Niche

Philosophical + Puzzle

Games tagged both Philosophical and Puzzle: 46 indie paid launches, 4 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 Under $5

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.

Under $5

Showing Philosophical + Puzzle priced under $5.

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

Philosophical + Puzzle is too small to compare with Philosophical and is too small to compare with Puzzle: 1 of its 21 launches earned $100k+ priced under $5, against 1 of 108 launches for Philosophical and 0.2 in 100 for Puzzle.

Small sample: 21 launches, 1 hits.

TIEA tie

Tag onePhilosophical

1 of 108launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds1 of 108 launches

Typical earnings$365

Launches108 / 1 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

TIEA tie

This pairPhilosophical + Puzzle

1 of 21launches earned
$100k+ small

Odds1 of 21 launches

$1k+3 of 21 launches

$10k+1 of 21 launches

Launches21 / 1 hits

Expected0.4 in 100

TIEA tie

Tag twoPuzzle

0.2in 100 earned
$100k+

Odds1 in 625

Typical earnings$159

Launches3,126 / 5 hits

Pair against ittoo few hits to compare

All indie launches under $5: 0.4 in 100 earned $100k+ (1 in 238), typical $158, from 13,785 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: 0.4 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 prices46 in pair Under $521 in pair $5 to $1014 in pair$10 to $208: too few$20 to $403: too few

What the overlap means

The overlap is this niche: the 21 games tagged both Philosophical and Puzzle priced under $5. 1 of 21 of them earned $100k+, against 0 of 87 for Philosophical-only games and 4 of 3,105 for Puzzle-only games, so the mix is too small to compare with Philosophical alone and is too small to compare with Puzzle alone.

Both: 21 games priced under $5; 1 of 21 earned $100k+, odds by size $1k+ 3 of 21 launches · $10k+ 1 of 21 launches · $100k+ 1 of 21 launches.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 21 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

The Talos Principle 2leads this pair75.4%

PairThe Talos Principle 275.4%

PhilosophicalThe Talos Principle 248.3%

PuzzleBlue Prince7.4%

CheckOne game over half?yes

NextNearest hitsnot computed yet

Lens checkOne-hit market. Standard: the base the others are compared with. West-facing view: too few to tell. Without the breakout: moves the answer. Last 18 months: too few to tell.

Open free preview

ComparablesFree until launchClick to unlockWho leads Philosophical + Puzzle

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

The Talos Principle 2 earned 75.4% of the estimated first-year money of the 46 Philosophical + Puzzle launches.
It also leads Philosophical, with 48.3% of that tag's money.
Puzzle is led by Blue Prince, with 7.4% of its money.
One game holds over half of this pair's money: read every figure here as that game's story.

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

Philosophical + Puzzle is one-hit market: one game earned over half the money.

Philosophical + Puzzle through every lens, all prices
This pair	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view42 of 46 launches	Without the breakout45 of 46 launches	Last 18 months13 of 46 launches
Launches counted	464 hits	423 hits	453 hits	131 hits
Earned $100k+	4 of 46too few for a rate	3 of 42too few for a rate	3 of 45too few for a rate	1 of 13too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+	22 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 41 in 100	under 100 launches	under 100 launches	under 100 launches
Chance against standard	the base	-17.9%1.6 fewer in 100; too few to tell	-23.3%2.0 fewer in 100	-11.5%1.0 fewer 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	Too few to tell	Moves the answer	Too few to tell

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Philosophical and Puzzle, 12 to 36 months old: 46 launches.

Launches counted: 464 hits
Earned $100k+: 4 of 46too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: 22 in 100chance of $10k+; $1k+ 41 in 100
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: 4 of 46 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 423 hits
Earned $100k+: 3 of 42too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: -17.9%1.6 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Without the breakoutMoves the answer

Drops the single biggest earner, The Talos Principle 2 (75.4% of the money): 45 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 453 hits
Earned $100k+: 3 of 45too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: -23.3%2.0 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 13 of 46.

