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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 30 Sep 2026

Niches / Cartoon + Puzzle

Niche

Cartoon + Puzzle

Games tagged both Cartoon and Puzzle: 181 indie paid launches, 4 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 Cartoon + Puzzle priced $10 to $20. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair trails both its tags; 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

Cartoon + Puzzle beats both its tags: 4 of its 23 launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 16.1 in 100 for Cartoon and 13.8 in 100 for Puzzle.

Small sample: 23 launches, 4 hits.

2NDRunner-up
Tag onemood tagCartoon
16.1in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds16.1 in 100
Typical earnings$4,453
Launches93 / 15 hits
Pair leads by1.3 in 100
1STWinner
This pairCartoon + Puzzle
4 of 23launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds4 of 23 launches
Typical earnings$2,732
Launches23 / 4 hits
Expected18.6 in 100
3RDThird
Tag twoPuzzle
13.8in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds13.8 in 100
Typical earnings$4,553
Launches775 / 107 hits
Pair leads by3.6 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 $20Cartoon 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 23 games tagged both Cartoon and Puzzle priced $10 to $20. 17.4 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 15.7 for Cartoon-only games and 13.7 for Puzzle-only games, so games with both tags did better than games with either tag alone.

Both: 23 games priced $10 to $20; 17.4 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $2,732.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 23 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

Mercury Abbeyleads this pair21.0%
PairMercury Abbey21.0%
CartoonStarsand Island21.2%
PuzzleBlue Prince7.0%
CheckOne game over half?no
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkChanged recently. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: moves the answer.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Cartoon + Puzzle

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

  • Mercury Abbey earned 21.0% of the estimated first-year money of the 181 Cartoon + Puzzle launches.
  • Cartoon is led by Starsand Island, with 21.2% of its money.
  • Puzzle is led by Blue Prince, with 7.0% 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: those with a mostly Chinese audience, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

Cartoon + Puzzle is changed recently: Last 18 months moves the answer by more than a quarter. It holds in 2 of 3.

Cartoon + Puzzle through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view172 of 181 launchesWithout the breakout180 of 181 launchesLast 18 months84 of 181 launches
Launches counted1814 hits1724 hits1803 hits841 hits
Earned $100k+2.2 in 1001 in 452.3 in 1001 in 431.7 in 1001 in 591.2 in 1001 in 83
Typical first-year earnings$323top tenth $8,502+$323$323$405
Chance against standardthe yardstick+4.5%0.1 more in 100-22.7%0.5 fewer in 100-45.5%1.0 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change+25.4%$82 more
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Cartoon and Puzzle, 6 to 30 months old: 181 launches.

Launches counted
1814 hits
Earned $100k+
2.2 in 1001 in 45
Typical first-year earnings
$323top tenth $8,502+
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: 9 of 181 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1724 hits
Earned $100k+
2.3 in 1001 in 43
Typical first-year earnings
$323
Chance against standard
+4.5%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Mercury Abbey (21.0% of the money): 180 launches left.

Launches counted
1803 hits
Earned $100k+
1.7 in 1001 in 59
Typical first-year earnings
$323
Chance against standard
-22.7%0.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 84 of 181.

Launches counted
841 hits
Earned $100k+
1.2 in 1001 in 83
Typical first-year earnings
$405
Chance against standard
-45.5%1.0 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+25.4%$82 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Cartoon and Puzzle, 6 to 30 months old: 181 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: 9 of 181 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, Mercury Abbey (21.0% of the money): 180 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 84 of 181.

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

Cartoon through every lens, all prices
CartoonBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view777 of 826 launchesWithout the breakout825 of 826 launchesLast 18 months430 of 826 launches
Launches counted82628 hits77725 hits82527 hits43013 hits
Earned $100k+3.4 in 1001 in 293.2 in 1001 in 313.3 in 1001 in 303.0 in 1001 in 33
Typical first-year earnings$303top tenth $18,611+$303$303$282
Chance against standardthe yardstick-5.9%0.2 fewer in 100-2.9%0.1 fewer in 100-11.8%0.4 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-6.9%$21 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Cartoon, 6 to 30 months old: 826 launches.

Launches counted
82628 hits
Earned $100k+
3.4 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings
$303top tenth $18,611+
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: 49 of 826 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
77725 hits
Earned $100k+
3.2 in 1001 in 31
Typical first-year earnings
$303
Chance against standard
-5.9%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Starsand Island (21.2% of the money): 825 launches left.

Launches counted
82527 hits
Earned $100k+
3.3 in 1001 in 30
Typical first-year earnings
$303
Chance against standard
-2.9%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 430 of 826.

Launches counted
43013 hits
Earned $100k+
3.0 in 1001 in 33
Typical first-year earnings
$282
Chance against standard
-11.8%0.4 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-6.9%$21 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Cartoon, 6 to 30 months old: 826 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: 49 of 826 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, Starsand Island (21.2% of the money): 825 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 430 of 826.

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

Puzzle through every lens, all prices
PuzzleBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view5,529 of 5,739 launchesWithout the breakout5,738 of 5,739 launchesLast 18 months3,111 of 5,739 launches
Launches counted5,739203 hits5,529192 hits5,738202 hits3,111106 hits
Earned $100k+3.5 in 1001 in 293.5 in 1001 in 293.5 in 1001 in 293.4 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings$443top tenth $14,400+$461$443$405
Chance against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-2.9%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+4.1%$18 more0.0%no change-8.6%$38 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Puzzle, 6 to 30 months old: 5,739 launches.

Launches counted
5,739203 hits
Earned $100k+
3.5 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings
$443top tenth $14,400+
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: 210 of 5,739 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
5,529192 hits
Earned $100k+
3.5 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings
$461
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
+4.1%$18 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Blue Prince (7.0% of the money): 5,738 launches left.

Launches counted
5,738202 hits
Earned $100k+
3.5 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings
$443
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: 3,111 of 5,739.

Launches counted
3,111106 hits
Earned $100k+
3.4 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings
$405
Chance against standard
-2.9%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-8.6%$38 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Puzzle, 6 to 30 months old: 5,739 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: 210 of 5,739 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, Blue Prince (7.0% of the money): 5,738 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 3,111 of 5,739.

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 Cartoon + Puzzle 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.