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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 3 Oct 2026

Niches / City Builder + Strategy

Niche

City Builder + Strategy

Games tagged both City Builder and Strategy: 297 indie paid launches, 60 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 City Builder + Strategy priced $10 to $20. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair is about level with City Builder and beats Strategy; 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

City Builder + Strategy beats both its tags: 33.3 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 29.7 in 100 for City Builder and 18.8 in 100 for Strategy.

That is about 1.6 times the 20.4 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

2NDRunner-up
29.7in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds29.7 in 100
Typical earnings$24,654
Launches145 / 43 hits
Pair leads by3.7 in 100
1STWinner
This pairCity Builder + Strategy
33.3in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds33.3 in 100
$1k+86 in 100
$10k+65 in 100
Launches84 / 28 hits
Expected20.4 in 100
3RDThird
Tag twoStrategy
18.8in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds18.8 in 100
Typical earnings$10,037
Launches845 / 159 hits
Pair leads by14.5 in 100
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 $20

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.

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 84 games tagged both City Builder and Strategy priced $10 to $20. 33.3 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 24.6 in 100 for City Builder-only games and 17.2 in 100 for Strategy-only games, so games with both tags did better than games with either tag alone.

Both: 84 games priced $10 to $20; 33.3 in 100 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 86 in 100 · $10k+ 65 in 100 · $100k+ 33 in 100.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 84 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

Manor Lordsleads this pair48.3%
PairManor Lords48.3%
City BuilderManor Lords41.1%
StrategyManor Lords15.2%
CheckOne game over half?no
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkHolds in 3 of 3. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: holds.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads City Builder + Strategy

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

  • Manor Lords earned 48.3% of the estimated first-year money of the 297 City Builder + Strategy launches.
  • It also leads City Builder, with 41.1% of that tag's money.
  • It also leads Strategy, with 15.2% of that tag's 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

City Builder + Strategy 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.

City Builder + Strategy through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view282 of 297 launchesWithout the breakout296 of 297 launchesLast 18 months85 of 297 launches
Launches counted29760 hits28259 hits29659 hits8520 hits
Earned $100k+20.2 in 10020.9 in 10019.9 in 10023.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$2,416top tenth $479,187+$2,947$2,416under 100 launches
Chance against standardthe base+3.6%0.7 more in 100-1.3%0.3 fewer in 100+16.5%3.3 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+22.0%$531 more0.0%no changeunder 100 launches
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both City Builder and Strategy, 12 to 36 months old: 297 launches.

Launches counted
29760 hits
Earned $100k+
20.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,416top tenth $479,187+
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: 15 of 297 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
28259 hits
Earned $100k+
20.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,947
Chance against standard
+3.6%0.7 more in 100
Typical against standard
+22.0%$531 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Manor Lords (48.3% of the money): 296 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
29659 hits
Earned $100k+
19.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,416
Chance against standard
-1.3%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 85 of 297.

Launches counted
8520 hits
Earned $100k+
23.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
+16.5%3.3 more in 100
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both City Builder and Strategy, 12 to 36 months old: 297 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: 15 of 297 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, Manor Lords (48.3% of the money): 296 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: 85 of 297.

City Builder is changed recently +1: Last 18 months moves the answer more than chance alone would, and 1 more lens too. It holds in Without the breakout.

City Builder through every lens, all prices
City BuilderBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view477 of 507 launchesWithout the breakout506 of 507 launchesLast 18 months128 of 507 launches
Launches counted50791 hits47789 hits50690 hits12826 hits
Earned $100k+17.9 in 10018.7 in 10017.8 in 10020.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$1,916top tenth $379,569+$2,188$1,916$4,213
Chance against standardthe base+4.0%0.7 more in 100-0.9%0.2 fewer in 100+13.2%2.4 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+14.2%$272 more0.0%no change+119.9%$2,297 more
Does it hold?The base viewMoves the answerHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged City Builder, 12 to 36 months old: 507 launches.

Launches counted
50791 hits
Earned $100k+
17.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,916top tenth $379,569+
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: 30 of 507 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
47789 hits
Earned $100k+
18.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,188
Chance against standard
+4.0%0.7 more in 100
Typical against standard
+14.2%$272 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Manor Lords (41.1% of the money): 506 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
50690 hits
Earned $100k+
17.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,916
Chance against standard
-0.9%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 128 of 507.

Launches counted
12826 hits
Earned $100k+
20.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$4,213
Chance against standard
+13.2%2.4 more in 100
Typical against standard
+119.9%$2,297 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged City Builder, 12 to 36 months old: 507 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: 30 of 507 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, Manor Lords (41.1% of the money): 506 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: 128 of 507.

Strategy 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.

Strategy through every lens, all prices
StrategyBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view4,307 of 4,688 launchesWithout the breakout4,687 of 4,688 launchesLast 18 months1,459 of 4,688 launches
Launches counted4,688325 hits4,307297 hits4,687324 hits1,459107 hits
Earned $100k+6.9 in 1001 in 146.9 in 1001 in 156.9 in 1001 in 147.3 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings$439top tenth $49,022+$496$439$521
Chance against standardthe base-0.5%no change-0.3%no change+5.8%0.4 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+13.0%$57 more0.0%no change+18.7%$82 more
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Strategy, 12 to 36 months old: 4,688 launches.

Launches counted
4,688325 hits
Earned $100k+
6.9 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$439top tenth $49,022+
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: 381 of 4,688 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
4,307297 hits
Earned $100k+
6.9 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings
$496
Chance against standard
-0.5%no change
Typical against standard
+13.0%$57 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Manor Lords (15.2% of the money): 4,687 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
4,687324 hits
Earned $100k+
6.9 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$439
Chance against standard
-0.3%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,459 of 4,688.

Launches counted
1,459107 hits
Earned $100k+
7.3 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$521
Chance against standard
+5.8%0.4 more in 100
Typical against standard
+18.7%$82 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Strategy, 12 to 36 months old: 4,688 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: 381 of 4,688 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, Manor Lords (15.2% of the money): 4,687 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: 1,459 of 4,688.

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 City Builder + Strategy 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.