Best niches
$10 to $20Pairs with the best chance of $100k+, above the base rateFree until launch
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.
Niches 3 Oct
Of 3,329 niches with 10+ launches at $10 to $20, 500 beat the 18 in 100 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 219 under $5, 40 in 100 at $20 to $40.500 of 3,329 niches beat the 18 in 100 base rate.500 beat the base rate.
Typical launch, all prices, first year $540
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 5 to 8 in 100 launches overall.
Pairs with the best chance of $100k+, above the base rateFree until launch
3,329 of 4,634 niches have 10+ launches at $10 to $20. Sorted by chance of $100k+, highest first.
| 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 | 18 in 100758 of 4,301 | $8,234 | $217,858 | 4,301 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Building + Cozy10 of 15 launches earned $100k+ | 10 of 1510 hits | $162,925 | $3,484,817 | 15 | Small | Pin Building + Cozy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Action Roguelike + Multiplayer10 of 16 launches earned $100k+ | 10 of 1610 hits | $355,562 | $1,956,319 | 16 | Small | Pin Action Roguelike + Multiplayer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Cinematic + FMV10 of 16 launches earned $100k+ | 10 of 1610 hits | $165,201 | $316,470 | 16 | Small | Pin Cinematic + FMV | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | FMV + Multiple Endings10 of 16 launches earned $100k+ | 10 of 1610 hits | $165,201 | $298,045 | 16 | Small | Pin FMV + Multiple Endings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Action-Adventure + Gore6 of 10 launches earned $100k+ | 6 of 106 hits | $129,456 | $949,501 | 10 | Small | Pin Action-Adventure + Gore | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Character Customization + Open World13 of 22 launches earned $100k+ | 13 of 2213 hits | $128,041 | $264,681 | 22 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Character Customization + Open World | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Crime + Simulation7 of 12 launches earned $100k+ | 7 of 127 hits | $318,017 | $1,578,234 | 12 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Crime + Simulation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 of 12 launches earned $100k+ at $10 to $20. Base rate at $10 to $20: 18 in 100 (758 of 4,301 launches earned $100k+). Typical first year $318,017; the top 1 in 10 earned at least $1,578,234. 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.
Grey: under 30 launches or 5 hits at that price, written as a count. Odds compare best within one price. Its two tags alone, at $10 to $20
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| 8 | City Builder + Medieval8 of 14 launches earned $100k+ | 8 of 148 hits | $130,484 | $2,000,266 | 14 | Small | Pin City Builder + Medieval | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Building + Life Sim57 in 100 earned $100k+, from 30 launches | 57 in 10017 hits | $126,326 | $682,937 | 30 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Building + Life Sim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Online Co-Op + Roguelike9 of 16 launches earned $100k+ | 9 of 169 hits | $164,671 | $1,634,970 | 16 | Small | Pin Online Co-Op + Roguelike | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Cooking + Management14 of 25 launches earned $100k+ | 14 of 2514 hits | $147,738 | $1,783,729 | 25 | SmallAudience | Pin Cooking + Management | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | FMV + Visual Novel10 of 18 launches earned $100k+ | 10 of 1810 hits | $165,201 | $368,587 | 18 | Small | Pin FMV + Visual Novel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Action Roguelike + Online Co-Op12 of 22 launches earned $100k+ | 12 of 2212 hits | $164,671 | $1,634,970 | 22 | SmallAudience | Pin Action Roguelike + Online Co-Op | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Automation + Economy6 of 11 launches earned $100k+ | 6 of 116 hits | $104,284 | $842,454 | 11 | Small | Pin Automation + Economy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Crafting + Cute6 of 11 launches earned $100k+ | 6 of 116 hits | $104,019 | $469,095 | 11 | Small | Pin Crafting + Cute | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Creature Collector + Relaxing6 of 11 launches earned $100k+ | 6 of 116 hits | $110,731 | $2,100,811 | 11 | Small | Pin Creature Collector + Relaxing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | Crime + First-Person6 of 11 launches earned $100k+ | 6 of 116 hits | $300,128 | $2,677,546 | 11 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Crime + First-Person | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | Difficult + Fast-Paced6 of 11 launches earned $100k+ | 6 of 116 hits | $110,125 | $292,848 | 11 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Difficult + Fast-Paced | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | FPS + Life Sim6 of 11 launches earned $100k+ | 6 of 116 hits | $101,073 | $564,118 | 11 | Small | Pin FPS + Life Sim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | Cozy + Pixel Graphics7 of 13 launches earned $100k+ | 7 of 137 hits | $118,699 | $1,272,702 | 13 | SmallAudience | Pin Cozy + Pixel Graphics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | Shop Keeper + Simulation15 of 28 launches earned $100k+ | 15 of 2815 hits | $119,092 | $916,154 | 28 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Shop Keeper + Simulation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | City Builder + Tower Defense8 of 15 launches earned $100k+ | 8 of 158 hits | $108,341 | $2,252,308 | 15 | Small | Pin City Builder + Tower Defense | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | Co-op + FPS8 of 15 launches earned $100k+ | 8 of 158 hits | $105,822 | $2,459,579 | 15 | Small | Pin Co-op + FPS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | Cozy + Sandbox8 of 15 launches earned $100k+ | 8 of 158 hits | $118,699 | $1,012,478 | 15 | SmallAudience | Pin Cozy + Sandbox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | Co-op + Roguelike9 of 17 launches earned $100k+ | 9 of 179 hits | $136,529 | $1,956,319 | 17 | Small | Pin Co-op + Roguelike | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
Ticker: 30 upcoming games dated within 90 days, with wishlist rank, release date and followers. The same list is on the Upcoming page.