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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 same figures are on the Genres page.

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on 2 Oct 2026

Niches / 2D + Surreal

Niche

2D + Surreal

Games tagged both 2D and Surreal: 118 indie paid launches, 5 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".
  • Price moves the odds more than genre does, so the page opens on one price band. The keys in section 2 switch it.
  • From 29,637 indie paid launches 6 to 30 months old, data of 1 Oct 2026. How it is measured.

Showing 2D + Surreal priced $10 to $20. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats 2D and trails Surreal; priced $10 to $20 it trails 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 + Surreal trails both its tags: 1 of its 14 launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 14.4 in 100 for 2D and 19.4 in 100 for Surreal.

Small sample: 14 launches, 1 hits.

2NDRunner-up
Tag onemood tag2D
14.4in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds14.4 in 100
Typical earnings$6,072
Launches1,032 / 149 hits
Pair trails by7.3 in 100
3RDThird
This pair2D + Surreal
1 of 14launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds1 of 14 launches
Typical earnings$3,035
Launches14 / 1 hits
Expected18.6 in 100
1STWinner
Tag twomood tagSurreal
19.4in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds19.4 in 100
Typical earnings$15,257
Launches93 / 18 hits
Pair trails by12.3 in 100
All indie launches $10 to $20: 18.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $9,226, from 4,810 launches.each block is 1 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: 42.4 in 100), so read it within a price band.

Price bandswitches the whole page
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 14 games tagged both 2D and Surreal priced $10 to $20. 7.1 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 14.5 for 2D-only games and 21.5 for Surreal-only games, so games with both tags did worse than games with either tag alone.

Both: 14 games priced $10 to $20; 7.1 in 100 earned $100k+ (1 in 14), typical first-year earnings $3,035.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 14 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

Nubby's Number Factoryleads this pair51.8%
PairNubby's Number Factory51.8%
2DHollow Knight: Silksong32.4%
SurrealINDIKA12.0%
CheckOne game over half?yes
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkHolds in 3 of 3. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: holds.

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

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

  • Nubby's Number Factory earned 51.8% of the estimated first-year money of the 118 2D + Surreal launches.
  • 2D is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 32.4% of its money.
  • Surreal is led by INDIKA, with 12.0% 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: those with a mostly Chinese audience, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

2D + Surreal holds in 3 of 3: every lens keeps the chance and typical earnings within a quarter of the standard figures.

2D + Surreal through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view111 of 118 launchesWithout the breakout117 of 118 launchesLast 18 months59 of 118 launches
Launches counted1185 hits1115 hits1174 hits593 hits
Earned $100k+4.2 in 1001 in 244.5 in 1001 in 223.4 in 1001 in 295.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings$809top tenth $14,289+$808$808$1,010
Chance against standardthe yardstick+7.1%0.3 more in 100-19.0%0.8 fewer in 100+21.4%0.9 more in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-0.1%$1 less-0.1%$1 less+24.8%$201 more
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both 2D and Surreal, 6 to 30 months old: 118 launches.

Launches counted
1185 hits
Earned $100k+
4.2 in 1001 in 24
Typical first-year earnings
$809top tenth $14,289+
Chance against standard
the yardstick
Typical against standard
the yardstick
West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 7 of 118 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1115 hits
Earned $100k+
4.5 in 1001 in 22
Typical first-year earnings
$808
Chance against standard
+7.1%0.3 more in 100
Typical against standard
-0.1%$1 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Nubby's Number Factory (51.8% of the money): 117 launches left.

Launches counted
1174 hits
Earned $100k+
3.4 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings
$808
Chance against standard
-19.0%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-0.1%$1 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 59 of 118.

Launches counted
593 hits
Earned $100k+
5.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$1,010
Chance against standard
+21.4%0.9 more in 100
Typical against standard
+24.8%$201 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both 2D and Surreal, 6 to 30 months old: 118 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 7 of 118 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, Nubby's Number Factory (51.8% of the money): 117 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 59 of 118.

2D holds in 3 of 3: every lens keeps the chance and typical earnings within a quarter of the standard figures.

2D through every lens, all prices
2DBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view8,723 of 9,279 launchesWithout the breakout9,278 of 9,279 launchesLast 18 months5,071 of 9,279 launches
Launches counted9,279280 hits8,723261 hits9,278279 hits5,071141 hits
Earned $100k+3.0 in 1001 in 333.0 in 1001 in 333.0 in 1001 in 332.8 in 1001 in 36
Typical first-year earnings$303top tenth $12,749+$303$303$243
Chance against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-6.7%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-19.8%$60 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged 2D, 6 to 30 months old: 9,279 launches.

Launches counted
9,279280 hits
Earned $100k+
3.0 in 1001 in 33
Typical first-year earnings
$303top tenth $12,749+
Chance against standard
the yardstick
Typical against standard
the yardstick
West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 556 of 9,279 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
8,723261 hits
Earned $100k+
3.0 in 1001 in 33
Typical first-year earnings
$303
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (32.4% of the money): 9,278 launches left.

Launches counted
9,278279 hits
Earned $100k+
3.0 in 1001 in 33
Typical first-year earnings
$303
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 5,071 of 9,279.

Launches counted
5,071141 hits
Earned $100k+
2.8 in 1001 in 36
Typical first-year earnings
$243
Chance against standard
-6.7%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-19.8%$60 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged 2D, 6 to 30 months old: 9,279 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 556 of 9,279 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 (32.4% of the money): 9,278 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 5,071 of 9,279.

Surreal holds in 3 of 3: every lens keeps the chance and typical earnings within a quarter of the standard figures.

Surreal through every lens, all prices
SurrealBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view657 of 678 launchesWithout the breakout677 of 678 launchesLast 18 months368 of 678 launches
Launches counted67843 hits65742 hits67742 hits36822 hits
Earned $100k+6.3 in 1001 in 166.4 in 1001 in 166.2 in 1001 in 166.0 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings$1,271top tenth $50,389+$1,214$1,271$1,271
Chance against standardthe yardstick+1.6%0.1 more in 100-1.6%0.1 fewer in 100-4.8%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-4.5%$57 less0.0%no change0.0%no change
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Surreal, 6 to 30 months old: 678 launches.

Launches counted
67843 hits
Earned $100k+
6.3 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$1,271top tenth $50,389+
Chance against standard
the yardstick
Typical against standard
the yardstick
West-facing viewHolds

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 21 of 678 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
65742 hits
Earned $100k+
6.4 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$1,214
Chance against standard
+1.6%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
-4.5%$57 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, INDIKA (12.0% of the money): 677 launches left.

Launches counted
67742 hits
Earned $100k+
6.2 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$1,271
Chance against standard
-1.6%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 368 of 678.

Launches counted
36822 hits
Earned $100k+
6.0 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings
$1,271
Chance against standard
-4.8%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Surreal, 6 to 30 months old: 678 launches.
West-facing view
Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 21 of 678 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, INDIKA (12.0% of the money): 677 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 368 of 678.

A lens holds when chance and typical earnings both stay within 25% of standard. Lens figures by price band are not computed yet, so this table is for all prices.

5Premium early list

Alerts when 2D + Surreal 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.