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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.

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on 4 Oct 2026

Niches / 2D + Match 3

Niche

2D + Match 3

Games tagged both 2D and Match 3: 189 indie paid launches, 1 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 26,291 indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, data of 3 Oct 2026. How it is measured.

Showing 2D + Match 3 priced $10 to $20, hiding samples under 30 launches. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair is too small to compare with 2D and is too small to compare with Match 3; priced $10 to $20 it has too few launches to read.

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

24 launches, under your minimum sample of 30.

Pick another price band, or lower the minimum sample.

TIEA tie
Tag onemood tag2D
15.9in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds15.9 in 100
Typical earnings$7,358
Launches961 / 153 hits
Pairno reading
--No reading
This pair2D + Match 3
--too few
to read
Odds--
Typical earnings--
Launches24

24 launches, under your minimum sample of 30.

TIEA tie
Tag twoMatch 3
4 of 34launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds4 of 34 launches
$1k+50 in 100
$10k+18 in 100
Launches34 / 4 hits
Pairno reading
All indie launches $10 to $20: 20.4 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $10,978, from 4,304 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: 0.4 in 100 launches earned $100k+; $20 to $40: 44.2 in 100), so read it within a price band.

Price bandswitches the whole page
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 24 games tagged both 2D and Match 3 priced $10 to $20. 1 of 24 of them earned $100k+, against 16.2 in 100 for 2D-only games and 3 of 10 for Match 3-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with 2D alone and is too small to compare with Match 3 alone.

Both: 24 games priced $10 to $20; 1 of 24 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 11 of 24 launches · $10k+ 2 of 24 launches · $100k+ 1 of 24 launches.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 24 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

Puzzle Quest: Immortal Editionleads this pair57.5%
PairPuzzle Quest: Immortal Edition57.5%
2DHollow Knight: Silksong40.1%
Match 3POPUCOM58.5%
CheckOne game over half?yes
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkOne-hit market. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: moves the answer. Last 18 months: too few to tell.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads 2D + Match 3

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

  • Puzzle Quest: Immortal Edition earned 57.5% of the estimated first-year money of the 189 2D + Match 3 launches.
  • 2D is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 40.1% of its money.
  • Match 3 is led by POPUCOM, with 58.5% of its money.
  • One game holds over half of this pair's money: read every figure here as that game's story.

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 + Match 3 is one-hit market: one game earned over half the money. It holds in West-facing view.

2D + Match 3 through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view175 of 189 launchesWithout the breakout188 of 189 launchesLast 18 months45 of 189 launches
Launches counted1891 hits1751 hits1880 hits451 hits
Earned $100k+1 of 189too few for a rate1 of 175too few for a rate0 of 188too few for a rate1 of 45too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings$156top tenth $1,479+$172$156under 100 launches
Chance against standardthe base+8.0%no change; too few to tell-100.0%0.5 fewer in 100+320.0%1.7 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standardthe base+10.3%$16 more0.0%no changeunder 100 launches
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsMoves the answerToo few to tell
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both 2D and Match 3, 12 to 36 months old: 189 launches.

Launches counted
1891 hits
Earned $100k+
1 of 189too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$156top tenth $1,479+
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: 14 of 189 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1751 hits
Earned $100k+
1 of 175too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$172
Chance against standard
+8.0%no change; too few to tell
Typical against standard
+10.3%$16 more
Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, Puzzle Quest: Immortal Edition (57.5% of the money): 188 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
1880 hits
Earned $100k+
0 of 188too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$156
Chance against standard
-100.0%0.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 45 of 189.

Launches counted
451 hits
Earned $100k+
1 of 45too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
+320.0%1.7 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both 2D and Match 3, 12 to 36 months old: 189 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: 14 of 189 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, Puzzle Quest: Immortal Edition (57.5% of the money): 188 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: 45 of 189.

2D 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.

2D through every lens, all prices
2DBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view7,744 of 8,243 launchesWithout the breakout8,242 of 8,243 launchesLast 18 months2,301 of 8,243 launches
Launches counted8,243270 hits7,744248 hits8,242269 hits2,30184 hits
Earned $100k+3.3 in 1001 in 313.2 in 1001 in 313.3 in 1001 in 313.7 in 1001 in 27
Typical first-year earnings$291top tenth $13,367+$307$291$268
Chance against standardthe base-2.2%0.1 fewer in 100-0.4%no change+11.5%0.4 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+5.5%$16 more0.0%no change-7.9%$23 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged 2D, 12 to 36 months old: 8,243 launches.

Launches counted
8,243270 hits
Earned $100k+
3.3 in 1001 in 31
Typical first-year earnings
$291top tenth $13,367+
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: 499 of 8,243 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
7,744248 hits
Earned $100k+
3.2 in 1001 in 31
Typical first-year earnings
$307
Chance against standard
-2.2%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+5.5%$16 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (40.1% of the money): 8,242 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
8,242269 hits
Earned $100k+
3.3 in 1001 in 31
Typical first-year earnings
$291
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: 2,301 of 8,243.

Launches counted
2,30184 hits
Earned $100k+
3.7 in 1001 in 27
Typical first-year earnings
$268
Chance against standard
+11.5%0.4 more in 100
Typical against standard
-7.9%$23 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged 2D, 12 to 36 months old: 8,243 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: 499 of 8,243 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 (40.1% of the money): 8,242 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: 2,301 of 8,243.

Match 3 is one-hit market: one game earned over half the money. It holds in West-facing view.

Match 3 through every lens, all prices
Match 3BaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view278 of 298 launchesWithout the breakout297 of 298 launchesLast 18 months70 of 298 launches
Launches counted2984 hits2783 hits2973 hits702 hits
Earned $100k+4 of 298too few for a rate3 of 278too few for a rate3 of 297too few for a rate2 of 70too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings$130top tenth $1,696+$138$125under 100 launches
Chance against standardthe base-19.6%0.3 fewer in 100; too few to tell-24.7%0.3 fewer in 100+112.9%1.5 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standardthe base+6.2%$8 more-3.8%$5 lessunder 100 launches
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsMoves the answerToo few to tell
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Match 3, 12 to 36 months old: 298 launches.

Launches counted
2984 hits
Earned $100k+
4 of 298too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$130top tenth $1,696+
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: 20 of 298 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
2783 hits
Earned $100k+
3 of 278too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$138
Chance against standard
-19.6%0.3 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard
+6.2%$8 more
Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, POPUCOM (58.5% of the money): 297 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
2973 hits
Earned $100k+
3 of 297too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$125
Chance against standard
-24.7%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-3.8%$5 less
Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 70 of 298.

Launches counted
702 hits
Earned $100k+
2 of 70too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
+112.9%1.5 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Match 3, 12 to 36 months old: 298 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: 20 of 298 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, POPUCOM (58.5% of the money): 297 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: 70 of 298.

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 + Match 3 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.

Releases

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