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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 / Exploration + Roguelike

Niche

Exploration + Roguelike

Games tagged both Exploration and Roguelike: 174 indie paid launches, 14 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 Exploration + Roguelike priced $10 to $20. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair is level with Exploration and beats Roguelike; 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

Exploration + Roguelike beats both its tags: 31.6 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 20.1 in 100 for Exploration and 23.5 in 100 for Roguelike.

That is about 1.7 times the 18.6 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

3RDThird
Tag onemood tagExploration
20.1in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds20.1 in 100
Typical earnings$11,535
Launches988 / 199 hits
Pair leads by11.5 in 100
1STWinner
This pairExploration + Roguelike
31.6in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds31.6 in 100
Typical earnings$29,142
Launches38 / 12 hits
Expected18.6 in 100
2NDRunner-up
Tag twoRoguelike
23.5in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds23.5 in 100
Typical earnings$18,676
Launches480 / 113 hits
Pair leads by8.1 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 $20Exploration 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.

Price bandswitches the whole page
All prices174 in pairUnder $571 in pair$5 to $1061 in pair$10 to $2038 in pair$20 to $404: too few
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 38 games tagged both Exploration and Roguelike priced $10 to $20. 31.6 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 19.7 for Exploration-only games and 22.9 for Roguelike-only games, so games with both tags did better than games with either tag alone.

Both: 38 games priced $10 to $20; 31.6 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $29,142.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 38 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

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vaultleads this pair30.8%
PairMoonlighter 2: The Endless Vault30.8%
ExplorationHollow Knight: Silksong20.7%
RoguelikeSlay the Spire 222.3%
CheckOne game over half?no
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

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

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Exploration + Roguelike

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

  • Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault earned 30.8% of the estimated first-year money of the 174 Exploration + Roguelike launches.
  • Exploration is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 20.7% of its money.
  • Roguelike is led by Slay the Spire 2, with 22.3% 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

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

Exploration + Roguelike through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view164 of 174 launchesWithout the breakout173 of 174 launchesLast 18 months110 of 174 launches
Launches counted17414 hits16414 hits17313 hits1109 hits
Earned $100k+8.0 in 1001 in 138.5 in 1001 in 127.5 in 1001 in 138.2 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings$808top tenth $65,253+$909$766$546
Chance against standardthe yardstick+6.3%0.5 more in 100-6.3%0.5 fewer in 100+2.5%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+12.5%$101 more-5.2%$42 less-32.4%$262 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Roguelike, 6 to 30 months old: 174 launches.

Launches counted
17414 hits
Earned $100k+
8.0 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$808top tenth $65,253+
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: 10 of 174 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
16414 hits
Earned $100k+
8.5 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$909
Chance against standard
+6.3%0.5 more in 100
Typical against standard
+12.5%$101 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault (30.8% of the money): 173 launches left.

Launches counted
17313 hits
Earned $100k+
7.5 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$766
Chance against standard
-6.3%0.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-5.2%$42 less
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 110 of 174.

Launches counted
1109 hits
Earned $100k+
8.2 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$546
Chance against standard
+2.5%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard
-32.4%$262 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Roguelike, 6 to 30 months old: 174 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: 10 of 174 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, Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault (30.8% of the money): 173 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 110 of 174.

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

Exploration through every lens, all prices
ExplorationBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view4,867 of 5,078 launchesWithout the breakout5,077 of 5,078 launchesLast 18 months2,727 of 5,078 launches
Launches counted5,078397 hits4,867377 hits5,077396 hits2,727190 hits
Earned $100k+7.8 in 1001 in 137.7 in 1001 in 137.8 in 1001 in 137.0 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings$908top tenth $58,608+$909$902$728
Chance against standardthe yardstick-1.3%0.1 fewer in 1000.0%no change-10.3%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+0.1%$1 more-0.7%$6 less-19.8%$180 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 6 to 30 months old: 5,078 launches.

Launches counted
5,078397 hits
Earned $100k+
7.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$908top tenth $58,608+
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: 211 of 5,078 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
4,867377 hits
Earned $100k+
7.7 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$909
Chance against standard
-1.3%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+0.1%$1 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Hollow Knight: Silksong (20.7% of the money): 5,077 launches left.

Launches counted
5,077396 hits
Earned $100k+
7.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$902
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
-0.7%$6 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 2,727 of 5,078.

Launches counted
2,727190 hits
Earned $100k+
7.0 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$728
Chance against standard
-10.3%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-19.8%$180 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Exploration, 6 to 30 months old: 5,078 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: 211 of 5,078 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 (20.7% of the money): 5,077 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 2,727 of 5,078.

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

Roguelike through every lens, all prices
RoguelikeBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view2,355 of 2,511 launchesWithout the breakout2,510 of 2,511 launchesLast 18 months1,504 of 2,511 launches
Launches counted2,511179 hits2,355166 hits2,510178 hits1,50495 hits
Earned $100k+7.1 in 1001 in 147.0 in 1001 in 147.1 in 1001 in 146.3 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings$969top tenth $60,027+$1,010$969$809
Chance against standardthe yardstick-1.4%0.1 fewer in 1000.0%no change-11.3%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+4.2%$41 more0.0%no change-16.5%$160 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Roguelike, 6 to 30 months old: 2,511 launches.

Launches counted
2,511179 hits
Earned $100k+
7.1 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$969top tenth $60,027+
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: 156 of 2,511 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
2,355166 hits
Earned $100k+
7.0 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$1,010
Chance against standard
-1.4%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+4.2%$41 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Slay the Spire 2 (22.3% of the money): 2,510 launches left.

Launches counted
2,510178 hits
Earned $100k+
7.1 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$969
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: 1,504 of 2,511.

Launches counted
1,50495 hits
Earned $100k+
6.3 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$809
Chance against standard
-11.3%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-16.5%$160 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Roguelike, 6 to 30 months old: 2,511 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: 156 of 2,511 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, Slay the Spire 2 (22.3% of the money): 2,510 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,504 of 2,511.

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 Exploration + Roguelike 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.