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+, highest first.

multiplayer--simulationNot in this view: under 100 launches at any price, Last 18 months.

2D + Simulation 1 in 21 earned $100k+, from 275 launches at any price, Last 18 monthstypical $383. Best of the pins none

Pin another to compare.

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	Building + Simulation25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 110 launches	25 in 10027 hits	$10,414	not computed	110	Audience	Pin Building + Simulation
2	Economy + Management22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 127 launches	22 in 10028 hits	$9,902	not computed	127	none	Pin Economy + Management
3	Building + Strategy21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 103 launches	21 in 10022 hits	$2,528	not computed	103	none	Pin Building + Strategy
4	Co-op + Multiplayer21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 110 launches	21 in 10023 hits	$5,561	not computed	110	none	Pin Co-op + Multiplayer
5	Cozy + Relaxing19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 140 launches	19 in 10027 hits	$1,926	not computed	140	Audience	Pin Cozy + Relaxing
6	Exploration + Sandbox19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 105 launches	19 in 10020 hits	$1,697	not computed	105	none	Pin Exploration + Sandbox
7	Multiplayer + Online Co-Op19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 105 launches	19 in 10020 hits	$6,110	not computed	105	none	Pin Multiplayer + Online Co-Op
8	Economy + Simulation18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 130 launches	18 in 10023 hits	$7,163	not computed	130	none	Pin Economy + Simulation
9	Mystery + Story Rich17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 128 launches	17 in 10022 hits	$1,533	not computed	128	Audience	Pin Mystery + Story Rich
10	Casual + Cozy17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 126 launches	17 in 10021 hits	$1,638	not computed	126	Audience	Pin Casual + Cozy
11	Exploration + Open World17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 102 launches	17 in 10017 hits	$3,980	not computed	102	none	Pin Exploration + Open World
12	Sandbox + Simulation16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 196 launches	16 in 10032 hits	$3,065	not computed	196	none	Pin Sandbox + Simulation
13	Management + Strategy16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 141 launches	16 in 10023 hits	$2,950	not computed	141	none	Pin Management + Strategy
14	Management + Simulation16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 234 launches	16 in 10038 hits	$8,634	not computed	234	none	Pin Management + Simulation
15	Choices Matter + Story Rich16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 112 launches	16 in 10018 hits	$3,482	not computed	112	Audience	Pin Choices Matter + Story Rich
16	Realistic + Simulation15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 157 launches	15 in 10024 hits	$2,400	not computed	157	none	Pin Realistic + Simulation
17	RPG + Story Rich15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 155 launches	15 in 10023 hits	$2,809	not computed	155	none	Pin RPG + Story Rich
18	Interactive Fiction + Story Rich15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 117 launches	15 in 10017 hits	$2,653	not computed	117	Audience	Pin Interactive Fiction + Story Rich
19	Cozy + Cute14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 130 launches	14 in 10018 hits	$1,769	not computed	130	none	Pin Cozy + Cute
20	Female Protagonist + Story Rich14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 102 launches	14 in 10014 hits	$3,492	not computed	102	Audience	Pin Female Protagonist + Story Rich
21	Casual + Management13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 131 launches	13 in 10017 hits	$1,622	not computed	131	none	Pin Casual + Management
22	First-Person + Immersive Sim13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 162 launches	13 in 10021 hits	$1,875	not computed	162	none	Pin First-Person + Immersive Sim
23	Casual + Life Sim13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 163 launches	13 in 10021 hits	$1,137	not computed	163	none	Pin Casual + Life Sim
24	RTS + Strategy13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 132 launches	13 in 10017 hits	$893	not computed	132	Audience	Pin RTS + Strategy
25	Dungeon Crawler + RPG13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 101 launches	13 in 10013 hits	$2,500	not computed	101	1-hit	Pin Dungeon Crawler + RPG

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.