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. 34 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 | Metroidvania + Platformer31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 68 launches | 31 in 10021 hits | $26,717 | $457,421 | 68 | 1-hit | Pin Metroidvania + Platformer |
| 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 | Exploration + Platformer26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 93 launches | 26 in 10024 hits | $18,954 | $415,253 | 93 | 1-hit | Pin Exploration + Platformer |
| 4 | 2D + Platformer24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 112 launches | 24 in 10027 hits | $26,717 | $346,811 | 112 | 1-hit | Pin 2D + Platformer |
| 5 | Pixel Graphics + Platformer22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 69 launches | 22 in 10015 hits | $16,597 | $415,253 | 69 | none | Pin Pixel Graphics + Platformer |
| 6 | Platformer + Side Scroller20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 55 launches | 20 in 10011 hits | $12,749 | $218,251 | 55 | none | Pin Platformer + Side Scroller |
| 7 | Adventure + Platformer17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 152 launches | 17 in 10026 hits | $6,882 | $261,499 | 152 | none | Pin Adventure + Platformer |
| 8 | 2D Platformer + Exploration17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 59 launches | 17 in 10010 hits | $14,208 | $382,129 | 59 | none | Pin 2D Platformer + Exploration |
| 9 | 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 |
| 10 | 3D Platformer + Exploration16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 63 launches | 16 in 10010 hits | $6,537 | $225,169 | 63 | none | Pin 3D Platformer + Exploration |
| 11 | 2D Platformer + Platformer16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 147 launches | 16 in 10023 hits | $9,714 | $268,381 | 147 | none | Pin 2D Platformer + Platformer |
| 12 | 2D Platformer + Action-Adventure15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 78 launches | 15 in 10012 hits | $12,749 | $172,444 | 78 | none | Pin 2D Platformer + Action-Adventure |
| 13 | Cute + Platformer15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 60 launches | 15 in 1009 hits | $13,575 | $191,874 | 60 | none | Pin Cute + Platformer |
| 14 | 2D Platformer + Side Scroller15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 67 launches | 15 in 10010 hits | $8,499 | $172,444 | 67 | none | Pin 2D Platformer + Side Scroller |
| 15 | Action-Adventure + Platformer15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 101 launches | 15 in 10015 hits | $7,082 | $130,750 | 101 | none | Pin Action-Adventure + Platformer |
| 16 | 3D Platformer + Platformer15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 95 launches | 15 in 10014 hits | $3,643 | $237,678 | 95 | none | Pin 3D Platformer + Platformer |
| 17 | Action + Platformer14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 173 launches | 14 in 10025 hits | $6,882 | $191,874 | 173 | none | Pin Action + Platformer |
| 18 | 2D Platformer + Action14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 141 launches | 14 in 10020 hits | $7,891 | $172,444 | 141 | none | Pin 2D Platformer + Action |
| 19 | 2D + 2D Platformer14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 177 launches | 14 in 10025 hits | $6,072 | $174,231 | 177 | none | Pin 2D + 2D Platformer |
| 20 | 3D Platformer + Adventure14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 86 launches | 14 in 10012 hits | $3,562 | $209,280 | 86 | none | Pin 3D Platformer + Adventure |
| 21 | Casual + Platformer13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 61 launches | 13 in 1008 hits | $3,339 | $218,251 | 61 | none | Pin Casual + Platformer |
| 22 | 2D Platformer + Cute12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 65 launches | 12 in 1008 hits | $7,088 | $174,231 | 65 | none | Pin 2D Platformer + Cute |
| 23 | Platformer + Precision Platformer12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 66 launches | 12 in 1008 hits | $7,891 | $132,369 | 66 | none | Pin Platformer + Precision Platformer |
| 24 | 3D Platformer + Action11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 93 launches | 11 in 10010 hits | $3,783 | $130,750 | 93 | none | Pin 3D Platformer + Action |
| 25 | Platformer + Puzzle10 in 100 earned $100k+, from 67 launches | 10 in 1007 hits | $4,553 | $124,151 | 67 | none | Pin Platformer + Puzzle |
Show 9 moreShowing 25 of 34 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.