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.

Best niches

All prices

Pairs that hit $100k+ beyond the oddsFree until launch

Capitalism + Incrementalabout 13 times expected at its prices14 in 100

1Capitalism + Incremental14 in 10050 launches 2Casual + Desktop Companion28 in 10047 launches 3Desktop Companion + Idler25 in 10064 launches 4Desktop Companion + Relaxing30 in 10043 launches 5Comedy + Memes10 in 10049 launches

Lens checkChanged recently. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: moves the answer.

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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 16 hit $100k+Under $51 in 200 hit $100k+$5 to $101 in 26 hit $100k+$10 to $2019 in 100 hit $100k+$20 to $4042 in 100 hit $100k+

Base rate: indie paid launches 6 to 30 months old, 29,637 launches. Odds compare best within one price.

Lens West-facing view

Standard West-facing view Without the breakout Last 18 months

Games mostly reviewed outside China: drops games with 35% or more of their reviews in Chinese. Lenses are computed across all prices only so far, so a lens reads All prices.

Sample 30+

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

Hides anything measured on fewer launches.

$10 to $20 West-facing view 30+ launches Reset

The West-facing view 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.Now: Co-op + Sandbox, 40 in 100. 1,751 match.Biggest typical yearWhat the middle launch earned, highest first.Now: Co-op + Open World, $87,031 typical. 5,130 match.Biggest upsideWhat the top tenth earned at least.Not computed for lenses yet.Proven at scale100+ launches and above the base rate.Now: Base Building + Management, 33 in 100. 833 match.Busiest marketsMost launches first: where the competition is.Now: 2D + Casual, 4,080 launches. 5,130 match.

Hide one-hit markets96 out Hide small samples61 out

5,130 of 5,145 niches have 30+ launches at any price, West-facing view. 324 match the search and chips. Sorted by chance of $100k+, highest first.

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Niches at any price, West-facing view, 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, West-facing viewthe base rate: the row to beat	1 in 161,804 of 29,637	$606	not computed	29,637
1	2D + Music21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 39 launches	21 in 1008 hits	$1,415	not computed	39	SmallAudience	Pin 2D + Music
2	2D + Investigation15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 67 launches	15 in 10010 hits	$2,024	not computed	67	none	Pin 2D + Investigation
3	2D + Metroidvania15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 182 launches	15 in 10027 hits	$1,942	not computed	182	1-hit	Pin 2D + Metroidvania
4	2D Fighter + Multiplayer14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 56 launches	14 in 1008 hits	$909	not computed	56	Audience	Pin 2D Fighter + Multiplayer
5	2D + Gambling13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 39 launches	13 in 1005 hits	$404	not computed	39	1-hitSmall	Pin 2D + Gambling
6	2D + Souls-like13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 104 launches	13 in 10013 hits	$969	not computed	104	1-hitAudience	Pin 2D + Souls-like
7	2D Platformer + Metroidvania12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 178 launches	12 in 10022 hits	$1,841	not computed	178	none	Pin 2D Platformer + Metroidvania
8	2D Platformer + Choose Your Own Adventure11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 44 launches	11 in 1005 hits	$1,518	not computed	44	Small	Pin 2D Platformer + Choose Your Own Adventure
9	2D + Open World11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 82 launches	11 in 1009 hits	$708	not computed	82	1-hit	Pin 2D + Open World
10	2D + Grand Strategy11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 47 launches	11 in 1005 hits	$2,023	not computed	47	Small	Pin 2D + Grand Strategy
11	2D + Co-op10 in 100 earned $100k+, from 70 launches	10 in 1007 hits	$849	not computed	70	Audience	Pin 2D + Co-op
12	2D + Mystery1 in 10 earned $100k+, from 246 launches	1 in 1024 hits	$809	not computed	246	none	Pin 2D + Mystery
13	2D + Survival Horror1 in 10 earned $100k+, from 41 launches	1 in 104 hits	$321	not computed	41	1-hitSmall	Pin 2D + Survival Horror
14	2D Platformer + Anime1 in 11 earned $100k+, from 158 launches	1 in 1114 hits	$1,012	not computed	158	Audience	Pin 2D Platformer + Anime
15	2D + Life Sim1 in 12 earned $100k+, from 173 launches	1 in 1215 hits	$421	not computed	173	none	Pin 2D + Life Sim
16	2D Fighter + Combat1 in 12 earned $100k+, from 47 launches	1 in 124 hits	$101	not computed	47	1-hitSmall	Pin 2D Fighter + Combat
17	2D Platformer + Dark Fantasy1 in 12 earned $100k+, from 47 launches	1 in 124 hits	$1,518	not computed	47	1-hitSmall	Pin 2D Platformer + Dark Fantasy
18	2D + Roguelike Deckbuilder1 in 12 earned $100k+, from 59 launches	1 in 125 hits	$5,767	not computed	59	Audience	Pin 2D + Roguelike Deckbuilder
19	2D Platformer + Combat1 in 12 earned $100k+, from 72 launches	1 in 126 hits	$162	not computed	72	Audience	Pin 2D Platformer + Combat
20	2D Platformer + Beat 'em up1 in 13 earned $100k+, from 63 launches	1 in 135 hits	$303	not computed	63	1-hit	Pin 2D Platformer + Beat 'em up
21	2D Platformer + Sci-fi1 in 13 earned $100k+, from 77 launches	1 in 136 hits	$405	not computed	77	none	Pin 2D Platformer + Sci-fi
22	2D + Bullet Heaven1 in 13 earned $100k+, from 39 launches	1 in 133 hits	$2,062	not computed	39	1-hitSmall	Pin 2D + Bullet Heaven
23	2D Platformer + Crafting1 in 14 earned $100k+, from 41 launches	1 in 143 hits	$0	not computed	41	Small	Pin 2D Platformer + Crafting
24	2D Platformer + Souls-like1 in 14 earned $100k+, from 69 launches	1 in 145 hits	$849	not computed	69	none	Pin 2D Platformer + Souls-like
25	2D + Online Co-Op1 in 14 earned $100k+, from 56 launches	1 in 144 hits	$908	not computed	56	none	Pin 2D + Online Co-Op

Show 25 moreShowing 25 of 324 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.