Niche

2D + Horror

Games tagged both 2D and Horror: 313 indie paid launches, 16 of them earned $100k+ in their first year.

How to read this page

A hit is an estimated $100k+ first year. Revenue is estimated from Steam reviews, so read figures as "about". 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.
Price moves the odds more than genre does, so the page opens on one price band. The keys in section 2 switch it.
From 26,280 indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, data of 3 Oct 2026. How it is measured.

Price $10 to $20

All prices1 in 17 hit $100k+Under $51 in 219 hit $100k+$5 to $101 in 30 hit $100k+$10 to $2018 in 100 hit $100k+$20 to $4040 in 100 hit $100k+

Base rate: indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, 26,280 launches. Odds compare best within one price.

Lens Standard

Standard West-facing view Without the breakout Last 18 months

All indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old. Lens figures exist at all prices only; inside a price band this page shows the standard figures.

Sample 10+

10+ launchesshow small samples 30+ launches 100+ launchesonly big markets

Hides anything measured on fewer launches.

$10 to $20

Showing 2D + Horror priced $10 to $20. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair is about level with 2D and is about level with Horror; priced $10 to $20 it beats both its tags.

1Scoreboard: the pair against each of its tags

The pair's chance of a $100k+ first year beside each of its two tags, ranked like a high-score table, with typical earnings and the launches behind every figure.

ScoreboardDoes this pair beat its genres?$10 to $20

2D + Horror beats both its tags: 22.7 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 13.8 in 100 for 2D and 19.1 in 100 for Horror.

That is about 1.3 times the 17.6 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

3RDThird

Tag onemood tag2D

13.8in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds13.8 in 100

Typical earnings$5,569

Launches960 / 132 hits

Pair leads by9.0 in 100

1STWinner

This pair2D + Horror

22.7in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds22.7 in 100

Typical earnings$14,745

Launches44 / 10 hits

Expected17.6 in 100

2NDRunner-up

Tag twoHorror

19.1in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds19.1 in 100

Typical earnings$9,724

Launches345 / 66 hits

Pair leads by3.6 in 100

All indie launches $10 to $20: 17.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $8,234, from 4,301 launches.each block is 2 in 100 all indie at $10 to $202D is a mood tag: GMD never ranks it alone, but every game carrying it is counted.

2Overlap: where the two tags meet

Each circle is one tag, sized by its launches, and the gold overlap is exactly this pair. Click a part to read it. Price changes the odds more than genre does (under $5: 0.5 in 100 launches earned $100k+; $20 to $40: 40.0 in 100), so read it within a price band.

Price bandswitches the whole page

All prices313 in pair Under $5181 in pair $5 to $1083 in pair $10 to $2044 in pair$20 to $405: too few

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 44 games tagged both 2D and Horror priced $10 to $20. 22.7 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 13.3 in 100 for 2D-only games and 18.6 in 100 for Horror-only games, so games with both tags did better than games with either tag alone.

Both: 44 games priced $10 to $20; 22.7 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $14,745.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 44 launches. The outer parts are each tag's launches minus the pair's, so their chance is exact; their typical earnings are not computed yet.

3Comparables

Who leads this pair and each of its tags. Free until launch: one click opens the card. The full comparables list (nearest hits by tag pair, price and launch year) is not computed yet, and the card says so.

Comparables

Leaders

Top earner, share of the moneyFree until launch

ANIMAL WELLleads this pair38.8%

PairANIMAL WELL38.8%

2DHollow Knight: Silksong39.3%

HorrorLethal Company20.0%

CheckOne game over half?no

NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkHolds in 2 of 3, 1 too few to tell. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: too few to tell.

Open free preview

ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads 2D + Horror

What this card holds

Leaders. The top earner in this pair and in each of its two tags, with its share of the money.
One-hit check. Whether a single game holds over half of the pair's money.
Nearest hits. Similar games that earned $100k+, matched by tag pair, price and launch year: not computed yet.

How the list will be picked

Same tag pairdata ready

Same price banddata ready

Launched within a year of each otherplanned

Earned $100k+planned

The list itselfnot computed yet

Free until launch: one click opens the card.

The leaders, in words

ANIMAL WELL earned 38.8% of the estimated first-year money of the 313 2D + Horror launches.
2D is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 39.3% of its money.
Horror is led by Lethal Company, with 20.0% of its money.
No game holds over half of this pair's money, so the pair is not a one-hit market.

Nearest hits (similar games that earned $100k+, matched by tag pair, price and launch year): not computed yet.

Filters do not apply here yet. Leaders and shares are for all prices and the Standard view; per price band and per lens they are not computed yet.

4Lens check: does the answer hold?

The same figures with three kinds of games set aside: games mostly reviewed in Chinese, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

2D + Horror holds in West-facing view and Without the breakout; too few to tell in Last 18 months. No lens moves the chance or typical earnings more than chance alone would.

2D + Horror through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view290 of 313 launches	Without the breakout312 of 313 launches	Last 18 months80 of 313 launches
Launches counted	31316 hits	29016 hits	31215 hits	803 hits
Earned $100k+	5.1 in 1001 in 20	5.5 in 1001 in 18	4.8 in 1001 in 21	3 of 80too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings	$808top tenth $35,472+	$827	$808	$1,142
Chance against standard	the base	+7.9%0.4 more in 100	-5.9%0.3 fewer in 100	-26.6%1.4 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard	the base	+2.4%$19 more	0.0%no change	+41.3%$334 more; too few to tell
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Too few to tell

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both 2D and Horror, 12 to 36 months old: 313 launches.

