Genres

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.

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on 30 Sep 2026

Genres 1 Oct

Of 166 genres with 30+ launches at $10 to $20, 89 beat the 19 in 100 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 192 under $5, 42 in 100 at $20 to $40.89 of 166 genres beat the 19 in 100 base rate.89 beat the base rate.

Cohort median $606

Genres

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.

The genre list

Best odds at my priceChance of $100k+, read within one price band.Now: FMV, 47 in 100. 166 match.Steady marketsHolds in every lens and no single game owns it.Now: FMV, 47 in 100. 125 match.Biggest typical yearWhat the middle launch earned, highest first.Now: FMV, $81,191 typical. 166 match.Biggest upsideWhat the top tenth earned at least.Now: Crime, $1.5M top 1 in 10. 129 match.Proven at scale100+ launches and above the base rate.Now: Cozy, 45 in 100. 45 match.Busiest marketsMost launches first: where the competition is.Now: Simulation, 1,006 launches. 166 match.
Hide one-hit markets16 outHide small samples+37 if off

166 of 266 genres have 30+ launches at $10 to $20. 129 match the search and chips. Sorted by chance of $100k+, highest first.

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Genres at $10 to $20, sorted by chance of $100k+. The first row is the base rate.
Rank#GenreChance of $100k+Typical yearTop 1 in 10LaunchesMarkersPin
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 47 in 100 earned $100k+, from 51 launches 47 in 10024 hits $81,191 $304,089 51 Audience Pin FMV
2 45 in 100 earned $100k+, from 131 launches 45 in 10059 hits $62,342 $971,575 131 none Pin Cozy
3 36 in 100 earned $100k+, from 64 launches 36 in 10023 hits $36,662 $862,682 64 none Pin Shop Keeper
4 35 in 100 earned $100k+, from 62 launches 35 in 10022 hits $47,961 $819,275 62 none Pin Open World Survival Craft
5 35 in 100 earned $100k+, from 177 launches 35 in 10062 hits $38,456 $901,536 177 none Pin Online Co-Op
6 34 in 100 earned $100k+, from 198 launches 34 in 10067 hits $27,523 $901,536 198 none Pin Co-op
7 33 in 100 earned $100k+, from 52 launches 33 in 10017 hits $26,042 $281,334 52 Audience Pin Lovecraftian
8 32 in 100 earned $100k+, from 258 launches 32 in 10083 hits $26,551 $565,502 258 none Pin Building
9 32 in 100 earned $100k+, from 85 launches 32 in 10027 hits $31,406 $1,021,709 85 1-hit Pin Automation
10 31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 267 launches 31 in 10084 hits $31,406 $395,032 267 none Pin Life Sim
11 31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 55 launches 31 in 10017 hits $42,987 $267,122 55 none Pin Wholesome
12 31 in 100 earned $100k+, from 388 launches 31 in 100119 hits $26,551 $520,165 388 none Pin Sandbox
13 30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 83 launches 30 in 10025 hits $13,923 $515,310 83 none Pin Dark Humor
14 30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 70 launches 30 in 10021 hits $24,284 $766,093 70 none Pin Inventory Management
15 30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 57 launches 30 in 10017 hits $13,762 $1,455,227 57 1-hit Pin Crime
16 30 in 100 earned $100k+, from 360 launches 30 in 100107 hits $26,717 $409,789 360 none Pin Management
17 29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 231 launches 29 in 10068 hits $28,409 $663,058 231 none Pin Base Building
18 29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 231 launches 29 in 10068 hits $24,288 $522,189 231 none Pin Crafting
19 29 in 100 earned $100k+, from 97 launches 29 in 10028 hits $17,851 $367,151 97 Audience Pin Cinematic
20 27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 91 launches 27 in 10025 hits $22,359 $294,876 91 none Pin Capitalism
21 27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 201 launches 27 in 10055 hits $27,623 $402,463 201 none Pin Economy
22 27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 268 launches 27 in 10072 hits $16,088 $485,586 268 none Pin Action Roguelike
23 27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 304 launches 27 in 10081 hits $20,964 $510,045 304 none Pin Open World
24 27 in 100 earned $100k+, from 83 launches 27 in 10022 hits $24,693 $271,766 83 none Pin Creature Collector
25 26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 102 launches 26 in 10027 hits $12,549 $411,669 102 none Pin Driving
26 26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 187 launches 26 in 10049 hits $23,677 $358,651 187 none Pin Resource Management
27 26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 124 launches 26 in 10032 hits $33,382 $558,583 124 1-hit Pin Roguelike Deckbuilder
28 25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 124 launches 25 in 10031 hits $9,310 $291,418 124 none Pin Investigation
29 25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 126 launches 25 in 10031 hits $18,150 $363,650 126 none Pin Medieval
30 25 in 100 earned $100k+, from 151 launches 25 in 10037 hits $23,478 $292,264 151 1-hit Pin Metroidvania
31 24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 86 launches 24 in 10021 hits $21,570 $462,606 86 none Pin Cooking
32 24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 359 launches 24 in 10087 hits $18,621 $332,634 359 none Pin Immersive Sim
33 24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 141 launches 24 in 10034 hits $10,665 $248,075 141 none Pin Detective
34 24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 448 launches 24 in 100108 hits $18,456 $485,586 448 none Pin Roguelite
35 24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 226 launches 24 in 10054 hits $18,938 $358,651 226 none Pin Survival
36 24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 143 launches 24 in 10034 hits $7,628 $430,966 143 none Pin Tower Defense
37 24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 480 launches 24 in 100113 hits $18,676 $415,727 480 none Pin Roguelike
38 24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 238 launches 24 in 10056 hits $11,231 $636,746 238 none Pin FPS
39 23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 99 launches 23 in 10023 hits $19,025 $369,985 99 Audience Pin Farming Sim
40 23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 181 launches 23 in 10042 hits $18,428 $362,436 181 1-hitAudience Pin Card Battler
41 23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 203 launches 23 in 10047 hits $14,811 $305,217 203 none Pin Character Customization
42 23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 213 launches 23 in 10049 hits $20,641 $363,650 213 1-hit Pin Deckbuilding
43 23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 171 launches 23 in 10039 hits $17,302 $296,262 171 1-hit Pin Dark Fantasy
44 23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 189 launches 23 in 10043 hits $13,053 $286,515 189 none Pin Hack and Slash
45 23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 88 launches 23 in 10020 hits $24,891 $183,373 88 none Pin Nature
46 23 in 100 earned $100k+, from 75 launches 23 in 10017 hits $10,017 $331,124 75 none Pin Military
47 22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 224 launches 22 in 10050 hits $14,811 $415,727 224 Audience Pin Dungeon Crawler
48 City Builder22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 145 launches 22 in 10032 hits $17,624 $313,313 145 Audience Pin City Builder

