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on 3 Oct 2026

Niches / Escape Room + Exploration

Niche

Escape Room + Exploration

Games tagged both Escape Room and Exploration: 43 indie paid launches, 1 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 Escape Room + Exploration priced under $5.

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

Escape Room + Exploration is too small to compare with Escape Room and is too small to compare with Exploration: 0 of its 19 launches earned $100k+ priced under $5, against 0 of 52 launches for Escape Room and 0.3 in 100 for Exploration.

Small sample: 19 launches, 0 hits.

TIEA tie
0 of 52launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds0 of 52 launches
$1k+31 in 100
$10k+2 of 52 launches
Launches52 / 0 hits
Pair against ittoo few hits to compare
TIEA tie
This pairEscape Room + Exploration
0 of 19launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds0 of 19 launches
$1k+6 of 19 launches
$10k+2 of 19 launches
Launches19 / 0 hits
Expected0.4 in 100
TIEA tie
Tag twomood tagExploration
0.3in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds1 in 309
Typical earnings$215
Launches2,160 / 7 hits
Pair against ittoo few hits to compare
All indie launches under $5: 0.4 in 100 earned $100k+ (1 in 238), typical $158, from 13,785 launches.each block is 0.5 in 100 all indie at under $5Exploration 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 prices43 in pairUnder $519 in pair$5 to $1019 in pair$10 to $205: too few$20 to $40no launches
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 19 games tagged both Escape Room and Exploration priced under $5. 0 of 19 of them earned $100k+, against 0 of 33 for Escape Room-only games and 0.3 in 100 for Exploration-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Escape Room alone and is too small to compare with Exploration alone.

Both: 19 games priced under $5; 0 of 19 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 6 of 19 launches · $10k+ 2 of 19 launches · $100k+ 0 of 19 launches.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 19 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

Emissary Zeroleads this pair60.0%
PairEmissary Zero60.0%
Escape RoomIs this Game Trying to Kill Me?20.1%
ExplorationHollow Knight: Silksong22.3%
CheckOne game over half?yes
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkOne-hit market. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: too few to tell. Without the breakout: moves the answer. Last 18 months: not run yet.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Escape Room + Exploration

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

  • Emissary Zero earned 60.0% of the estimated first-year money of the 43 Escape Room + Exploration launches.
  • Escape Room is led by Is this Game Trying to Kill Me?, with 20.1% of its money.
  • Exploration is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 22.3% of its money.
  • One game holds over half of this pair's money: read every figure here as that game's story.

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

Escape Room + Exploration is one-hit market: one game earned over half the money.

Escape Room + Exploration through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view41 of 43 launchesWithout the breakout42 of 43 launchesLast 18 monthstoo few
Launches counted431 hits411 hits420 hitstoo few
Earned $100k+1 of 43too few for a rate1 of 41too few for a rate0 of 42too few for a ratetoo few
Chance of $10k+21 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 58 in 100under 100 launchesunder 100 launchestoo few
Chance against standardthe base+4.9%0.1 more in 100; too few to tell-100.0%2.3 fewer in 100too few
Typical against standardthe baseunder 100 launchesunder 100 launchestoo few
Does it hold?The base viewToo few to tellMoves the answerNot run yet
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Escape Room and Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 43 launches.

Launches counted
431 hits
Earned $100k+
1 of 43too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+
21 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 58 in 100
Chance against standard
the base
Typical against standard
the base
West-facing viewToo few to tell

Games mostly reviewed outside China. Drops games mostly reviewed in Chinese, meaning 35% or more of their reviews are in Simplified Chinese: 2 of 43 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
411 hits
Earned $100k+
1 of 41too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
+4.9%0.1 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, Emissary Zero (60.0% of the money): 42 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
420 hits
Earned $100k+
0 of 42too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
-100.0%2.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Last 18 monthsNot run yet

Too few launches to run this lens.

Launches counted
too few
Earned $100k+
too few
Chance of $10k+
too few
Chance against standard
too few
Typical against standard
too few
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Escape Room and Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 43 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: 2 of 43 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, Emissary Zero (60.0% of the money): 42 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.
Last 18 months
Too few launches to run this lens.

Escape Room holds in West-facing view and Without the breakout; too few to tell in Last 18 months. No lens moves the chance or typical earnings more than chance alone would.

Escape Room through every lens, all prices
Escape RoomBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view120 of 123 launchesWithout the breakout122 of 123 launchesLast 18 months33 of 123 launches
Launches counted1235 hits1205 hits1224 hits331 hits
Earned $100k+4.1 in 1001 in 254.2 in 1001 in 244 of 122too few for a rate1 of 33too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings$1,189top tenth $19,914+$1,231$1,189under 100 launches
Chance against standardthe base+2.5%0.1 more in 100-19.3%0.8 fewer in 100-25.5%1.0 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standardthe base+3.5%$42 more0.0%no changeunder 100 launches
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsToo few to tell
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Escape Room, 12 to 36 months old: 123 launches.

Launches counted
1235 hits
Earned $100k+
4.1 in 1001 in 25
Typical first-year earnings
$1,189top tenth $19,914+
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: 3 of 123 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1205 hits
Earned $100k+
4.2 in 1001 in 24
Typical first-year earnings
$1,231
Chance against standard
+2.5%0.1 more in 100
Typical against standard
+3.5%$42 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Is this Game Trying to Kill Me? (20.1% of the money): 122 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
1224 hits
Earned $100k+
4 of 122too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$1,189
Chance against standard
-19.3%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 33 of 123.

Launches counted
331 hits
Earned $100k+
1 of 33too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
under 100 launches
Chance against standard
-25.5%1.0 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard
under 100 launches
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Escape Room, 12 to 36 months old: 123 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: 3 of 123 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, Is this Game Trying to Kill Me? (20.1% of the money): 122 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: 33 of 123.

Exploration 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.

Exploration through every lens, all prices
ExplorationBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view4,381 of 4,582 launchesWithout the breakout4,581 of 4,582 launchesLast 18 months1,268 of 4,582 launches
Launches counted4,582382 hits4,381366 hits4,581381 hits1,268105 hits
Earned $100k+8.3 in 1001 in 128.4 in 1001 in 128.3 in 1001 in 128.3 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings$877top tenth $65,025+$901$877$884
Chance against standardthe base+0.2%no change-0.2%no change-0.7%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe base+2.7%$24 more0.0%no change+0.8%$7 more
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 4,582 launches.

Launches counted
4,582382 hits
Earned $100k+
8.3 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$877top tenth $65,025+
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: 201 of 4,582 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
4,381366 hits
Earned $100k+
8.4 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$901
Chance against standard
+0.2%no change
Typical against standard
+2.7%$24 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (22.3% of the money): 4,581 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
4,581381 hits
Earned $100k+
8.3 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$877
Chance against standard
-0.2%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,268 of 4,582.

Launches counted
1,268105 hits
Earned $100k+
8.3 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$884
Chance against standard
-0.7%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+0.8%$7 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 12 to 36 months old: 4,582 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: 201 of 4,582 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, Hollow Knight: Silksong (22.3% of the money): 4,581 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: 1,268 of 4,582.

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 Escape Room + Exploration 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.