Best niches
$10 to $20Pairs that hit $100k+ beyond the oddsFree until launch
Casual + Cozyabout 3.0 times the 19 in 100 base rate55 in 100
Open free preview
Best nichesFree until launchClick to unlockTag pairs that beat the odds
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.
The niche list
Best odds at my priceChance of $100k+, read within one price band.Now: Casual + Cozy, 55 in 100. 1,269 match.Steady marketsHolds in every lens and no single game owns it.Now: Casual + Cozy, 55 in 100. 706 match.Biggest typical yearWhat the middle launch earned, highest first.Now: Casual + Cozy, $120,225 typical. 1,269 match.Biggest upsideWhat the top tenth earned at least.Now: Co-op + Multiplayer, $1.6M top 1 in 10. 658 match.Proven at scale100+ launches and above the base rate.Now: Building + Sandbox, 38 in 100. 75 match.Busiest marketsMost launches first: where the competition is.Now: Adventure + Exploration, 437 launches. 1,269 match.
1,269 of 5,145 niches have 30+ launches at $10 to $20. 78 match the search and chips. Sorted by chance of $100k+, highest first.
Pin a niche to keep it here while you filter.
Pin another to compare.
Pin another to compare.
| 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 | 2D Platformer + Metroidvania27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 52 launches | 27 in 10014 hits | $33,087 | $370,024 | 52 | none | Pin 2D Platformer + Metroidvania |
| 2 | 2D + Dark Fantasy26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 31 launches | 26 in 1008 hits | $19,139 | $187,162 | 31 | Small | Pin 2D + Dark Fantasy |
| 3 | 2D Platformer + Female Protagonist26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 35 launches | 26 in 1009 hits | $12,018 | $346,811 | 35 | Small | Pin 2D Platformer + Female Protagonist |
| 4 | 2D + Cartoon26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 39 launches | 26 in 10010 hits | $5,099 | $570,144 | 39 | Small | Pin 2D + Cartoon |
| 5 | 2D + Horror23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 39 launches | 23 in 1009 hits | $12,750 | $314,079 | 39 | Small | Pin 2D + Horror |
| 6 | 2D + Action RPG22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 54 launches | 22 in 10012 hits | $15,177 | $183,373 | 54 | none | Pin 2D + Action RPG |
| 7 | 2D + Deckbuilding22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 50 launches | 22 in 10011 hits | $19,139 | $374,668 | 50 | none | Pin 2D + Deckbuilding |
| 8 | 2D + Detective22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 32 launches | 22 in 1007 hits | $8,012 | $287,795 | 32 | Small | Pin 2D + Detective |
| 9 | 2D + Hack and Slash22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 32 launches | 22 in 1007 hits | $19,181 | $268,381 | 32 | Small | Pin 2D + Hack and Slash |
| 10 | 2D + Sandbox22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 32 launches | 22 in 1007 hits | $23,411 | $314,475 | 32 | Small | Pin 2D + Sandbox |
| 11 | 2D + Pixel Graphics21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 253 launches | 21 in 10052 hits | $12,142 | $220,405 | 253 | none | Pin 2D + Pixel Graphics |
| 12 | 2D Platformer + Retro20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 30 launches | 20 in 1006 hits | $24,288 | $292,264 | 30 | Small | Pin 2D Platformer + Retro |
| 13 | 2D + Mystery19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 83 launches | 19 in 10016 hits | $2,428 | $188,636 | 83 | none | Pin 2D + Mystery |
| 14 | 2D + Card Battler19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 43 launches | 19 in 1008 hits | $10,928 | $279,264 | 43 | Small | Pin 2D + Card Battler |
| 15 | 2D + Cartoony19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 43 launches | 19 in 1008 hits | $3,794 | $399,940 | 43 | Small | Pin 2D + Cartoony |
| 16 | 2D + Action18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 243 launches | 18 in 10043 hits | $10,321 | $187,162 | 243 | none | Pin 2D + Action |
| 17 | 2D + Action-Adventure18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 102 launches | 18 in 10018 hits | $7,082 | $155,423 | 102 | none | Pin 2D + Action-Adventure |
| 18 | 2D + Action Roguelike18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 51 launches | 18 in 1009 hits | $13,053 | $268,381 | 51 | none | Pin 2D + Action Roguelike |
| 19 | 2D + Top-Down17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 76 launches | 17 in 10013 hits | $6,070 | $138,451 | 76 | Audience | Pin 2D + Top-Down |
| 20 | 2D Platformer + Exploration17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 59 launches | 17 in 10010 hits | $14,208 | $382,129 | 59 | none | Pin 2D Platformer + Exploration |
| 21 | 2D + Side Scroller17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 72 launches | 17 in 10012 hits | $13,597 | $172,444 | 72 | none | Pin 2D + Side Scroller |
| 22 | 2D + Tower Defense17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 30 launches | 17 in 1005 hits | $12,142 | $399,940 | 30 | Small | Pin 2D + Tower Defense |
| 23 | 2D + Card Game16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 67 launches | 16 in 10011 hits | $14,267 | $220,405 | 67 | none | Pin 2D + Card Game |
| 24 | 2D + Cute16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 191 launches | 16 in 10031 hits | $10,259 | $189,850 | 191 | none | Pin 2D + Cute |
| 25 | 2D Platformer + Pixel Graphics16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 106 launches | 16 in 10017 hits | $10,440 | $231,544 | 106 | Audience | Pin 2D Platformer + Pixel Graphics |
Show 25 moreShowing 25 of 78 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.