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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 + Visual Novel

Niche

Exploration + Visual Novel

Games tagged both Exploration and Visual Novel: 235 indie paid launches, 17 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 + Visual Novel priced $10 to $20. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair trails Exploration and beats Visual Novel; 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 + Visual Novel beats both its tags: 22.2 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 20.1 in 100 for Exploration and 14.6 in 100 for Visual Novel.

That is about 1.2 times the 18.6 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

2NDRunner-up
Tag onemood tagExploration
20.1in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds20.1 in 100
Typical earnings$11,535
Launches988 / 199 hits
Pair leads by2.1 in 100
1STWinner
This pairExploration + Visual Novel
22.2in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds22.2 in 100
Typical earnings$9,955
Launches45 / 10 hits
Expected18.6 in 100
3RDThird
14.6in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds14.6 in 100
Typical earnings$7,366
Launches460 / 67 hits
Pair leads by7.6 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.

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 45 games tagged both Exploration and Visual Novel priced $10 to $20. 22.2 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 20.0 for Exploration-only games and 13.7 for Visual Novel-only games, so games with both tags did better than games with either tag alone.

Both: 45 games priced $10 to $20; 22.2 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $9,955.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 45 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

UNBEATABLEleads this pair27.5%
PairUNBEATABLE27.5%
ExplorationHollow Knight: Silksong20.7%
Visual NovelUntil Then7.5%
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 + Visual Novel

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

  • UNBEATABLE earned 27.5% of the estimated first-year money of the 235 Exploration + Visual Novel launches.
  • Exploration is led by Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 20.7% of its money.
  • Visual Novel is led by Until Then, with 7.5% 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 + Visual Novel is changed recently: Last 18 months moves the answer by more than a quarter. It holds in 2 of 3.

Exploration + Visual Novel through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view206 of 235 launchesWithout the breakout234 of 235 launchesLast 18 months118 of 235 launches
Launches counted23517 hits20613 hits23416 hits11810 hits
Earned $100k+7.2 in 1001 in 146.3 in 1001 in 166.8 in 1001 in 158.5 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings$1,211top tenth $61,620+$1,010$1,211$889
Chance against standardthe yardstick-12.5%0.9 fewer in 100-5.6%0.4 fewer in 100+18.1%1.3 more in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-16.6%$201 less0.0%no change-26.6%$322 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Visual Novel, 6 to 30 months old: 235 launches.

Launches counted
23517 hits
Earned $100k+
7.2 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$1,211top tenth $61,620+
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: 29 of 235 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
20613 hits
Earned $100k+
6.3 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$1,010
Chance against standard
-12.5%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-16.6%$201 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, UNBEATABLE (27.5% of the money): 234 launches left.

Launches counted
23416 hits
Earned $100k+
6.8 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings
$1,211
Chance against standard
-5.6%0.4 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 118 of 235.

Launches counted
11810 hits
Earned $100k+
8.5 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$889
Chance against standard
+18.1%1.3 more in 100
Typical against standard
-26.6%$322 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Exploration and Visual Novel, 6 to 30 months old: 235 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: 29 of 235 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, UNBEATABLE (27.5% of the money): 234 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 118 of 235.

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.

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

Visual Novel through every lens, all prices
Visual NovelBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,823 of 2,114 launchesWithout the breakout2,113 of 2,114 launchesLast 18 months1,162 of 2,114 launches
Launches counted2,114130 hits1,823100 hits2,113129 hits1,16263 hits
Earned $100k+6.1 in 1001 in 165.5 in 1001 in 186.1 in 1001 in 165.4 in 1001 in 19
Typical first-year earnings$1,293top tenth $48,802+$1,214$1,287$910
Chance against standardthe yardstick-9.8%0.6 fewer in 1000.0%no change-11.5%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-6.1%$79 less-0.5%$6 less-29.6%$383 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsMoves the answer
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Visual Novel, 6 to 30 months old: 2,114 launches.

Launches counted
2,114130 hits
Earned $100k+
6.1 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$1,293top tenth $48,802+
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: 291 of 2,114 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,823100 hits
Earned $100k+
5.5 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings
$1,214
Chance against standard
-9.8%0.6 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-6.1%$79 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Until Then (7.5% of the money): 2,113 launches left.

Launches counted
2,113129 hits
Earned $100k+
6.1 in 1001 in 16
Typical first-year earnings
$1,287
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
-0.5%$6 less
Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,162 of 2,114.

Launches counted
1,16263 hits
Earned $100k+
5.4 in 1001 in 19
Typical first-year earnings
$910
Chance against standard
-11.5%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-29.6%$383 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Visual Novel, 6 to 30 months old: 2,114 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: 291 of 2,114 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, Until Then (7.5% of the money): 2,113 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,162 of 2,114.

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 + Visual Novel 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.