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on 11 Nov 2026

Niches / Detective + Mystery

Niche

Detective + Mystery

Games tagged both Detective and Mystery: 198 indie paid launches, 35 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 26,758 indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, data of 2 Nov 2026. How it is measured.

Showing Detective + Mystery priced $10 to $20.

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

Detective + Mystery beats both its tags: 32.4 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 23.5 in 100 for Detective and 24.4 in 100 for Mystery.

That is about 1.6 times the 20.5 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

TIETied
Tag oneDetective
23.5in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds23.5 in 100
Typical earnings$12,958
Launches115 / 27 hits
Pair leads by8.9 in 100
1STWinner
This pairDetective + Mystery
32.4in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds32.4 in 100
$1k+84 in 100
$10k+63 in 100
Launches68 / 22 hits
Expected20.5 in 100
TIETied
Tag twomood tagMystery
24.4in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds24.4 in 100
Typical earnings$9,882
Launches258 / 63 hits
Pair leads by7.9 in 100
All indie launches $10 to $20: 20.5 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $11,233, from 4,337 launches.each block is 2 in 100 all indie at $10 to $20Mystery 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: 0.4 in 100 launches earned $100k+; $20 to $40: 44.2 in 100), so read it within a price band.

Price bandswitches the whole page
All prices198 in pairUnder $551 in pair$5 to $1067 in pair$10 to $2068 in pair$20 to $4012 in pair
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 68 games tagged both Detective and Mystery priced $10 to $20. 32.4 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 10.6 in 100 for Detective-only games and 21.6 in 100 for Mystery-only games, so games with both tags did better than games with either tag alone.

Both: 68 games priced $10 to $20; 32.4 in 100 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 84 in 100 · $10k+ 63 in 100 · $100k+ 32 in 100.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 68 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

Murders on the Yangtze Riverleads this pair11.2%
PairMurders on the Yangtze River11.2%
DetectiveThe Precinct13.9%
MysteryBlue Prince14.6%
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 Detective + Mystery

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

  • Murders on the Yangtze River earned 11.2% of the estimated first-year money of the 198 Detective + Mystery launches.
  • Detective is led by The Precinct, with 13.9% of its money.
  • Mystery is led by Blue Prince, with 14.6% 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: games mostly reviewed in Chinese, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

Detective + Mystery 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.

Detective + Mystery through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view173 of 198 launchesWithout the breakout197 of 198 launchesLast 18 months50 of 198 launches
Launches counted19835 hits17328 hits19734 hits507 hits
Earned $100k+17.7 in 10016.2 in 10017.3 in 10014.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$3,641top tenth $247,570+$3,579$3,579under 100 launches
Chance against standardthe base-8.4%1.5 fewer in 100-2.4%0.4 fewer in 100-20.8%3.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe base-1.7%$62 less-1.7%$62 lessunder 100 launches
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Detective and Mystery, 12 to 36 months old: 198 launches.

Launches counted
19835 hits
Earned $100k+
17.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$3,641top tenth $247,570+
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: 25 of 198 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
17328 hits
Earned $100k+
16.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$3,579
Chance against standard
-8.4%1.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-1.7%$62 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Murders on the Yangtze River (11.2% of the money): 197 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
19734 hits
Earned $100k+
17.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$3,579
Chance against standard
-2.4%0.4 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-1.7%$62 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 50 of 198.

Launches counted
507 hits
Earned $100k+
14.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
-20.8%3.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Detective and Mystery, 12 to 36 months old: 198 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: 25 of 198 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, Murders on the Yangtze River (11.2% of the money): 197 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: 50 of 198.

Detective 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.

Detective through every lens, all prices
DetectiveBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view484 of 533 launchesWithout the breakout532 of 533 launchesLast 18 months135 of 533 launches
Launches counted53350 hits48441 hits53249 hits13517 hits
Earned $100k+9.4 in 1001 in 118.5 in 1001 in 129.2 in 1001 in 1112.6 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$1,040top tenth $90,096+$1,093$1,040$1,544
Chance against standardthe base-9.7%0.9 fewer in 100-1.8%0.2 fewer in 100+34.2%3.2 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base+5.1%$53 more0.0%no change+48.5%$504 more
Does it hold?The base viewMoves the answerHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Detective, 12 to 36 months old: 533 launches.

Launches counted
53350 hits
Earned $100k+
9.4 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings
$1,040top tenth $90,096+
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: 49 of 533 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
48441 hits
Earned $100k+
8.5 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$1,093
Chance against standard
-9.7%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+5.1%$53 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, The Precinct (13.9% of the money): 532 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
53249 hits
Earned $100k+
9.2 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings
$1,040
Chance against standard
-1.8%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: 135 of 533.

Launches counted
13517 hits
Earned $100k+
12.6 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,544
Chance against standard
+34.2%3.2 more in 100
Typical against standard
+48.5%$504 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Detective, 12 to 36 months old: 533 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: 49 of 533 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, The Precinct (13.9% of the money): 532 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: 135 of 533.

Mystery is audience split: West-facing view moves the answer more than chance alone would. It holds in Without the breakout and Last 18 months.

Mystery through every lens, all prices
MysteryBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,167 of 1,239 launchesWithout the breakout1,238 of 1,239 launchesLast 18 months402 of 1,239 launches
Launches counted1,239109 hits1,16795 hits1,238108 hits40237 hits
Earned $100k+8.8 in 1001 in 118.1 in 1001 in 128.7 in 1001 in 119.2 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings$1,040top tenth $81,013+$1,020$1,040$797
Chance against standardthe base-7.5%0.7 fewer in 100-0.8%0.1 fewer in 100+4.6%0.4 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base-1.9%$20 less0.0%no change-23.4%$243 less
Does it hold?The base viewMoves the answerHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Mystery, 12 to 36 months old: 1,239 launches.

Launches counted
1,239109 hits
Earned $100k+
8.8 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings
$1,040top tenth $81,013+
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: 72 of 1,239 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,16795 hits
Earned $100k+
8.1 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$1,020
Chance against standard
-7.5%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-1.9%$20 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Blue Prince (14.6% of the money): 1,238 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
1,238108 hits
Earned $100k+
8.7 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings
$1,040
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: 402 of 1,239.

Launches counted
40237 hits
Earned $100k+
9.2 in 1001 in 11
Typical first-year earnings
$797
Chance against standard
+4.6%0.4 more in 100
Typical against standard
-23.4%$243 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Mystery, 12 to 36 months old: 1,239 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: 72 of 1,239 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 (14.6% of the money): 1,238 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: 402 of 1,239.

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 Detective + Mystery 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.