Niche

Idler + Sandbox

Games tagged both Idler and Sandbox: 94 indie paid launches, 5 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 26,280 indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, data of 3 Oct 2026. How it is measured.

Price Under $5

All prices1 in 17 hit $100k+Under $51 in 219 hit $100k+$5 to $101 in 30 hit $100k+$10 to $2018 in 100 hit $100k+$20 to $4040 in 100 hit $100k+

Base rate: indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, 26,280 launches. Odds compare best within one price.

Lens Standard

Standard West-facing view Without the breakout Last 18 months

All indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old. Lens figures exist at all prices only; inside a price band this page shows the standard figures.

Sample 10+

10+ launchesshow small samples 30+ launches 100+ launchesonly big markets

Hides anything measured on fewer launches.

Under $5

Showing Idler + Sandbox priced under $5. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair is about level with Idler and trails Sandbox; priced under $5 it is too small to compare with Idler and is too small to compare with Sandbox.

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

Idler + Sandbox is too small to compare with Idler and is too small to compare with Sandbox: 1 of its 57 launches earned $100k+ priced under $5, against 1.6 in 100 for Idler and 1.4 in 100 for Sandbox.

Small sample: 57 launches, 1 hits.

TIEA tie

Tag oneIdler

1.6in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds1 in 63

Typical earnings$283

Launches627 / 10 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

TIEA tie

This pairIdler + Sandbox

1 of 57launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds1 of 57 launches

Typical earnings$198

Launches57 / 1 hits

Expected0.5 in 100

TIEA tie

Tag twoSandbox

1.4in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds1 in 73

Typical earnings$202

Launches435 / 6 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

All indie launches under $5: 0.5 in 100 earned $100k+ (1 in 219), typical $169, from 13,780 launches.each block is 0.5 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: 40.0 in 100), so read it within a price band.

Price bandswitches the whole page

All prices94 in pair Under $557 in pair $5 to $1032 in pair$10 to $204: too few$20 to $401: too few

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 57 games tagged both Idler and Sandbox priced under $5. 1 of 57 of them earned $100k+, against 1.6 in 100 for Idler-only games and 1.3 in 100 for Sandbox-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Idler alone and is too small to compare with Sandbox alone.

Both: 57 games priced under $5; 1 of 57 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $198.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 57 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

BitCraft Onlineleads this pair43.3%

PairBitCraft Online43.3%

IdlerSpirit City: Lofi Sessions10.6%

SandboxManor Lords22.8%

CheckOne game over half?no

NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkHolds in 1 of 3, 2 too few to tell. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: too few to tell. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: too few to tell.

Open free preview

ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Idler + Sandbox

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

BitCraft Online earned 43.3% of the estimated first-year money of the 94 Idler + Sandbox launches.
Idler is led by Spirit City: Lofi Sessions, with 10.6% of its money.
Sandbox is led by Manor Lords, with 22.8% 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

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

Idler + Sandbox through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view86 of 94 launches	Without the breakout93 of 94 launches	Last 18 months33 of 94 launches
Launches counted	945 hits	864 hits	934 hits	332 hits
Earned $100k+	5.3 in 1001 in 19	4 of 86too few for a rate	4 of 93too few for a rate	2 of 33too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings	$764top tenth $27,067+	$764	$574	$765
Chance against standard	the base	-12.6%0.7 fewer in 100; too few to tell	-19.1%1.0 fewer in 100	+13.9%0.7 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard	the base	0.0%no change; too few to tell	-24.9%$190 less	+0.1%$1 more; too few to tell
Does it hold?	The base view	Too few to tell	Holds	Too few to tell

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Idler and Sandbox, 12 to 36 months old: 94 launches.

Launches counted: 945 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.3 in 1001 in 19
Typical first-year earnings: $764top tenth $27,067+
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: 8 of 94 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 864 hits
Earned $100k+: 4 of 86too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: $764
Chance against standard: -12.6%0.7 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change; too few to tell

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, BitCraft Online (43.3% of the money): 93 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 934 hits
Earned $100k+: 4 of 93too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: $574
Chance against standard: -19.1%1.0 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -24.9%$190 less

Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 33 of 94.

Launches counted: 332 hits
Earned $100k+: 2 of 33too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: $765
Chance against standard: +13.9%0.7 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: +0.1%$1 more; too few to tell

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Idler and Sandbox, 12 to 36 months old: 94 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: 8 of 94 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, BitCraft Online (43.3% of the money): 93 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 94.

Idler 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.

Idler through every lens, all prices
Idler	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view767 of 841 launches	Without the breakout840 of 841 launches	Last 18 months336 of 841 launches
Launches counted	84138 hits	76732 hits	84037 hits	33619 hits
Earned $100k+	4.5 in 1001 in 22	4.2 in 1001 in 24	4.4 in 1001 in 23	5.7 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings	$478top tenth $31,571+	$478	$478	$459
Chance against standard	the base	-7.7%0.3 fewer in 100	-2.5%0.1 fewer in 100	+25.1%1.1 more in 100
Typical against standard	the base	0.0%no change	0.0%no change	-4.0%$19 less
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Idler, 12 to 36 months old: 841 launches.

Launches counted: 84138 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.5 in 1001 in 22
Typical first-year earnings: $478top tenth $31,571+
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: 74 of 841 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 76732 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.2 in 1001 in 24
Typical first-year earnings: $478
Chance against standard: -7.7%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Spirit City: Lofi Sessions (10.6% of the money): 840 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 84037 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.4 in 1001 in 23
Typical first-year earnings: $478
Chance against standard: -2.5%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 336 of 841.

Launches counted: 33619 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.7 in 1001 in 18
Typical first-year earnings: $459
Chance against standard: +25.1%1.1 more in 100
Typical against standard: -4.0%$19 less

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Idler, 12 to 36 months old: 841 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: 74 of 841 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 (10.6% of the money): 840 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: 336 of 841.

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

Sandbox through every lens, all prices
Sandbox	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view1,172 of 1,219 launches	Without the breakout1,218 of 1,219 launches	Last 18 months387 of 1,219 launches
Launches counted	1,219193 hits	1,172181 hits	1,218192 hits	38762 hits
Earned $100k+	15.8 in 100	15.4 in 100	15.8 in 100	16.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings	$1,882top tenth $223,977+	$1,914	$1,882	$2,011
Chance against standard	the base	-2.5%0.4 fewer in 100	-0.4%0.1 fewer in 100	+1.2%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard	the base	+1.7%$32 more	0.0%no change	+6.9%$129 more
Does it hold?	The base view	Moves the answer	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Sandbox, 12 to 36 months old: 1,219 launches.

Launches counted: 1,219193 hits
Earned $100k+: 15.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $1,882top tenth $223,977+
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: 47 of 1,219 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 1,172181 hits
Earned $100k+: 15.4 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $1,914
Chance against standard: -2.5%0.4 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: +1.7%$32 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Manor Lords (22.8% of the money): 1,218 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 1,218192 hits
Earned $100k+: 15.8 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $1,882
Chance against standard: -0.4%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 387 of 1,219.

Launches counted: 38762 hits
Earned $100k+: 16.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $2,011
Chance against standard: +1.2%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard: +6.9%$129 more

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Sandbox, 12 to 36 months old: 1,219 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: 47 of 1,219 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, Manor Lords (22.8% of the money): 1,218 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: 387 of 1,219.

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 Idler + Sandbox 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.