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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 / Cute + Simulation

Niche

Cute + Simulation

Games tagged both Cute and Simulation: 655 indie paid launches, 50 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 Cute + Simulation priced $10 to $20, hiding samples under 100 launches. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats Cute and trails Simulation; priced $10 to $20 it is level with Cute and trails Simulation.

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

Cute + Simulation is level with Cute and trails Simulation: 16.2 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 16.3 in 100 for Cute and 21.5 in 100 for Simulation.

That is about 0.9 times the 18.6 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

2NDTied
Tag onemood tagCute
16.3in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds16.3 in 100
Typical earnings$9,124
Launches615 / 100 hits
Pair is level0.1 in 100
2NDTied
This pairCute + Simulation
16.2in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds16.2 in 100
Typical earnings$7,365
Launches136 / 22 hits
Expected18.6 in 100
1STWinner
Tag twoSimulation
21.5in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds21.5 in 100
Typical earnings$14,573
Launches1,006 / 216 hits
Pair trails by5.3 in 100
All indie launches $10 to $20: 18.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $9,226, from 4,810 launches.each block is 2 in 100 all indie at $10 to $20Cute 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 136 games tagged both Cute and Simulation priced $10 to $20. 16.2 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 16.3 for Cute-only games and 22.3 for Simulation-only games, so the mix is level with Cute alone and trails Simulation alone.

Both: 136 games priced $10 to $20; 16.2 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $7,365.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 136 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

Fields of Mistrialeads this pair19.8%
PairFields of Mistria19.8%
CuteMewgenics15.9%
SimulationSchedule I15.4%
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 Cute + Simulation

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

  • Fields of Mistria earned 19.8% of the estimated first-year money of the 655 Cute + Simulation launches.
  • Cute is led by Mewgenics, with 15.9% of its money.
  • Simulation is led by Schedule I, with 15.4% 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

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

Cute + Simulation through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view635 of 655 launchesWithout the breakout654 of 655 launchesLast 18 months384 of 655 launches
Launches counted65550 hits63548 hits65449 hits38424 hits
Earned $100k+7.6 in 1001 in 137.6 in 1001 in 137.5 in 1001 in 136.3 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings$1,010top tenth $59,921+$1,063$1,010$846
Chance against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change-1.3%0.1 fewer in 100-17.1%1.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+5.2%$53 more0.0%no change-16.2%$164 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Cute and Simulation, 6 to 30 months old: 655 launches.

Launches counted
65550 hits
Earned $100k+
7.6 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$1,010top tenth $59,921+
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: 20 of 655 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
63548 hits
Earned $100k+
7.6 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$1,063
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
+5.2%$53 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Fields of Mistria (19.8% of the money): 654 launches left.

Launches counted
65449 hits
Earned $100k+
7.5 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$1,010
Chance against standard
-1.3%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 384 of 655.

Launches counted
38424 hits
Earned $100k+
6.3 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$846
Chance against standard
-17.1%1.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-16.2%$164 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Cute and Simulation, 6 to 30 months old: 655 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: 20 of 655 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, Fields of Mistria (19.8% of the money): 654 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 384 of 655.

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

Cute through every lens, all prices
CuteBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view4,089 of 4,279 launchesWithout the breakout4,278 of 4,279 launchesLast 18 months2,326 of 4,279 launches
Launches counted4,279218 hits4,089200 hits4,278217 hits2,326111 hits
Earned $100k+5.1 in 1001 in 204.9 in 1001 in 205.1 in 1001 in 204.8 in 1001 in 21
Typical first-year earnings$725top tenth $28,533+$727$725$642
Chance against standardthe yardstick-3.9%0.2 fewer in 1000.0%no change-5.9%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+0.3%$2 more0.0%no change-11.4%$83 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Cute, 6 to 30 months old: 4,279 launches.

Launches counted
4,279218 hits
Earned $100k+
5.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$725top tenth $28,533+
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: 190 of 4,279 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
4,089200 hits
Earned $100k+
4.9 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$727
Chance against standard
-3.9%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+0.3%$2 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Mewgenics (15.9% of the money): 4,278 launches left.

Launches counted
4,278217 hits
Earned $100k+
5.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$725
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: 2,326 of 4,279.

Launches counted
2,326111 hits
Earned $100k+
4.8 in 1001 in 21
Typical first-year earnings
$642
Chance against standard
-5.9%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-11.4%$83 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Cute, 6 to 30 months old: 4,279 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: 190 of 4,279 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, Mewgenics (15.9% of the money): 4,278 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 2,326 of 4,279.

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

Simulation through every lens, all prices
SimulationBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view5,023 of 5,285 launchesWithout the breakout5,284 of 5,285 launchesLast 18 months3,070 of 5,285 launches
Launches counted5,285435 hits5,023411 hits5,284434 hits3,070225 hits
Earned $100k+8.2 in 1001 in 128.2 in 1001 in 128.2 in 1001 in 127.3 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings$982top tenth $69,988+$1,012$982$971
Chance against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-11.0%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+3.1%$30 more0.0%no change-1.1%$11 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Simulation, 6 to 30 months old: 5,285 launches.

Launches counted
5,285435 hits
Earned $100k+
8.2 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$982top tenth $69,988+
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: 262 of 5,285 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
5,023411 hits
Earned $100k+
8.2 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$1,012
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
+3.1%$30 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Schedule I (15.4% of the money): 5,284 launches left.

Launches counted
5,284434 hits
Earned $100k+
8.2 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$982
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: 3,070 of 5,285.

Launches counted
3,070225 hits
Earned $100k+
7.3 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$971
Chance against standard
-11.0%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-1.1%$11 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Simulation, 6 to 30 months old: 5,285 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: 262 of 5,285 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, Schedule I (15.4% of the money): 5,284 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 3,070 of 5,285.

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 Cute + Simulation 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.