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.
Genres 3 Oct
Of 156 genres with 30+ launches at $10 to $20, 83 beat the 20 in 100 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 238 under $5, 44 in 100 at $20 to $40.83 of 156 genres beat the 20 in 100 base rate.83 beat the base rate.
Typical launch, all prices, first year $552
Every genre, 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 genre does.
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
156 of 256 genres have 30+ launches at $10 to $20. Sorted by chance of $100k+, lowest first.
| Rank# | Genre | 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 | 4 Player Local2 of 49 launches earned $100k+ | 2 of 492 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 49 | Small | Pin 4 Player Local |
| 2 | VR1 in 22 earned $100k+, from 195 launches | 1 in 229 hits | $3,534 | $44,858 | 195 | none | Pin VR |
| 3 | Mystery Dungeon2 of 38 launches earned $100k+ | 2 of 382 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 38 | Small | Pin Mystery Dungeon |
| 4 | Puzzle Platformer1 in 15 earned $100k+, from 131 launches | 1 in 159 hits | $5,769 | $68,186 | 131 | Audience | Pin Puzzle Platformer |
| 5 | Hidden Object1 in 14 earned $100k+, from 172 launches | 1 in 1412 hits | $2,044 | $55,036 | 172 | none | Pin Hidden Object |
| 6 | Dialogue Heavy3 of 42 launches earned $100k+ | 3 of 423 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 42 | Small | Pin Dialogue Heavy |
| 7 | Grand Strategy4 of 52 launches earned $100k+ | 4 of 524 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 52 | 1-hit | Pin Grand Strategy |
| 8 | Text-Based1 in 12 earned $100k+, from 97 launches | 1 in 128 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 97 | none | Pin Text-Based |
| 9 | Party-Based RPG1 in 11 earned $100k+, from 127 launches | 1 in 1112 hits | $7,868 | $96,195 | 127 | none | Pin Party-Based RPG |
| 10 | Space Sim4 of 42 launches earned $100k+ | 4 of 424 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 42 | Small | Pin Space Sim |
| 11 | Sports1 in 10 earned $100k+, from 152 launches | 1 in 1015 hits | $5,860 | $96,739 | 152 | none | Pin Sports |
| 12 | 3D Platformer10 in 100 earned $100k+, from 180 launches | 10 in 10018 hits | $3,562 | $113,352 | 180 | none | Pin 3D Platformer |
| 13 | Incremental4 of 38 launches earned $100k+ | 4 of 384 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 38 | Small | Pin Incremental |
| 14 | CRPG11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 56 launches | 11 in 1006 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 56 | Audience | Pin CRPG |
| 15 | Aliens4 of 37 launches earned $100k+ | 4 of 374 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 37 | Small | Pin Aliens |
| 16 | Grid-Based Movement4 of 37 launches earned $100k+ | 4 of 374 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 37 | Small | Pin Grid-Based Movement |
| 17 | Score Attack11 in 100 earned $100k+, from 44 launches | 11 in 1005 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 44 | Small | Pin Score Attack |
| 18 | Arcade12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 346 launches | 12 in 10040 hits | $4,391 | $134,893 | 346 | none | Pin Arcade |
| 19 | 3D Fighter12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 43 launches | 12 in 1005 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 43 | Small | Pin 3D Fighter |
| 20 | Action RTS12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 43 launches | 12 in 1005 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 43 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Action RTS |
| 21 | Match 34 of 34 launches earned $100k+ | 4 of 344 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 34 | 1-hitSmall | Pin Match 3 |
| 22 | Magic12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 127 launches | 12 in 10015 hits | $5,689 | $132,616 | 127 | none | Pinned Magic |
| 23 | Thriller12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 50 launches | 12 in 1006 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 50 | none | Pin Thriller |
| 24 | Logic12 in 100 earned $100k+, from 97 launches | 12 in 10012 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 97 | Audience | Pin Logic |
| 25 | JRPG13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 171 launches | 13 in 10022 hits | $5,365 | $125,051 | 171 | 1-hit | Pin JRPG |
| 26 | Choose Your Own Adventure13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 242 launches | 13 in 10032 hits | $6,023 | $193,413 | 242 | Audience | Pin Choose Your Own Adventure |
| 27 | 2D Fighter13 in 100 earned $100k+, from 60 launches | 13 in 1008 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 60 | none | Pin 2D Fighter |
| 28 | Romance14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 170 launches | 14 in 10023 hits | $9,464 | $158,883 | 170 | none | Pin Romance |
| 29 | Tactical RPG14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 118 launches | 14 in 10016 hits | $11,496 | $137,764 | 118 | none | Pin Tactical RPG |
| 30 | Otome14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 36 launches | 14 in 1005 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 36 | Small | Pin Otome |
| 31 | Runner14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 43 launches | 14 in 1006 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 43 | Small | Pin Runner |
| 32 | Comic Book14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 57 launches | 14 in 1008 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 57 | none | Pin Comic Book |
| 33 | Point & Click14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 249 launches | 14 in 10035 hits | $4,508 | $190,045 | 249 | none | Pin Point & Click |
| 34 | Precision Platformer14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 84 launches | 14 in 10012 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 84 | Audience | Pin Precision Platformer |
| 35 | Puzzle14 in 100 earned $100k+, from 684 launches | 14 in 10098 hits | $5,070 | $173,428 | 684 | none | Pin Puzzle |
| 36 | Demons15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 41 launches | 15 in 1006 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 41 | Small | Pinned Demons |
| 37 | Visual Novel15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 434 launches | 15 in 10064 hits | $9,963 | $199,513 | 434 | Audience | Pin Visual Novel |
| 38 | Shoot 'Em Up15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 106 launches | 15 in 10016 hits | $7,510 | $252,312 | 106 | Audience | Pin Shoot 'Em Up |
| 39 | Interactive Fiction15 in 100 earned $100k+, from 230 launches | 15 in 10035 hits | $10,240 | $220,268 | 230 | Audience | Pin Interactive Fiction |
| 40 | Wargame16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 83 launches | 16 in 10013 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 83 | Audience | Pin Wargame |
| 41 | 2D Platformer16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 311 launches | 16 in 10049 hits | $8,758 | $239,522 | 311 | none | Pin 2D Platformer |
| 42 | 1980s16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 57 launches | 16 in 1009 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 57 | none | Pin 1980s |
| 43 | Collectathon16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 113 launches | 16 in 10018 hits | $8,758 | $205,980 | 113 | 1-hit | Pin Collectathon |
| 44 | Cyberpunk16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 69 launches | 16 in 10011 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 69 | none | Pin Cyberpunk |
| 45 | LGBTQ+16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 100 launches | 16 in 10016 hits | $11,661 | $148,757 | 100 | none | Pin LGBTQ+ |
| 46 | Action-Adventure16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 547 launches | 16 in 10089 hits | $7,909 | $192,839 | 547 | none | Pin Action-Adventure |
| 47 | Board Game16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 98 launches | 16 in 10016 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 98 | none | Pin Board Game |
| 48 | Zombies16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 73 launches | 16 in 10012 hits | under 100 | under 100 | 73 | none | Pin Zombies |
| 49 | Turn-Based Tactics17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 243 launches | 17 in 10042 hits | $8,519 | $178,090 | 243 | none | Pin Turn-Based Tactics |
| 50 | Platformer17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 311 launches | 17 in 10054 hits | $10,197 | $318,870 | 311 | 1-hitAudience | Pin Platformer |
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.
Ticker: 30 upcoming games dated within 90 days, with wishlist rank, release date and followers. The same list is on the Upcoming page.