Launches counted: 131 hits
Earned $100k+: 1 of 13too few for a rate
Chance of $10k+: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: -11.5%1.0 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged both Philosophical and Puzzle, 12 to 36 months old: 46 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: 4 of 46 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 Talos Principle 2 (75.4% of the money): 45 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: 13 of 46.

Philosophical 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.

Philosophical through every lens, all prices
Philosophical	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view181 of 193 launches	Without the breakout192 of 193 launches	Last 18 months67 of 193 launches
Launches counted	19316 hits	18114 hits	19215 hits	673 hits
Earned $100k+	8.3 in 1001 in 12	7.7 in 1001 in 13	7.8 in 1001 in 13	3 of 67too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings	$785top tenth $63,688+	$843	$785	under 100 launches
Chance against standard	the base	-6.7%0.6 fewer in 100	-5.8%0.5 fewer in 100	-46.0%3.8 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard	the base	+7.4%$58 more	0.0%no change	under 100 launches
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Too few to tell

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Philosophical, 12 to 36 months old: 193 launches.

Launches counted: 19316 hits
Earned $100k+: 8.3 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings: $785top tenth $63,688+
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: 12 of 193 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 18114 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.7 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings: $843
Chance against standard: -6.7%0.6 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: +7.4%$58 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, The Talos Principle 2 (48.3% of the money): 192 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 19215 hits
Earned $100k+: 7.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings: $785
Chance against standard: -5.8%0.5 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsToo few to tell

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 67 of 193.

Launches counted: 673 hits
Earned $100k+: 3 of 67too few for a rate
Typical first-year earnings: under 100 launches
Chance against standard: -46.0%3.8 fewer in 100; too few to tell
Typical against standard: under 100 launches

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Philosophical, 12 to 36 months old: 193 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: 12 of 193 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 Talos Principle 2 (48.3% of the money): 192 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: 67 of 193.

Puzzle 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.

Puzzle through every lens, all prices
Puzzle	BaseStandardevery launch	West-facing view5,055 of 5,256 launches	Without the breakout5,255 of 5,256 launches	Last 18 months1,493 of 5,256 launches
Launches counted	5,256185 hits	5,055174 hits	5,255184 hits	1,49359 hits
Earned $100k+	3.5 in 1001 in 28	3.4 in 1001 in 29	3.5 in 1001 in 29	4.0 in 1001 in 25
Typical first-year earnings	$421top tenth $14,242+	$428	$421	$428
Chance against standard	the base	-2.2%0.1 fewer in 100	-0.5%no change	+12.3%0.4 more in 100
Typical against standard	the base	+1.7%$7 more	0.0%no change	+1.7%$7 more
Does it hold?	The base view	Holds	Holds	Holds

BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Puzzle, 12 to 36 months old: 5,256 launches.

Launches counted: 5,256185 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.5 in 1001 in 28
Typical first-year earnings: $421top tenth $14,242+
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: 201 of 5,256 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted: 5,055174 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.4 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings: $428
Chance against standard: -2.2%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard: +1.7%$7 more

Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Blue Prince (7.4% of the money): 5,255 launches left. It moves the answer when that one game earned over half the money.

Launches counted: 5,255184 hits
Earned $100k+: 3.5 in 1001 in 29
Typical first-year earnings: $421
Chance against standard: -0.5%no change
Typical against standard: 0.0%no change

Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 1,493 of 5,256.

Launches counted: 1,49359 hits
Earned $100k+: 4.0 in 1001 in 25
Typical first-year earnings: $428
Chance against standard: +12.3%0.4 more in 100
Typical against standard: +1.7%$7 more

Standard: Every indie paid launch tagged Puzzle, 12 to 36 months old: 5,256 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: 201 of 5,256 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 (7.4% of the money): 5,255 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: 1,493 of 5,256.

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 Philosophical + Puzzle 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.