Genres

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.

Settings
Text size
Game Market DataBuild what sells
Live games
191,514
on 30 Sep 2026

Niches / Interactive Fiction + Story Rich

Niche

Interactive Fiction + Story Rich

Games tagged both Interactive Fiction and Story Rich: 414 indie paid launches, 44 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 Interactive Fiction + Story Rich priced $10 to $20. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats Interactive Fiction and is level with Story Rich; 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

Interactive Fiction + Story Rich beats both its tags: 25.9 in 100 of its launches earned $100k+ priced $10 to $20, against 16.7 in 100 for Interactive Fiction and 19.9 in 100 for Story Rich.

That is about 1.4 times the 18.6 in 100 expected for any launch at this price.

3RDThird
16.7in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds16.7 in 100
Typical earnings$11,231
Launches270 / 45 hits
Pair leads by9.2 in 100
1STWinner
This pairInteractive Fiction + Story Rich
25.9in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds25.9 in 100
Typical earnings$14,570
Launches108 / 28 hits
Expected18.6 in 100
2NDRunner-up
Tag twomood tagStory Rich
19.9in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds19.9 in 100
Typical earnings$12,110
Launches745 / 148 hits
Pair leads by6.0 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 $20Story Rich 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 108 games tagged both Interactive Fiction and Story Rich priced $10 to $20. 25.9 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 10.5 for Interactive Fiction-only games and 18.8 for Story Rich-only games, so games with both tags did better than games with either tag alone.

Both: 108 games priced $10 to $20; 25.9 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $14,570.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 108 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

Until Thenleads this pair16.1%
PairUntil Then16.1%
Interactive FictionUntil Then10.3%
Story RichDELTARUNE18.4%
CheckOne game over half?no
NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkHolds in 3 of 3. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: holds.

Open free preview
ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Interactive Fiction + Story Rich

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

  • Until Then earned 16.1% of the estimated first-year money of the 414 Interactive Fiction + Story Rich launches.
  • It also leads Interactive Fiction, with 10.3% of that tag's money.
  • Story Rich is led by DELTARUNE, with 18.4% 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

Interactive Fiction + Story Rich holds in 3 of 3: every lens keeps the chance and typical earnings within a quarter of the standard figures.

Interactive Fiction + Story Rich through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view342 of 414 launchesWithout the breakout413 of 414 launchesLast 18 months245 of 414 launches
Launches counted41444 hits34235 hits41343 hits24530 hits
Earned $100k+10.6 in 10010.2 in 10010.4 in 10012.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$1,840top tenth $116,847+$1,840$1,819$1,946
Chance against standardthe yardstick-3.8%0.4 fewer in 100-1.9%0.2 fewer in 100+15.1%1.6 more in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change-1.1%$21 less+5.8%$106 more
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Interactive Fiction and Story Rich, 6 to 30 months old: 414 launches.

Launches counted
41444 hits
Earned $100k+
10.6 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,840top tenth $116,847+
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: 72 of 414 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
34235 hits
Earned $100k+
10.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,840
Chance against standard
-3.8%0.4 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Until Then (16.1% of the money): 413 launches left.

Launches counted
41343 hits
Earned $100k+
10.4 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,819
Chance against standard
-1.9%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-1.1%$21 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 245 of 414.

Launches counted
24530 hits
Earned $100k+
12.2 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,946
Chance against standard
+15.1%1.6 more in 100
Typical against standard
+5.8%$106 more
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Interactive Fiction and Story Rich, 6 to 30 months old: 414 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: 72 of 414 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 (16.1% of the money): 413 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 245 of 414.

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

Interactive Fiction through every lens, all prices
Interactive FictionBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,254 of 1,438 launchesWithout the breakout1,437 of 1,438 launchesLast 18 months817 of 1,438 launches
Launches counted1,43884 hits1,25464 hits1,43783 hits81755 hits
Earned $100k+5.8 in 1001 in 175.1 in 1001 in 205.8 in 1001 in 176.7 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings$909top tenth $41,699+$849$909$787
Chance against standardthe yardstick-12.1%0.7 fewer in 1000.0%no change+15.5%0.9 more in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick-6.6%$60 less0.0%no change-13.4%$122 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Interactive Fiction, 6 to 30 months old: 1,438 launches.

Launches counted
1,43884 hits
Earned $100k+
5.8 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings
$909top tenth $41,699+
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: 184 of 1,438 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,25464 hits
Earned $100k+
5.1 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$849
Chance against standard
-12.1%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-6.6%$60 less
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Until Then (10.3% of the money): 1,437 launches left.

Launches counted
1,43783 hits
Earned $100k+
5.8 in 1001 in 17
Typical first-year earnings
$909
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: 817 of 1,438.

Launches counted
81755 hits
Earned $100k+
6.7 in 1001 in 15
Typical first-year earnings
$787
Chance against standard
+15.5%0.9 more in 100
Typical against standard
-13.4%$122 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Interactive Fiction, 6 to 30 months old: 1,438 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: 184 of 1,438 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 (10.3% of the money): 1,437 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 817 of 1,438.

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

Story Rich through every lens, all prices
Story RichBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view2,571 of 2,810 launchesWithout the breakout2,809 of 2,810 launchesLast 18 months1,542 of 2,810 launches
Launches counted2,810301 hits2,571267 hits2,809300 hits1,542154 hits
Earned $100k+10.7 in 10010.4 in 10010.7 in 10010.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings$2,062top tenth $111,964+$2,062$2,062$1,998
Chance against standardthe yardstick-2.8%0.3 fewer in 1000.0%no change-6.5%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-3.1%$64 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Story Rich, 6 to 30 months old: 2,810 launches.

Launches counted
2,810301 hits
Earned $100k+
10.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,062top tenth $111,964+
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: 239 of 2,810 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
2,571267 hits
Earned $100k+
10.4 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,062
Chance against standard
-2.8%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, DELTARUNE (18.4% of the money): 2,809 launches left.

Launches counted
2,809300 hits
Earned $100k+
10.7 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$2,062
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: 1,542 of 2,810.

Launches counted
1,542154 hits
Earned $100k+
10.0 in 100
Typical first-year earnings
$1,998
Chance against standard
-6.5%0.7 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-3.1%$64 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Story Rich, 6 to 30 months old: 2,810 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: 239 of 2,810 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, DELTARUNE (18.4% of the money): 2,809 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,542 of 2,810.

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 Interactive Fiction + Story Rich 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.