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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 / Desktop Companion + Idler

Niche

Desktop Companion + Idler

Games tagged both Desktop Companion and Idler: 64 indie paid launches, 16 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 Desktop Companion + Idler priced under $5, hiding samples under 30 launches. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats both its tags; priced under $5 it is level with Desktop Companion and beats Idler.

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?Under $5

Desktop Companion + Idler is level with Desktop Companion and beats Idler: 12.8 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced under $5, against 13.0 in 100 for Desktop Companion and 2.2 in 100 for Idler.

That is about 26 times the 0.5 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

1STTied winner
Tag oneDesktop Companion
13.0in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds13.0 in 100
Typical earnings$5,153
Launches46 / 6 hits
Pair is level0.2 in 100
1STTied winner
This pairDesktop Companion + Idler
12.8in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds12.8 in 100
Typical earnings$6,568
Launches39 / 5 hits
Expected0.5 in 100
3RDThird
Tag twoIdler
2.2in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds1 in 45
Typical earnings$404
Launches899 / 20 hits
Pair leads by10.6 in 100
All indie launches under $5: 0.5 in 100 earned $100k+ (1 in 200), typical $198, from 15,379 launches.each block is 1 in 100 all indie at under $5

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
All prices64 in pairUnder $539 in pair$5 to $1021 in pair$10 to $204: too few$20 to $40no launches
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 39 games tagged both Desktop Companion and Idler priced under $5. 12.8 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 14.3 for Desktop Companion-only games and 1.7 for Idler-only games, so the mix trails Desktop Companion alone and beats Idler alone.

Both: 39 games priced under $5; 12.8 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $6,568.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 39 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

Spirit City: Lofi Sessionsleads this pair29.6%
PairSpirit City: Lofi Sessions29.6%
Desktop CompanionSpirit City: Lofi Sessions29.1%
IdlerSpirit City: Lofi Sessions9.5%
CheckOne game over half?no
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkChanged recently +1. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: moves the answer. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: moves the answer.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Desktop Companion + Idler

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

  • Spirit City: Lofi Sessions earned 29.6% of the estimated first-year money of the 64 Desktop Companion + Idler launches.
  • It also leads Desktop Companion, with 29.1% of that tag's money.
  • It also leads Idler, with 9.5% 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: those with a mostly Chinese audience, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

Desktop Companion + Idler is changed recently +1: Last 18 months moves the answer by more than a quarter, and 1 more lens too. It holds in 1 of 3.

Desktop Companion + Idler through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view59 of 64 launchesWithout the breakout63 of 64 launchesLast 18 months54 of 64 launches
Launches counted6416 hits5912 hits6315 hits5410 hits
Earned $100k+25.0 in 10020.3 in 10023.8 in 10018.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$16,791top tenth $311,074+$7,084$16,345$6,770
Chance against standardthe yardstick-18.8%4.7 fewer in 100-4.8%1.2 fewer in 100-26.0%6.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-57.8%$9,707 less-2.7%$446 less-59.7%$10,021 less
Does it hold?The base viewMoves the answerHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Desktop Companion and Idler, 6 to 30 months old: 64 launches.

Launches counted
6416 hits
Earned $100k+
25.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$16,791top tenth $311,074+
Chance against standard
the yardstick
Typical against standard
the yardstick
West-facing viewMoves the answer

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games whose audience is mostly Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 5 of 64 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
5912 hits
Earned $100k+
20.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$7,084
Chance against standard
-18.8%4.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-57.8%$9,707 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Spirit City: Lofi Sessions (29.6% of the money): 63 launches left.

Launches counted
6315 hits
Earned $100k+
23.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$16,345
Chance against standard
-4.8%1.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-2.7%$446 less
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 54 of 64.

Launches counted
5410 hits
Earned $100k+
18.5 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$6,770
Chance against standard
-26.0%6.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-59.7%$10,021 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Desktop Companion and Idler, 6 to 30 months old: 64 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: 5 of 64 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, Spirit City: Lofi Sessions (29.6% of the money): 63 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 54 of 64.

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

Desktop Companion through every lens, all prices
Desktop CompanionBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view67 of 73 launchesWithout the breakout72 of 73 launchesLast 18 months61 of 73 launches
Launches counted7317 hits6713 hits7216 hits6110 hits
Earned $100k+23.3 in 10019.4 in 10022.2 in 10016.4 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$7,680top tenth $301,326+$6,770$7,680$6,568
Chance against standardthe yardstick-16.7%3.9 fewer in 100-4.7%1.1 fewer in 100-29.6%6.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-11.8%$910 less0.0%no change-14.5%$1,112 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Desktop Companion, 6 to 30 months old: 73 launches.

Launches counted
7317 hits
Earned $100k+
23.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$7,680top tenth $301,326+
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: 6 of 73 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
6713 hits
Earned $100k+
19.4 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$6,770
Chance against standard
-16.7%3.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-11.8%$910 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Spirit City: Lofi Sessions (29.1% of the money): 72 launches left.

Launches counted
7216 hits
Earned $100k+
22.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$7,680
Chance against standard
-4.7%1.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 61 of 73.

Launches counted
6110 hits
Earned $100k+
16.4 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$6,568
Chance against standard
-29.6%6.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-14.5%$1,112 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Desktop Companion, 6 to 30 months old: 73 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: 6 of 73 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, Spirit City: Lofi Sessions (29.1% of the money): 72 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 61 of 73.

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

Idler through every lens, all prices
IdlerBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,123 of 1,212 launchesWithout the breakout1,211 of 1,212 launchesLast 18 months829 of 1,212 launches
Launches counted1,21267 hits1,12358 hits1,21166 hits82946 hits
Earned $100k+5.5 in 1001 in 185.2 in 1001 in 195.5 in 1001 in 185.5 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings$707top tenth $34,996+$708$707$707
Chance against standardthe yardstick-5.5%0.3 fewer in 1000.0%no change0.0%no change
Typical against standardthe yardstick+0.1%$1 more0.0%no change0.0%no change
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Idler, 6 to 30 months old: 1,212 launches.

Launches counted
1,21267 hits
Earned $100k+
5.5 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings
$707top tenth $34,996+
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: 89 of 1,212 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,12358 hits
Earned $100k+
5.2 in 1001 in 19
Typical first-year earnings
$708
Chance against standard
-5.5%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+0.1%$1 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Spirit City: Lofi Sessions (9.5% of the money): 1,211 launches left.

Launches counted
1,21166 hits
Earned $100k+
5.5 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings
$707
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: 829 of 1,212.

Launches counted
82946 hits
Earned $100k+
5.5 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings
$707
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Idler, 6 to 30 months old: 1,212 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: 89 of 1,212 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, Spirit City: Lofi Sessions (9.5% of the money): 1,211 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 829 of 1,212.

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 Desktop Companion + Idler 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.