Best niches
$10 to $20Pairs that hit $100k+ beyond the oddsFree until launch
Casual + Cozyabout 3.0 times the 19 in 100 base rate55 in 100
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Best nichesFree until launchClick to unlockTag pairs that beat the odds
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 6 to 30 months old, data 1 Oct 2026. A hit is an estimated first year of $100k+. The revenue estimate is soft: about 5 to 8 in 100 launches overall.
The niche list
Best odds at my priceChance of $100k+, read within one price band.Now: Casual + Cozy, 55 in 100. 1,269 match.Steady marketsHolds in every lens and no single game owns it.Now: Casual + Cozy, 55 in 100. 706 match.Biggest typical yearWhat the middle launch earned, highest first.Now: Casual + Cozy, $120,225 typical. 1,269 match.Biggest upsideWhat the top tenth earned at least.Now: Co-op + Multiplayer, $1.6M top 1 in 10. 658 match.Proven at scale100+ launches and above the base rate.Now: Building + Sandbox, 38 in 100. 75 match.Busiest marketsMost launches first: where the competition is.Now: Adventure + Exploration, 437 launches. 1,269 match.
1,269 of 5,145 niches have 30+ launches at $10 to $20. Sorted by chance of $100k+, lowest first.
Arcade + Casual
1 in 31
earned $100k+, from 124 launches at $10 to $20typical $1,214. Best of the pins
none
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| Rank# | Niche | Chance of $100k+ | Typical year | Top 1 in 10 | Launches | Markers | Pin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All games at $10 to $20the base rate: the row to beat | 19 in 100893 of 4,810 | $9,226 | $248,075 | 4,810 | |||
| 1 | Fantasy + Magicnone of 64 launches earned $100k+ | 0 in 100no hits | $4,048 | $23,070 | 64 | none | Pin Fantasy + Magic |
| 2 | Fantasy + Hidden Objectnone of 53 launches earned $100k+ | 0 in 100no hits | $810 | $3,238 | 53 | none | Pin Fantasy + Hidden Object |
| 3 | Casual + LGBTQ+none of 37 launches earned $100k+ | 0 in 100no hits | $4,553 | $59,495 | 37 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Casual + LGBTQ+ |
| 4 | Puzzle + VRnone of 34 launches earned $100k+ | 0 in 100no hits | $2,367 | $15,177 | 34 | Small | Pin Puzzle + VR |
| 5 | 3D Platformer + Arcadenone of 33 launches earned $100k+ | 0 in 100no hits | $1,214 | $15,382 | 33 | Small | Pin 3D Platformer + Arcade |
| 6 | Casual + Linearnone of 33 launches earned $100k+ | 0 in 100no hits | $2,104 | $16,046 | 33 | Small | Pin Casual + Linear |
| 7 | Fantasy + Mystery1 in 51 earned $100k+, from 51 launches | 1 in 511 hit | $810 | $4,048 | 51 | 1-hit | Pin Fantasy + Mystery |
| 8 | Adventure + Text-Based1 in 48 earned $100k+, from 48 launches | 1 in 481 hit | $1,821 | $67,084 | 48 | SmallAudience | Pin Adventure + Text-Based |
| 9 | Choose Your Own Adventure + Text-Based1 in 45 earned $100k+, from 45 launches | 1 in 451 hit | $1,376 | $26,708 | 45 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Choose Your Own Adventure + Text-Based |
| 10 | 2D + Hidden Object1 in 41 earned $100k+, from 81 launches | 1 in 412 hits | $1,214 | $6,374 | 81 | none | Pin 2D + Hidden Object |
| 11 | PvE + Roguelike1 in 39 earned $100k+, from 39 launches | 1 in 391 hit | $6,070 | $71,549 | 39 | Small | Pin PvE + Roguelike |
| 12 | Sports + Strategy1 in 39 earned $100k+, from 39 launches | 1 in 391 hit | $4,858 | $64,049 | 39 | Small | Pinned Sports + Strategy |
| 13 | Casual + Text-Based1 in 38 earned $100k+, from 38 launches | 1 in 381 hit | $2,671 | $31,806 | 38 | SmallAudience | Pin Casual + Text-Based |
| 14 | 2D + Family Friendly1 in 37 earned $100k+, from 37 launches | 1 in 371 hit | $971 | $14,267 | 37 | Small | Pin 2D + Family Friendly |
| 15 | Adventure + Linear1 in 37 earned $100k+, from 37 launches | 1 in 371 hit | $1,619 | $28,146 | 37 | Small | Pin Adventure + Linear |
| 16 | Cute + JRPG1 in 37 earned $100k+, from 37 launches | 1 in 371 hit | $4,807 | $25,501 | 37 | SmallAudience | Pin Cute + JRPG |
| 17 | PvE + RPG1 in 37 earned $100k+, from 37 launches | 1 in 371 hit | $4,998 | $40,885 | 37 | Small | Pin PvE + RPG |
| 18 | 2.5D + Puzzle1 in 35 earned $100k+, from 35 launches | 1 in 351 hit | $1,518 | $18,621 | 35 | SmallAudience | Pin 2.5D + Puzzle |
| 19 | Immersive Sim + VR1 in 35 earned $100k+, from 35 launches | 1 in 351 hit | $2,834 | $33,598 | 35 | Small | Pin Immersive Sim + VR |
| 20 | 2D + Choose Your Own Adventure1 in 35 earned $100k+, from 69 launches | 1 in 352 hits | $3,116 | $48,802 | 69 | none | Pin 2D + Choose Your Own Adventure |
| 21 | Hidden Object + Point & Click1 in 34 earned $100k+, from 103 launches | 1 in 343 hits | $1,214 | $9,310 | 103 | none | Pin Hidden Object + Point & Click |
| 22 | Interactive Fiction + Text-Based1 in 33 earned $100k+, from 33 launches | 1 in 331 hit | $7,285 | $35,511 | 33 | Small | Pin Interactive Fiction + Text-Based |
| 23 | Cute + Interactive Fiction1 in 32 earned $100k+, from 32 launches | 1 in 321 hit | $7,366 | $50,231 | 32 | SmallAudience | Pin Cute + Interactive Fiction |
| 24 | Arcade + Casual1 in 31 earned $100k+, from 124 launches | 1 in 314 hits | $1,214 | $18,213 | 124 | none | Pinned Arcade + Casual |
| 25 | 2.5D + Strategy1 in 31 earned $100k+, from 31 launches | 1 in 311 hit | $607 | $67,759 | 31 | Small | Pin 2.5D + Strategy |
Show 25 moreShowing 25 of 1,269 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 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.