Best niches
$10 to $20Pairs that hit $100k+ beyond the oddsFree 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 same figures are on the Genres page.
Niches 1 Oct
Of 1,269 niches with 30+ launches at $10 to $20, 581 beat the 19 in 100 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 192 under $5, 42 in 100 at $20 to $40.581 of 1,269 niches beat the 19 in 100 base rate.581 beat the base rate.
Cohort median $606
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.
Pairs that hit $100k+ beyond the oddsFree until launch
1,269 of 5,145 niches have 30+ launches at $10 to $20. 103 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 | 19 in 100893 of 4,810 | $9,226 | $248,075 | 4,810 | |||
| 1 | Sandbox + Strategy34 in 100 earned $100k+, from 91 launches | 34 in 10031 hits | $38,861 | $448,643 | 91 | 1-hit | Pin Sandbox + Strategy |
| 2 | Medieval + Strategy32 in 100 earned $100k+, from 47 launches | 32 in 10015 hits | $40,675 | $390,362 | 47 | Small | Pin Medieval + Strategy |
| 3 | Building + Strategy29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 95 launches | 29 in 10028 hits | $22,666 | $435,692 | 95 | none | Pin Building + Strategy |
| 4 | Choices Matter + Strategy28 in 100 earned $100k+, from 53 launches | 28 in 10015 hits | $18,695 | $967,330 | 53 | Audience | Pin Choices Matter + Strategy |
| 5 | Exploration + Turn-Based Strategy27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 33 launches | 27 in 1009 hits | $8,096 | $279,264 | 33 | Small | Pin Exploration + Turn-Based Strategy |
| 6 | Roguelike Deckbuilder + Strategy27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 97 launches | 27 in 10026 hits | $31,732 | $574,812 | 97 | 1-hit | Pin Roguelike Deckbuilder + Strategy |
| 7 | Base Building + Strategy27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 105 launches | 27 in 10028 hits | $25,779 | $510,263 | 105 | none | Pin Base Building + Strategy |
| 8 | Strategy + Tower Defense25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 110 launches | 25 in 10028 hits | $9,226 | $448,643 | 110 | Audience | Pin Strategy + Tower Defense |
| 9 | Roguelike + Turn-Based Strategy25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 83 launches | 25 in 10021 hits | $22,159 | $279,264 | 83 | Audience | Pin Roguelike + Turn-Based Strategy |
| 10 | Management + Strategy25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 138 launches | 25 in 10034 hits | $20,152 | $245,307 | 138 | none | Pin Management + Strategy |
| 11 | Roguelike Deckbuilder + Turn-Based Strategy24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 33 launches | 24 in 1008 hits | $32,783 | $553,358 | 33 | SmallAudience | Pin Roguelike Deckbuilder + Turn-Based Strategy |
| 12 | Multiplayer + Strategy24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 42 launches | 24 in 10010 hits | $24,693 | $365,127 | 42 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Multiplayer + Strategy |
| 13 | Deckbuilding + Strategy24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 156 launches | 24 in 10037 hits | $21,859 | $363,650 | 156 | 1-hitAudience | Pin Deckbuilding + Strategy |
| 14 | Card Battler + Turn-Based Strategy24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 51 launches | 24 in 10012 hits | $9,714 | $345,134 | 51 | none | Pin Card Battler + Turn-Based Strategy |
| 15 | Resource Management + Strategy23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 98 launches | 23 in 10023 hits | $20,338 | $231,544 | 98 | 1-hit | Pin Resource Management + Strategy |
| 16 | Roguelike + Strategy23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 233 launches | 23 in 10054 hits | $19,139 | $363,650 | 233 | 1-hitAudience | Pin Roguelike + Strategy |
| 17 | Roguelite + Strategy23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 190 launches | 23 in 10044 hits | $20,338 | $543,532 | 190 | Audience | Pin Roguelite + Strategy |
| 18 | City Builder + Strategy23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 96 launches | 23 in 10022 hits | $27,357 | $448,643 | 96 | 1-hitAudience | Pin City Builder + Strategy |
| 19 | Colony Sim + Strategy23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 53 launches | 23 in 10012 hits | $23,315 | $390,362 | 53 | none | Pinned Colony Sim + Strategy |
| 20 | Immersive Sim + Strategy22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 41 launches | 22 in 1009 hits | $27,623 | $185,254 | 41 | Small | Pinned Immersive Sim + Strategy |
| 21 | Story Rich + Strategy22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 46 launches | 22 in 10010 hits | $20,781 | $325,706 | 46 | Small | Pin Story Rich + Strategy |
| 22 | Economy + Strategy22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 74 launches | 22 in 10016 hits | $17,001 | $228,711 | 74 | none | Pin Economy + Strategy |
| 23 | Relaxing + Strategy21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 42 launches | 21 in 1009 hits | $13,839 | $223,859 | 42 | Small | Pin Relaxing + Strategy |
| 24 | Dungeon Crawler + Strategy21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 47 launches | 21 in 10010 hits | $19,427 | $240,450 | 47 | Small | Pin Dungeon Crawler + Strategy |
| 25 | Auto Battler + Strategy21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 58 launches | 21 in 10012 hits | $24,284 | $240,450 | 58 | Audience | Pin Auto Battler + Strategy |
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.
Ticker: 30 upcoming games dated within 90 days, with wishlist rank, release date and followers. The same list is on the Upcoming page.