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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 / Cinematic + Story Rich

Niche

Cinematic + Story Rich

Games tagged both Cinematic and Story Rich: 125 indie paid launches, 29 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 Cinematic + Story Rich priced $10 to $20, hiding samples under 30 launches.

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

Cinematic + Story Rich beats both its tags: 48.6 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 28.9 in 100 for Cinematic and 19.9 in 100 for Story Rich.

That is about 2.6 times the 18.6 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

2NDRunner-up
Tag oneCinematic
28.9in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds28.9 in 100
Typical earnings$17,851
Launches97 / 28 hits
Pair leads by19.7 in 100
1STWinner
This pairCinematic + Story Rich
48.6in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds48.6 in 100
Typical earnings$97,978
Launches37 / 18 hits
Expected18.6 in 100
3RDThird
Tag twomood tagStory Rich
19.9in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds19.9 in 100
Typical earnings$12,110
Launches745 / 148 hits
Pair leads by28.7 in 100
All indie launches $10 to $20: 18.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $9,226, from 4,810 launches.each block is 2.5 in 100 all indie at $10 to $20Story Rich 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.

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 37 games tagged both Cinematic and Story Rich priced $10 to $20. 48.6 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 16.7 for Cinematic-only games and 18.4 for Story Rich-only games, so games with both tags did better than games with either tag alone.

Both: 37 games priced $10 to $20; 48.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $97,978.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 37 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

INDIKAleads this pair15.6%
PairINDIKA15.6%
CinematicROUTINE9.3%
Story RichDELTARUNE18.4%
CheckOne game over half?no
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 Cinematic + Story Rich

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

  • INDIKA earned 15.6% of the estimated first-year money of the 125 Cinematic + Story Rich launches.
  • Cinematic is led by ROUTINE, with 9.3% of its money.
  • Story Rich is led by DELTARUNE, with 18.4% 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

Cinematic + Story Rich holds in 3 of 3: every lens keeps the chance and typical earnings within a quarter of the standard figures.

Cinematic + Story Rich through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view106 of 125 launchesWithout the breakout124 of 125 launchesLast 18 months74 of 125 launches
Launches counted12529 hits10623 hits12428 hits7418 hits
Earned $100k+23.2 in 10021.7 in 10022.6 in 10024.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$4,713top tenth $341,606+$3,760$4,713$4,713
Chance against standardthe yardstick-6.5%1.5 fewer in 100-2.6%0.6 fewer in 100+4.7%1.1 more in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-20.2%$953 less0.0%no change0.0%no change
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Cinematic and Story Rich, 6 to 30 months old: 125 launches.

Launches counted
12529 hits
Earned $100k+
23.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$4,713top tenth $341,606+
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: 19 of 125 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
10623 hits
Earned $100k+
21.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$3,760
Chance against standard
-6.5%1.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-20.2%$953 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, INDIKA (15.6% of the money): 124 launches left.

Launches counted
12428 hits
Earned $100k+
22.6 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$4,713
Chance against standard
-2.6%0.6 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 74 of 125.

Launches counted
7418 hits
Earned $100k+
24.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$4,713
Chance against standard
+4.7%1.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Cinematic and Story Rich, 6 to 30 months old: 125 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: 19 of 125 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 (15.6% of the money): 124 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 74 of 125.

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

Cinematic through every lens, all prices
CinematicBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view493 of 532 launchesWithout the breakout531 of 532 launchesLast 18 months292 of 532 launches
Launches counted53264 hits49353 hits53163 hits29239 hits
Earned $100k+12.0 in 10010.8 in 10011.9 in 10013.4 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$1,374top tenth $129,511+$1,214$1,374$1,274
Chance against standardthe yardstick-10.0%1.2 fewer in 100-0.8%0.1 fewer in 100+11.7%1.4 more in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-11.6%$160 less0.0%no change-7.3%$100 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Cinematic, 6 to 30 months old: 532 launches.

Launches counted
53264 hits
Earned $100k+
12.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,374top tenth $129,511+
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: 39 of 532 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
49353 hits
Earned $100k+
10.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,214
Chance against standard
-10.0%1.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-11.6%$160 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, ROUTINE (9.3% of the money): 531 launches left.

Launches counted
53163 hits
Earned $100k+
11.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,374
Chance against standard
-0.8%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 292 of 532.

Launches counted
29239 hits
Earned $100k+
13.4 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,274
Chance against standard
+11.7%1.4 more in 100
Typical against standard
-7.3%$100 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Cinematic, 6 to 30 months old: 532 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: 39 of 532 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, ROUTINE (9.3% of the money): 531 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 292 of 532.

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

Story Rich through every lens, all prices
Story RichBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view2,571 of 2,810 launchesWithout the breakout2,809 of 2,810 launchesLast 18 months1,542 of 2,810 launches
Launches counted2,810301 hits2,571267 hits2,809300 hits1,542154 hits
Earned $100k+10.7 in 10010.4 in 10010.7 in 10010.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$2,062top tenth $111,964+$2,062$2,062$1,998
Chance against standardthe yardstick-2.8%0.3 fewer in 1000.0%no change-6.5%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-3.1%$64 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Story Rich, 6 to 30 months old: 2,810 launches.

Launches counted
2,810301 hits
Earned $100k+
10.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,062top tenth $111,964+
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: 239 of 2,810 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
2,571267 hits
Earned $100k+
10.4 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,062
Chance against standard
-2.8%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, DELTARUNE (18.4% of the money): 2,809 launches left.

Launches counted
2,809300 hits
Earned $100k+
10.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,062
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: 1,542 of 2,810.

Launches counted
1,542154 hits
Earned $100k+
10.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,998
Chance against standard
-6.5%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-3.1%$64 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Story Rich, 6 to 30 months old: 2,810 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: 239 of 2,810 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, DELTARUNE (18.4% of the money): 2,809 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,542 of 2,810.

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 Cinematic + Story Rich 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.