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 1,116 niches with 30+ launches at $10 to $20, 511 beat the 20 in 100 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 238 under $5, 44 in 100 at $20 to $40.511 of 1,116 niches beat the 20 in 100 base rate.511 beat the base rate.
Typical launch, all prices, first year $552
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.
Pairs with the best chance of $100k+, above the base rateFree until launch
1,116 of 4,635 niches have 30+ launches at $10 to $20. 396 match the search and chips. 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 | 20 in 100878 of 4,304 | $10,978 | $287,297 | 4,304 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Cozy + Simulation56 in 100 earned $100k+, from 36 launches | 56 in 10020 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 36 | Small | Pin Cozy + Simulation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Cinematic + Story Rich55 in 100 earned $100k+, from 31 launches | 55 in 10017 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 31 | Small | Pin Cinematic + Story Rich | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Online Co-Op + Simulation53 in 100 earned $100k+, from 32 launches | 53 in 10017 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 32 | Small | Pin Online Co-Op + Simulation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Life Sim + Open World52 in 100 earned $100k+, from 33 launches | 52 in 10017 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 33 | Small | Pin Life Sim + Open World | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | First-Person + Multiplayer47 in 100 earned $100k+, from 34 launches | 47 in 10016 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 34 | Small | Pin First-Person + Multiplayer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Automation + Strategy47 in 100 earned $100k+, from 32 launches | 47 in 10015 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 32 | Small | Pin Automation + Strategy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Multiplayer + Online Co-Op47 in 100 earned $100k+, from 79 launches | 47 in 10037 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 79 | none | Pin Multiplayer + Online Co-Op | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Economy + Sandbox46 in 100 earned $100k+, from 48 launches | 46 in 10022 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 48 | Small | Pin Economy + Sandbox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Automation + Resource Management45 in 100 earned $100k+, from 31 launches | 45 in 10014 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 31 | Small | Pin Automation + Resource Management | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Roguelike + Tower Defense45 in 100 earned $100k+, from 31 launches | 45 in 10014 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 31 | Small | Pin Roguelike + Tower Defense | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Multiplayer + Simulation45 in 100 earned $100k+, from 58 launches | 45 in 10026 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 58 | none | Pin Multiplayer + Simulation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Cozy + Exploration44 in 100 earned $100k+, from 36 launches | 44 in 10016 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 36 | Small | Pin Cozy + Exploration | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Economy + Resource Management44 in 100 earned $100k+, from 34 launches | 44 in 10015 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 34 | Small | Pin Economy + Resource Management | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Base Building + Colony Sim43 in 100 earned $100k+, from 37 launches | 43 in 10016 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 37 | Small | Pin Base Building + Colony Sim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Cozy + Cute43 in 100 earned $100k+, from 49 launches | 43 in 10021 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 49 | Small | Pin Cozy + Cute | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Co-op + Multiplayer42 in 100 earned $100k+, from 81 launches | 42 in 10034 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 81 | none | Pin Co-op + Multiplayer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | Immersive Sim + Management42 in 100 earned $100k+, from 81 launches | 42 in 10034 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 81 | none | Pin Immersive Sim + Management | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | Open World + Sandbox41 in 100 earned $100k+, from 81 launches | 41 in 10033 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 81 | none | Pin Open World + Sandbox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Building + Management41 in 100 earned $100k+, from 86 launches | 41 in 10035 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 86 | none | Pin Building + Management | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | Open World + Simulation41 in 100 earned $100k+, from 64 launches | 41 in 10026 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 64 | none | Pin Open World + Simulation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
41 in 100 earned $100k+, from 64 launches at $10 to $20. That is about 2.0 times the base rate. Base rate at $10 to $20: 20 in 100 (878 of 4,304 launches earned $100k+). Odds by size: $1k+ 91 in 100 · $10k+ 72 in 100 · $100k+ 41 in 100. Under 100 launches, so no typical figure. Lens check, all pricesHolds in 3 of 3. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: holds. No warning markers: no single game holds half the money, the sample is 50+ launches and the West-facing view does not move the answer.
Grey: under 30 launches or 5 hits at that price, written as a count. Typical needs 100 launches. Odds compare best within one price. Its two tags alone, at $10 to $20
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| 21 | First-Person + Online Co-Op41 in 100 earned $100k+, from 32 launches | 41 in 10013 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 32 | Small | Pin First-Person + Online Co-Op | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | Action-Adventure + Roguelite40 in 100 earned $100k+, from 30 launches | 40 in 10012 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 30 | Small | Pin Action-Adventure + Roguelite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | Action + Sandbox40 in 100 earned $100k+, from 48 launches | 40 in 10019 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 48 | Small | Pin Action + Sandbox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | Exploration + Roguelite39 in 100 earned $100k+, from 31 launches | 39 in 10012 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 31 | Small | Pin Exploration + Roguelite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | Multiple Endings + Simulation39 in 100 earned $100k+, from 31 launches | 39 in 10012 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 31 | Small | Pin Multiple Endings + Simulation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.