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.
Genres 1 Oct
Of 83 genres with 100+ launches at $10 to $20, 45 beat the 19 in 100 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 192 under $5, 42 in 100 at $20 to $40.45 of 83 genres beat the 19 in 100 base rate.45 beat the base rate.
Cohort median $606
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 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
83 of 266 genres have 100+ launches at $10 to $20. Sorted by chance of $100k+, highest 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 | 19 in 100893 of 4,810 | $9,226 | $248,075 | 4,810 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Cozy45 in 100 earned $100k+, from 131 launches | 45 in 10059 hits | $62,342 | $971,575 | 131 | none | Pin Cozy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Online Co-Op35 in 100 earned $100k+, from 177 launches | 35 in 10062 hits | $38,456 | $901,536 | 177 | none | Pin Online Co-Op | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Co-op34 in 100 earned $100k+, from 198 launches | 34 in 10067 hits | $27,523 | $901,536 | 198 | none | Pin Co-op | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Building32 in 100 earned $100k+, from 258 launches | 32 in 10083 hits | $26,551 | $565,502 | 258 | none | Pin Building | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Life Sim31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 267 launches | 31 in 10084 hits | $31,406 | $395,032 | 267 | none | Pin Life Sim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Sandbox31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 388 launches | 31 in 100119 hits | $26,551 | $520,165 | 388 | none | Pin Sandbox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Management30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 360 launches | 30 in 100107 hits | $26,717 | $409,789 | 360 | none | Pin Management | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Base Building29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 231 launches | 29 in 10068 hits | $28,409 | $663,058 | 231 | none | Pin Base Building | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Crafting29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 231 launches | 29 in 10068 hits | $24,288 | $522,189 | 231 | none | Pin Crafting | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Economy27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 201 launches | 27 in 10055 hits | $27,623 | $402,463 | 201 | none | Pin Economy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Action Roguelike27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 268 launches | 27 in 10072 hits | $16,088 | $485,586 | 268 | none | Pin Action Roguelike | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Open World27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 304 launches | 27 in 10081 hits | $20,964 | $510,045 | 304 | none | Pin Open World | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Driving26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 102 launches | 26 in 10027 hits | $12,549 | $411,669 | 102 | none | Pin Driving | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Resource Management26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 187 launches | 26 in 10049 hits | $23,677 | $358,651 | 187 | none | Pin Resource Management | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Roguelike Deckbuilder26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 124 launches | 26 in 10032 hits | $33,382 | $558,583 | 124 | 1-hit | Pin Roguelike Deckbuilder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 124 launches at $10 to $20. That is about 1.4 times the base rate. Base rate at $10 to $20: 19 in 100 (893 of 4,810 launches earned $100k+). Typical first year $33,382; the top 1 in 10 earned at least $558,583. Lens check, all pricesHolds in 3 of 3. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: holds.
Grey: under 30 launches at that price, written as a count. Odds compare best within one price. Best tag pairs inside, at $10 to $20
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| 16 | Investigation25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 124 launches | 25 in 10031 hits | $9,310 | $291,418 | 124 | none | Pin Investigation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | Medieval25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 126 launches | 25 in 10031 hits | $18,150 | $363,650 | 126 | none | Pin Medieval | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | Metroidvania25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 151 launches | 25 in 10037 hits | $23,478 | $292,264 | 151 | 1-hit | Pin Metroidvania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Immersive Sim24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 359 launches | 24 in 10087 hits | $18,621 | $332,634 | 359 | none | Pinned Immersive Sim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | Detective24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 141 launches | 24 in 10034 hits | $10,665 | $248,075 | 141 | none | Pin Detective | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | Roguelite24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 448 launches | 24 in 100108 hits | $18,456 | $485,586 | 448 | none | Pin Roguelite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | Survival24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 226 launches | 24 in 10054 hits | $18,938 | $358,651 | 226 | none | Pin Survival | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | Tower Defense24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 143 launches | 24 in 10034 hits | $7,628 | $430,966 | 143 | none | Pin Tower Defense | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | Roguelike24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 480 launches | 24 in 100113 hits | $18,676 | $415,727 | 480 | none | Pin Roguelike | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | FPS24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 238 launches | 24 in 10056 hits | $11,231 | $636,746 | 238 | none | Pin FPS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
Ticker: 30 upcoming games dated within 90 days, with wishlist rank, release date and followers. The same list is on the Upcoming page.