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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 change shows for genres with 100+ launches. The same figures are on the Genres page.

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on 3 Oct 2026

Niches / Linear + Side Scroller

Niche

Linear + Side Scroller

Games tagged both Linear and Side Scroller: 75 indie paid launches, 0 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.

Showing Linear + Side Scroller priced under $5, hiding samples under 30 launches.

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

Linear + Side Scroller is too small to compare with Linear and is too small to compare with Side Scroller: 0 of its 45 launches earned $100k+ priced under $5, against 3 of 653 launches for Linear and 1 of 615 launches for Side Scroller.

Small sample: 45 launches, 0 hits.

TIEA tie
Tag onemood tagLinear
3 of 653launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds3 of 653 launches
Typical earnings$191
Launches653 / 3 hits
Pair against ittoo few hits to compare
TIEA tie
This pairLinear + Side Scroller
0 of 45launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds0 of 45 launches
Typical earnings$226
Launches45 / 0 hits
Expected0.5 in 100
TIEA tie
Tag twomood tagSide Scroller
1 of 615launches earned
$100k+ small
Odds1 of 615 launches
Typical earnings$115
Launches615 / 1 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 $5Linear 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: 40.0 in 100), so read it within a price band.

Price bandswitches the whole page
All prices75 in pairUnder $545 in pair$5 to $1020 in pair$10 to $207: too few$20 to $403: too few
What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 45 games tagged both Linear and Side Scroller priced under $5. 0 of 45 of them earned $100k+, against 3 of 608 for Linear-only games and 1 of 570 for Side Scroller-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Linear alone and is too small to compare with Side Scroller alone.

Both: 45 games priced under $5; 0 of 45 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $226.

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

Missing Banbanleads this pair23.8%
PairMissing Banban23.8%
LinearSpilled!11.0%
Side ScrollerMandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree9.3%
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 Linear + Side Scroller

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

  • Missing Banban earned 23.8% of the estimated first-year money of the 75 Linear + Side Scroller launches.
  • Linear is led by Spilled!, with 11.0% of its money.
  • Side Scroller is led by Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, with 9.3% 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: games mostly reviewed in Chinese, the single biggest earner, and everything older than 18 months.

Does the answer hold?

All prices

Linear + Side Scroller 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.

Linear + Side Scroller through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view75 of 75 launchesWithout the breakout74 of 75 launchesLast 18 months25 of 75 launches
Launches counted750 hits750 hits740 hits250 hits
Earned $100k+0 of 75too few for a rate0 of 75too few for a rate0 of 74too few for a rate0 of 25too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings$287top tenth $5,737+$287$287$286
Chance against standardthe base0.0%no change; too few to tell0.0%no change0.0%no change; too few to tell
Typical against standardthe base0.0%no change; too few to tell0.0%no change-0.3%$1 less; too few to tell
Does it hold?The base viewToo few to tellHoldsToo few to tell
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Linear and Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 75 launches.

Launches counted
750 hits
Earned $100k+
0 of 75too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$287top tenth $5,737+
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: 0 of 75 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
750 hits
Earned $100k+
0 of 75too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$287
Chance against standard
0.0%no change; too few to tell
Typical against standard
0.0%no change; too few to tell
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Missing Banban (23.8% of the money): 74 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
740 hits
Earned $100k+
0 of 74too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$287
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 25 of 75.

Launches counted
250 hits
Earned $100k+
0 of 25too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$286
Chance against standard
0.0%no change; too few to tell
Typical against standard
-0.3%$1 less; too few to tell
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Linear and Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 75 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: 0 of 75 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, Missing Banban (23.8% of the money): 74 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: 25 of 75.

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

Linear through every lens, all prices
LinearBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,010 of 1,038 launchesWithout the breakout1,037 of 1,038 launchesLast 18 months289 of 1,038 launches
Launches counted1,0389 hits1,0107 hits1,0378 hits2894 hits
Earned $100k+0.9 in 1001 in 1150.7 in 1001 in 1440.8 in 1001 in 1304 of 289too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings$313top tenth $5,620+$328$313$287
Chance against standardthe base-20.1%0.2 fewer in 100-11.0%0.1 fewer in 100+59.6%0.5 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standardthe base+4.8%$15 more0.0%no change-8.3%$26 less
Does it hold?The base viewMoves the answerHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Linear, 12 to 36 months old: 1,038 launches.

Launches counted
1,0389 hits
Earned $100k+
0.9 in 1001 in 115
Typical first-year earnings
$313top tenth $5,620+
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: 28 of 1,038 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,0107 hits
Earned $100k+
0.7 in 1001 in 144
Typical first-year earnings
$328
Chance against standard
-20.1%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+4.8%$15 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Spilled! (11.0% of the money): 1,037 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
1,0378 hits
Earned $100k+
0.8 in 1001 in 130
Typical first-year earnings
$313
Chance against standard
-11.0%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 289 of 1,038.

Launches counted
2894 hits
Earned $100k+
4 of 289too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings
$287
Chance against standard
+59.6%0.5 more in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard
-8.3%$26 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Linear, 12 to 36 months old: 1,038 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: 28 of 1,038 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, Spilled! (11.0% of the money): 1,037 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: 289 of 1,038.

Side Scroller 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.

Side Scroller through every lens, all prices
Side ScrollerBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view1,041 of 1,064 launchesWithout the breakout1,063 of 1,064 launchesLast 18 months288 of 1,064 launches
Launches counted1,06434 hits1,04133 hits1,06333 hits28811 hits
Earned $100k+3.2 in 1001 in 313.2 in 1001 in 323.1 in 1001 in 323.8 in 1001 in 26
Typical first-year earnings$354top tenth $17,816+$354$351$287
Chance against standardthe base-0.8%no change-2.8%0.1 fewer in 100+19.5%0.6 more in 100
Typical against standardthe base0.0%no change-0.8%$3 less-18.9%$67 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 1,064 launches.

Launches counted
1,06434 hits
Earned $100k+
3.2 in 1001 in 31
Typical first-year earnings
$354top tenth $17,816+
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: 23 of 1,064 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
1,04133 hits
Earned $100k+
3.2 in 1001 in 32
Typical first-year earnings
$354
Chance against standard
-0.8%no change
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree (9.3% of the money): 1,063 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted
1,06333 hits
Earned $100k+
3.1 in 1001 in 32
Typical first-year earnings
$351
Chance against standard
-2.8%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-0.8%$3 less
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 288 of 1,064.

Launches counted
28811 hits
Earned $100k+
3.8 in 1001 in 26
Typical first-year earnings
$287
Chance against standard
+19.5%0.6 more in 100
Typical against standard
-18.9%$67 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Side Scroller, 12 to 36 months old: 1,064 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: 23 of 1,064 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, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree (9.3% of the money): 1,063 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: 288 of 1,064.

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 Linear + Side Scroller 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.