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 162 niches with 100+ launches at $10 to $20, 57 beat the 18 in 100 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 219 under $5, 40 in 100 at $20 to $40.57 of 162 niches beat the 18 in 100 base rate.57 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
162 of 4,634 niches have 100+ 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 | Economy + Simulation36 in 100 earned $100k+, from 117 launches | 36 in 10042 hits | $36,935 | $588,173 | 117 | none | Pin Economy + Simulation |
| 2 | Building + Simulation34 in 100 earned $100k+, from 122 launches | 34 in 10042 hits | $26,594 | $410,130 | 122 | Audience | Pin Building + Simulation |
| 3 | Management + Simulation34 in 100 earned $100k+, from 204 launches | 34 in 10069 hits | $37,224 | $456,445 | 204 | none | Pinned Management + Simulation |
| 4 | Economy + Management33 in 100 earned $100k+, from 119 launches | 33 in 10039 hits | $37,934 | $436,654 | 119 | none | Pin Economy + Management |
| 5 | Action Roguelike + Roguelite31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 136 launches | 31 in 10042 hits | $31,610 | $441,198 | 136 | Audience | Pin Action Roguelike + Roguelite |
| 6 | Action Roguelike + Roguelike31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 133 launches | 31 in 10041 hits | $19,427 | $540,592 | 133 | Audience | Pin Action Roguelike + Roguelike |
| 7 | First-Person + Immersive Sim30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 101 launches | 30 in 10030 hits | $18,676 | $677,280 | 101 | none | Pin First-Person + Immersive Sim |
| 8 | Life Sim + Simulation29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 163 launches | 29 in 10048 hits | $28,459 | $386,359 | 163 | none | Pin Life Sim + Simulation |
| 9 | Roguelike + Roguelite29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 236 launches | 29 in 10068 hits | $19,193 | $540,592 | 236 | none | Pin Roguelike + Roguelite |
| 10 | First-Person + Simulation27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 154 launches | 27 in 10042 hits | $27,070 | $649,488 | 154 | none | Pin First-Person + Simulation |
| 11 | Sandbox + Simulation27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 183 launches | 27 in 10049 hits | $24,105 | $352,182 | 183 | none | Pin Sandbox + Simulation |
| 12 | Deckbuilding + Roguelike26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 102 launches | 26 in 10027 hits | $22,463 | $555,093 | 102 | none | Pin Deckbuilding + Roguelike |
| 13 | Exploration + Sandbox26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 102 launches | 26 in 10027 hits | $12,290 | $507,356 | 102 | none | Pin Exploration + Sandbox |
| 14 | Action + FPS26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 146 launches | 26 in 10038 hits | $7,892 | $608,395 | 146 | none | Pin Action + FPS |
| 15 | Card Battler + Deckbuilding26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 100 launches | 26 in 10026 hits | $20,799 | $449,394 | 100 | none | Pin Card Battler + Deckbuilding |
| 16 | Action + Action Roguelike26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 127 launches | 26 in 10033 hits | $13,214 | $441,198 | 127 | none | Pin Action + Action Roguelike |
| 17 | FPS + First-Person26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 116 launches | 26 in 10030 hits | $7,278 | $608,395 | 116 | none | Pin FPS + First-Person |
| 18 | RPG + Simulation25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 115 launches | 25 in 10029 hits | $11,980 | $271,231 | 115 | Audience | Pin RPG + Simulation |
| 19 | Choices Matter + Story Rich25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 114 launches | 25 in 10028 hits | $15,941 | $547,986 | 114 | Audience | Pin Choices Matter + Story Rich |
| 20 | Roguelite + Strategy24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 152 launches | 24 in 10037 hits | $19,141 | $460,726 | 152 | Audience | Pin Roguelite + Strategy |
| 21 | Exploration + Open World24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 134 launches | 24 in 10032 hits | $14,000 | $334,924 | 134 | none | Pin Exploration + Open World |
| 22 | 2D + Platformer24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 109 launches | 24 in 10026 hits | $26,717 | $340,135 | 109 | 1-hitAudience | Pin 2D + Platformer |
| 23 | Deckbuilding + Strategy24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 119 launches | 24 in 10028 hits | $19,141 | $449,394 | 119 | Audience | Pin Deckbuilding + Strategy |
| 24 | Roguelike + Strategy23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 184 launches | 23 in 10043 hits | $17,488 | $543,489 | 184 | Audience | Pin Roguelike + Strategy |
| 25 | Mystery + Story Rich23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 135 launches | 23 in 10031 hits | $11,837 | $261,863 | 135 | Audience | Pin Mystery + Story Rich |
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.