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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 same figures are on the Genres page.

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on 30 Sep 2026

Niches / Pixel Graphics + Simulation

Niche

Pixel Graphics + Simulation

Games tagged both Pixel Graphics and Simulation: 449 indie paid launches, 36 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 Pixel Graphics + Simulation priced $10 to $20, west-facing view, hiding samples under 100 launches. Lens figures exist at all prices only, so inside a price band the page shows the standard figures. This filter changes the answer: at all prices the pair beats Pixel Graphics and is level with Simulation; priced $10 to $20 it has too few launches to read.

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

50 launches, under your minimum sample of 100.

Pick another price band, or lower the minimum sample.

1STWinner
Tag onemood tagPixel Graphics
22.4in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds22.4 in 100
Typical earnings$12,749
Launches535 / 120 hits
Pairno reading
--No reading
This pairPixel Graphics + Simulation
--too few
to read
Odds--
Typical earnings--
Launches50

50 launches, under your minimum sample of 100.

2NDRunner-up
Tag twoSimulation
21.5in 100 earned
$100k+
Odds21.5 in 100
Typical earnings$14,573
Launches1,006 / 216 hits
Pairno reading
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 $20Pixel Graphics 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 50 games tagged both Pixel Graphics and Simulation priced $10 to $20. 28.0 in 100 of them earned $100k+, against 21.9 for Pixel Graphics-only games and 21.1 for Simulation-only games, so games with both tags did better than games with either tag alone.

Both: 50 games priced $10 to $20; 28.0 in 100 earned $100k+, typical first-year earnings $11,732.

Circle areas follow launch counts; the gold overlap is exactly the pair's 50 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. The west-facing view lens is not computed for the outer parts, so this diagram uses the standard figures.

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

Fields of Mistrialeads this pair40.4%
PairFields of Mistria40.4%
Pixel GraphicsDELTARUNE27.7%
SimulationSchedule I15.4%
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 Pixel Graphics + Simulation

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

  • Fields of Mistria earned 40.4% of the estimated first-year money of the 449 Pixel Graphics + Simulation launches.
  • Pixel Graphics is led by DELTARUNE, with 27.7% of its money.
  • Simulation is led by Schedule I, with 15.4% 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

Pixel Graphics + Simulation holds in 3 of 3: every lens keeps the chance and typical earnings within a quarter of the standard figures.

Pixel Graphics + Simulation through every lens, all prices
This pairBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view428 of 449 launchesWithout the breakout448 of 449 launchesLast 18 months290 of 449 launches
Launches counted44936 hits42833 hits44835 hits29021 hits
Earned $100k+8.0 in 1001 in 137.7 in 1001 in 137.8 in 1001 in 137.2 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings$727top tenth $56,646+$766$727$607
Chance against standardthe yardstick-3.7%0.3 fewer in 100-2.5%0.2 fewer in 100-10.0%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+5.4%$39 more0.0%no change-16.5%$120 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged both Pixel Graphics and Simulation, 6 to 30 months old: 449 launches.

Launches counted
44936 hits
Earned $100k+
8.0 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$727top tenth $56,646+
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: 21 of 449 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
42833 hits
Earned $100k+
7.7 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$766
Chance against standard
-3.7%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
+5.4%$39 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Fields of Mistria (40.4% of the money): 448 launches left.

Launches counted
44835 hits
Earned $100k+
7.8 in 1001 in 13
Typical first-year earnings
$727
Chance against standard
-2.5%0.2 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 290 of 449.

Launches counted
29021 hits
Earned $100k+
7.2 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$607
Chance against standard
-10.0%0.8 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-16.5%$120 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged both Pixel Graphics and Simulation, 6 to 30 months old: 449 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: 21 of 449 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, Fields of Mistria (40.4% of the money): 448 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 290 of 449.

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

Pixel Graphics through every lens, all prices
Pixel GraphicsBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view3,987 of 4,188 launchesWithout the breakout4,187 of 4,188 launchesLast 18 months2,352 of 4,188 launches
Launches counted4,188220 hits3,987201 hits4,187219 hits2,352116 hits
Earned $100k+5.3 in 1001 in 195.0 in 1001 in 205.2 in 1001 in 194.9 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings$485top tenth $31,416+$485$485$405
Chance against standardthe yardstick-5.7%0.3 fewer in 100-1.9%0.1 fewer in 100-7.5%0.4 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-16.5%$80 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Pixel Graphics, 6 to 30 months old: 4,188 launches.

Launches counted
4,188220 hits
Earned $100k+
5.3 in 1001 in 19
Typical first-year earnings
$485top tenth $31,416+
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: 201 of 4,188 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
3,987201 hits
Earned $100k+
5.0 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$485
Chance against standard
-5.7%0.3 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, DELTARUNE (27.7% of the money): 4,187 launches left.

Launches counted
4,187219 hits
Earned $100k+
5.2 in 1001 in 19
Typical first-year earnings
$485
Chance against standard
-1.9%0.1 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
0.0%no change
Last 18 monthsHolds

Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 2,352 of 4,188.

Launches counted
2,352116 hits
Earned $100k+
4.9 in 1001 in 20
Typical first-year earnings
$405
Chance against standard
-7.5%0.4 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-16.5%$80 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Pixel Graphics, 6 to 30 months old: 4,188 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: 201 of 4,188 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 (27.7% of the money): 4,187 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 2,352 of 4,188.

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

Simulation through every lens, all prices
SimulationBaseStandardevery launchWest-facing view5,023 of 5,285 launchesWithout the breakout5,284 of 5,285 launchesLast 18 months3,070 of 5,285 launches
Launches counted5,285435 hits5,023411 hits5,284434 hits3,070225 hits
Earned $100k+8.2 in 1001 in 128.2 in 1001 in 128.2 in 1001 in 127.3 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings$982top tenth $69,988+$1,012$982$971
Chance against standardthe yardstick0.0%no change0.0%no change-11.0%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standardthe yardstick+3.1%$30 more0.0%no change-1.1%$11 less
Does it hold?The base viewHoldsHoldsHolds
BaseStandardThe base view

Every indie paid launch tagged Simulation, 6 to 30 months old: 5,285 launches.

Launches counted
5,285435 hits
Earned $100k+
8.2 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$982top tenth $69,988+
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: 262 of 5,285 launches here. Review language is measured for games with 2,000+ reviews; smaller games are guessed from their names.

Launches counted
5,023411 hits
Earned $100k+
8.2 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$1,012
Chance against standard
0.0%no change
Typical against standard
+3.1%$30 more
Without the breakoutHolds

Drops the single biggest earner, Schedule I (15.4% of the money): 5,284 launches left.

Launches counted
5,284434 hits
Earned $100k+
8.2 in 1001 in 12
Typical first-year earnings
$982
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: 3,070 of 5,285.

Launches counted
3,070225 hits
Earned $100k+
7.3 in 1001 in 14
Typical first-year earnings
$971
Chance against standard
-11.0%0.9 fewer in 100
Typical against standard
-1.1%$11 less
Standard
Every indie paid launch tagged Simulation, 6 to 30 months old: 5,285 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: 262 of 5,285 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, Schedule I (15.4% of the money): 5,284 launches left.
Last 18 months
Keeps only launches 18 months old or newer: 3,070 of 5,285.

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 Pixel Graphics + Simulation 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.