100 51 1-hit Pin Anime + Fantasy
58 2 of 34 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 342 hits under 100 under 100 34 1-hitSmall Pin Casual + LGBTQ+
59 4 of 67 launches earned $100k+ 4 of 674 hits under 100 under 100 67 none Pin Anime + Simulation
60 2 of 33 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 332 hits under 100 under 100 33 SmallAudience Pin Action + Puzzle Platformer
61 2 of 33 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 332 hits under 100 under 100 33 1-hitSmall Pin Adventure + Time Management
62 2 of 33 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 332 hits under 100 under 100 33 Small Pin Physics + Puzzle
63 3 of 49 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 493 hits under 100 under 100 49 Small Pin Hidden Object + Story Rich
64 4 of 65 launches earned $100k+ 4 of 654 hits under 100 under 100 65 Audience Pin Platformer + Puzzle Platformer
65 2 of 32 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 322 hits under 100 under 100 32 Small Pin Adventure + Linear
66 2 of 32 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 322 hits under 100 under 100 32 Small Pin Anime + Strategy
67 2 of 32 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 322 hits under 100 under 100 32 Small Pin Female Protagonist + Interactive Fiction
68 2 of 32 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 322 hits under 100 under 100 32 Small Pin Puzzle + Time Management
69 3 of 47 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 473 hits under 100 under 100 47 1-hitSmall Pin 2D + Romance
70 3 of 47 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 473 hits under 100 under 100 47 SmallAudience Pin Action + Family Friendly
71 2 of 31 launches earned $100k+ 2 of 312 hits under 100 under 100 31 SmallAudience Pin Action + Precision Platformer
72 3 of 46 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 463 hits under 100 under 100 46 Small Pin Arcade + Puzzle
73 3 of 46 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 463 hits under 100 under 100 46 Small Pin Fantasy + Turn-Based Combat
74 4 of 61 launches earned $100k+ 4 of 614 hits under 100 under 100 61 1-hit Pin Adventure + Arcade
75 3 of 45 launches earned $100k+ 3 of 453 hits under 100 under 100 45 1-hitSmall Pin Action-Adventure + Simulation
Show 25 moreShowing 75 of 1,116 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.

Releases

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