Niches / Interactive Fiction + Investigation

Niche

Interactive Fiction + Investigation

Games tagged both Interactive Fiction and Investigation: 77 indie paid launches, 7 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.

Price $10 to $20

All prices1 in 15 hit $100k+Under $51 in 238 hit $100k+$5 to $101 in 28 hit $100k+$10 to $2020 in 100 hit $100k+$20 to $4044 in 100 hit $100k+

Base rate: indie paid launches 12 to 36 months old, 26,291 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.

$10 to $20

Showing Interactive Fiction + Investigation priced $10 to $20. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats Interactive Fiction and is about level with Investigation; priced $10 to $20 it is too small to compare with Interactive Fiction and is too small to compare with Investigation.

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

Interactive Fiction + Investigation is too small to compare with Interactive Fiction and is too small to compare with Investigation: 5 of its 19 launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 15.2 in 100 for Interactive Fiction and 25.2 in 100 for Investigation.

Small sample: 19 launches, 5 hits.

TIETied

Tag oneInteractive Fiction

15.2in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds15.2 in 100

Typical earnings$10,240

Launches230 / 35 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

TIEA tie

This pairInteractive Fiction + Investigation

5 of 19launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds5 of 19 launches

$1k+15 of 19 launches

$10k+11 of 19 launches

Launches19 / 5 hits

Expected20.4 in 100

TIEA tie

Tag twoInvestigation

25.2in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds25.2 in 100

Typical earnings$12,547

Launches107 / 27 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

All indie launches $10 to $20: 20.4 in 100 earned $100k+, typical $10,978, from 4,304 launches.each block is 2 in 100 all indie at $10 to $20

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 prices77 in pair Under $529 in pair $5 to $1025 in pair $10 to $2019 in pair$20 to $404: too few

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 19 games tagged both Interactive Fiction and Investigation priced $10 to $20. 5 of 19 of them earned $100k+, against 14.2 in 100 for Interactive Fiction-only games and 25.0 in 100 for Investigation-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Interactive Fiction alone and is too small to compare with Investigation alone.

Both: 19 games priced $10 to $20; 5 of 19 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 15 of 19 launches · $10k+ 11 of 19 launches · $100k+ 5 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

No Case Should Remain Unsolvedleads this pair24.5%

PairNo Case Should Remain Unsolved24.5%

Interactive FictionThe Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty11.2%

InvestigationBlue Prince23.7%

CheckOne game over half?no

NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

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

Open free preview

ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Interactive Fiction + Investigation

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

No Case Should Remain Unsolved earned 24.5% of the estimated first-year money of the 77 Interactive Fiction + Investigation launches.
Interactive Fiction is led by The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty, with 11.2% of its money.
Investigation is led by Blue Prince, with 23.7% 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

Interactive Fiction + Investigation 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.

Interactive Fiction + Investigation through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view75 of 77 launches	Without the breakout76 of 77 launches	Last 18 months21 of 77 launches
Launches counted	777 hits	757 hits	766 hits	214 hits
Earned $100k+	9.1 in 1001 in 11	9.3 in 1001 in 11	7.9 in 1001 in 13	4 of 21too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+	25 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 53 in 100	under 100 launches	under 100 launches	under 100 launches
Chance against standard	the base	+2.7%0.2 more in 100	-13.2%1.2 fewer in 100	+109.5%10.0 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard	the base	under 100 launches	under 100 launches	under 100 launches
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Too few to tell

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Interactive Fiction and Investigation, 12 to 36 months old: 77 launches.

Launches counted: 777 hits
Earned $100k+: 9.1 in 1001 in 11
Chance of $10k+: 25 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 53 in 100
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: 2 of 77 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 757 hits
Earned $100k+: 9.3 in 1001 in 11
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: +2.7%0.2 more in 100
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, No Case Should Remain Unsolved (24.5% of the money): 76 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 766 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.9 in 1001 in 13
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: -13.2%1.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 21 of 77.

Launches counted: 214 hits
Earned $100k+: 4 of 21too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: +109.5%10.0 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Interactive Fiction and Investigation, 12 to 36 months old: 77 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 77 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, No Case Should Remain Unsolved (24.5% of the money): 76 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: 21 of 77.

Interactive Fiction is audience split +1: West-facing view moves the answer more than chance alone would, and 1 more lens too. It holds in Without the breakout.

Interactive Fiction through every lens, all prices
Interactive Fiction	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view1,097 of 1,255 launches	Without the breakout1,254 of 1,255 launches	Last 18 months380 of 1,255 launches
Launches counted	1,25567 hits	1,09749 hits	1,25466 hits	38028 hits
Earned $100k+	5.3 in 1001 in 19	4.5 in 1001 in 22	5.3 in 1001 in 19	7.4 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings	$804top tenth $35,643+	$795	$804	$893
Chance against standard	the base	-16.3%0.9 fewer in 100	-1.4%0.1 fewer in 100	+38.0%2.0 more in 100
Typical against standard	the base	-1.1%$9 less	0.0%no change	+11.1%$89 more
Does it hold?	The base view	Moves the answer	Holds	Moves the answer

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Interactive Fiction, 12 to 36 months old: 1,255 launches.

Launches counted: 1,25567 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.3 in 1001 in 19
Typical first-year earnings: $804top tenth $35,643+
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: 158 of 1,255 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 1,09749 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.5 in 1001 in 22
Typical first-year earnings: $795
Chance against standard: -16.3%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -1.1%$9 less

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty (11.2% of the money): 1,254 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 1,25466 hits
Earned $100k+: 5.3 in 1001 in 19
Typical first-year earnings: $804
Chance against standard: -1.4%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 380 of 1,255.

Launches counted: 38028 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.4 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings: $893
Chance against standard: +38.0%2.0 more in 100
Typical against standard: +11.1%$89 more

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Interactive Fiction, 12 to 36 months old: 1,255 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: 158 of 1,255 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 Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty (11.2% of the money): 1,254 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: 380 of 1,255.

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

Investigation through every lens, all prices
Investigation	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view430 of 450 launches	Without the breakout449 of 450 launches	Last 18 months112 of 450 launches
Launches counted	45050 hits	43047 hits	44949 hits	11216 hits
Earned $100k+	11.1 in 100	10.9 in 100	10.9 in 100	14.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings	$1,316top tenth $116,635+	$1,259	$1,259	$2,318
Chance against standard	the base	-1.6%0.2 fewer in 100	-1.8%0.2 fewer in 100	+28.6%3.2 more in 100
Typical against standard	the base	-4.3%$57 less	-4.3%$57 less	+76.1%$1,002 more
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Moves the answer

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Investigation, 12 to 36 months old: 450 launches.

Launches counted: 45050 hits
Earned $100k+: 11.1 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $1,316top tenth $116,635+
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: 20 of 450 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 43047 hits
Earned $100k+: 10.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $1,259
Chance against standard: -1.6%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -4.3%$57 less

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Blue Prince (23.7% of the money): 449 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 44949 hits
Earned $100k+: 10.9 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $1,259
Chance against standard: -1.8%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: -4.3%$57 less

Last 18 monthsMoves the answer

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 112 of 450.

Launches counted: 11216 hits
Earned $100k+: 14.3 in 100
Typical first-year earnings: $2,318
Chance against standard: +28.6%3.2 more in 100
Typical against standard: +76.1%$1,002 more

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Investigation, 12 to 36 months old: 450 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: 20 of 450 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 (23.7% of the money): 449 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: 112 of 450.

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 Interactive Fiction + Investigation moves, comparables the day they land, and every lens for every pair and price. Free until launch.

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