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
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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. 59 match the search and chips. Sorted by chance of $100k+, highest first.
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| 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 + Metroidvania37 in 100 earned $100k+, from 54 launches | 37 in 10020 hits | $42,800 | $575,622 | 54 | 1-hit | Pin 2D + Metroidvania |
| 2 | 2D Platformer + Metroidvania27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 52 launches | 27 in 10014 hits | $33,087 | $370,024 | 52 | none | Pin 2D Platformer + Metroidvania |
| 3 | 2D + Dark Fantasy26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 31 launches | 26 in 1008 hits | $19,139 | $187,162 | 31 | Small | Pin 2D + Dark Fantasy |
| 4 | 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 |
| 5 | 2D + Cartoon26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 39 launches | 26 in 10010 hits | $5,099 | $570,144 | 39 | Small | Pin 2D + Cartoon |
| 6 | 2D + Platformer24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 112 launches | 24 in 10027 hits | $26,717 | $346,811 | 112 | 1-hit | Pin 2D + Platformer |
| 7 | 2D + Hand-drawn24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 67 launches | 24 in 10016 hits | $16,440 | $293,478 | 67 | 1-hit | Pin 2D + Hand-drawn |
| 8 | 2D + Roguelite22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 98 launches | 22 in 10022 hits | $19,139 | $336,387 | 98 | 1-hit | Pin 2D + Roguelite |
| 9 | 2D + Action RPG22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 54 launches | 22 in 10012 hits | $15,177 | $183,373 | 54 | none | Pin 2D + Action RPG |
| 10 | 2D + Deckbuilding22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 50 launches | 22 in 10011 hits | $19,139 | $374,668 | 50 | none | Pin 2D + Deckbuilding |
| 11 | 2D + Detective22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 32 launches | 22 in 1007 hits | $8,012 | $287,795 | 32 | Small | Pin 2D + Detective |
| 12 | 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 |
| 13 | 2D + Sandbox22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 32 launches | 22 in 1007 hits | $23,411 | $314,475 | 32 | Small | Pin 2D + Sandbox |
| 14 | 2D + Pixel Graphics21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 253 launches | 21 in 10052 hits | $12,142 | $220,405 | 253 | none | Pin 2D + Pixel Graphics |
| 15 | 2D + Mystery19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 83 launches | 19 in 10016 hits | $2,428 | $188,636 | 83 | none | Pin 2D + Mystery |
| 16 | 2D + Turn-Based Combat19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 42 launches | 19 in 1008 hits | $19,139 | $196,732 | 42 | 1-hitSmallAudience | Pin 2D + Turn-Based Combat |
| 17 | 2D + Cartoony19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 43 launches | 19 in 1008 hits | $3,794 | $399,940 | 43 | Small | Pin 2D + Cartoony |
| 18 | 2D + Action18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 243 launches | 18 in 10043 hits | $10,321 | $187,162 | 243 | none | Pin 2D + Action |
| 19 | 2D + Action-Adventure18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 102 launches | 18 in 10018 hits | $7,082 | $155,423 | 102 | none | Pin 2D + Action-Adventure |
| 20 | 2D + Top-Down17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 76 launches | 17 in 10013 hits | $6,070 | $138,451 | 76 | Audience | Pin 2D + Top-Down |
| 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 + Female Protagonist16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 116 launches | 16 in 10019 hits | $10,237 | $195,390 | 116 | 1-hit | Pin 2D + Female Protagonist |
| 25 | 2D + Cute16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 191 launches | 16 in 10031 hits | $10,259 | $189,850 | 191 | none | Pin 2D + Cute |
Show 25 moreShowing 25 of 59 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.