22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 145 launches at $10 to $20. That is about 1.2 times the base rate.

Base rate at $10 to $20: 19 in 100 (893 of 4,810 launches earned $100k+).

Typical first year $17,624; the top 1 in 10 earned at least $313,313.

Lens check, all pricesHolds in 3 of 3. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: holds.

  • AudienceAudience split: this genre reads differently for Western players. Typical earnings rise 12% in the West-facing view (games mostly reviewed outside China).
Chance of $100k+ at every price (Standard lens)
PriceChanceLaunchesTypical
All prices15 in 100541$1,982
Under $51 in 164164$278
$5 to $101 in 25176$1,941
$10 to $2022 in 100145$17,624
$20 to $4073 in 10056$377,511

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

Open genre pageCheck this idea
49 22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 128 launches 22 in 10028 hits $13,963 $240,450 128 none Pin Tactical
50 22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 69 launches 22 in 10015 hits $31,382 $510,045 69 1-hit Pin Trading
51 22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 106 launches 22 in 10023 hits $3,035 $471,994 106 none Pin Third-Person Shooter
52 21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 121 launches 21 in 10026 hits $18,695 $286,515 121 none Pin Souls-like
53 21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 1,006 launches 21 in 100216 hits $14,573 $294,876 1,006 none Pin Simulation
54 21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 52 launches 21 in 10011 hits $14,570 $470,375 52 1-hit Pin Mythology
55 21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 72 launches 21 in 10015 hits $22,688 $233,428 72 none Pin Auto Battler
56 21 in 100 earned $100k+, from 58 launches 21 in 10012 hits $12,140 $189,382 58 none Pin War
57 20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 74 launches 20 in 10015 hits $16,148 $281,739 74 none Pin Colony Sim
58 20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 135 launches 20 in 10027 hits $15,866 $187,016 135 none Pin Survival Horror
59 20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 397 launches 20 in 10079 hits $10,460 $242,848 397 none Pin Horror
60 20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 81 launches 20 in 10016 hits $5,849 $369,985 81 Audience Pin Zombies
61 20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 228 launches 20 in 10045 hits $16,691 $233,568 228 none Pin Psychological Horror
62 20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 394 launches 20 in 10077 hits $8,418 $319,385 394 Audience Pin Shooter
63 19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 67 launches 19 in 10013 hits $4,453 $132,576 67 none Pin Flight
64 19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 62 launches 19 in 10012 hits $17,001 $385,809 62 none Pin Rhythm
65 19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 119 launches 19 in 10023 hits $13,660 $281,739 119 Audience Pin RTS
66 19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 176 launches 19 in 10034 hits $6,798 $184,557 176 none Pin Time Management
67 19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 88 launches 19 in 10017 hits $7,892 $271,766 88 Audience Pin Top-Down Shooter
68 19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 297 launches 19 in 10057 hits $8,741 $235,997 297 none Pin Action RPG
69 19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 185 launches 19 in 10035 hits $7,891 $237,886 185 Audience Pin Dating Sim
70 19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 133 launches 19 in 10025 hits $10,928 $227,091 133 1-hit Pin Collectathon
71 19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 881 launches 19 in 100163 hits $10,017 $237,886 881 none Pin RPG
72 18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 245 launches 18 in 10045 hits $14,168 $279,264 245 none Pin Card Game
73 18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 109 launches 18 in 10020 hits $9,733 $242,848 109 none Pin Walking Simulator
74 18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 126 launches 18 in 10023 hits $10,017 $155,037 126 none Pin 1990's
75 18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 132 launches 18 in 10024 hits $14,911 $368,366 132 none Pin Post-apocalyptic
Show 25 moreShowing 75 of 129 genres
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.

Releases

Ticker: 30 upcoming games dated within 90 days, with wishlist rank, release date and followers. The same list is on the Upcoming page.