Launches counted: 31316 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings: $808top tenth $35,472+
Chance against standard: the base
Typical against standard: the base

West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 23 of 313 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 29016 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.5 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings: $827
Chance against standard: +7.9%0.4 more in 100
Typical against standard: +2.4%$19 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, ANIMAL WELL (38.8% of the money): 312 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 31215 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.8 in 1001 in 21
Typical first-year earnings: $808
Chance against standard: -5.9%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 80 of 313.

Launches counted: 803 hits
Earned $100k+: 3 of 80too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: $1,142
Chance against standard: -26.6%1.4 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: +41.3%$334 more; too few to tell

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both 2D and Horror, 12 to 36 months old: 313 launches.
West-facing view: Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 23 of 313 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.
Without the breakout: Drops the single biggest earner, ANIMAL WELL (38.8% of the money): 312 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.
Last 18 months: Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 80 of 313.

2D is audience split: West-facing view moves the answer more than chance alone would. It holds in Without the breakout and Last 18 months.

2D through every lens, all prices
2D	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view7,740 of 8,238 launches	Without the breakout8,237 of 8,238 launches	Last 18 months2,299 of 8,238 launches
Launches counted	8,238239 hits	7,740217 hits	8,237238 hits	2,29974 hits
Earned $100k+	2.9 in 1001 in 34	2.8 in 1001 in 36	2.9 in 1001 in 35	3.2 in 1001 in 31
Typical first-year earnings	$286top tenth $11,851+	$303	$286	$285
Chance against standard	the base	-3.4%0.1 fewer in 100	-0.4%no change	+10.9%0.3 more in 100
Typical against standard	the base	+5.9%$17 more	0.0%no change	-0.3%$1 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Moves the answer	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged 2D, 12 to 36 months old: 8,238 launches.

Launches counted: 8,238239 hits
Earned $100k+: 2.9 in 1001 in 34
Typical first-year earnings: $286top tenth $11,851+
Chance against standard: the base
Typical against standard: the base

West-facing viewMoves the answer

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 498 of 8,238 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 7,740217 hits
Earned $100k+: 2.8 in 1001 in 36
Typical first-year earnings: $303
Chance against standard: -3.4%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: +5.9%$17 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (39.3% of the money): 8,237 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 8,237238 hits
Earned $100k+: 2.9 in 1001 in 35
Typical first-year earnings: $286
Chance against standard: -0.4%no change
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 2,299 of 8,238.

Launches counted: 2,29974 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.2 in 1001 in 31
Typical first-year earnings: $285
Chance against standard: +10.9%0.3 more in 100
Typical against standard: -0.3%$1 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged 2D, 12 to 36 months old: 8,238 launches.
West-facing view: Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 498 of 8,238 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.
Without the breakout: Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (39.3% of the money): 8,237 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.
Last 18 months: Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 2,299 of 8,238.

Horror holds in West-facing view, Without the breakout and Last 18 months. No lens moves the chance or typical earnings more than chance alone would.

Horror through every lens, all prices
Horror	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view2,989 of 3,137 launches	Without the breakout3,136 of 3,137 launches	Last 18 months883 of 3,137 launches
Launches counted	3,137173 hits	2,989168 hits	3,136172 hits	88346 hits
Earned $100k+	5.5 in 1001 in 18	5.6 in 1001 in 18	5.5 in 1001 in 18	5.2 in 1001 in 19
Typical first-year earnings	$1,010top tenth $33,268+	$1,021	$1,010	$918
Chance against standard	the base	+1.9%0.1 more in 100	-0.5%no change	-5.5%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard	the base	+1.1%$11 more	0.0%no change	-9.1%$92 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Horror, 12 to 36 months old: 3,137 launches.

Launches counted: 3,137173 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.5 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings: $1,010top tenth $33,268+
Chance against standard: the base
Typical against standard: the base

West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 148 of 3,137 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 2,989168 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.6 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings: $1,021
Chance against standard: +1.9%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard: +1.1%$11 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Lethal Company (20.0% of the money): 3,136 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 3,136172 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.5 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings: $1,010
Chance against standard: -0.5%no change
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 883 of 3,137.

Launches counted: 88346 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.2 in 1001 in 19
Typical first-year earnings: $918
Chance against standard: -5.5%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -9.1%$92 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Horror, 12 to 36 months old: 3,137 launches.
West-facing view: Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 148 of 3,137 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.
Without the breakout: Drops the single biggest earner, Lethal Company (20.0% of the money): 3,136 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.
Last 18 months: Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 883 of 3,137.

A lens moves the chance only when it differs from standard by more than a random cut of the same size would, with 5+ hits on both sides; typical earnings are compared from 100 launches, within 25%. Without the breakout moves the answer when one game earned over half the money. Lens figures by price band are not computed yet, so this table is for all prices.

5Premium early list

Alerts when 2D + Horror moves, comparables the day they land, and every lens for every pair and price. Free until launch.

Free until launch

Keep gold access after launch: alerts, comparables, every lens.