Simulation + 1990's: a typical launch earns $2,005 in its first year

That is the median of 50 indie paid launches, 2024 Q4 to 2025 Q3. 6 of 96 matured launches earned $100k or more, against 7.0 expected for their price and launch quarter. Releases rose 80% on the year before: 99 against 55.

One game dominates the figure

Price: $2,005
Price vs a year earlier: +37.7%
Releases, 12 months: 99
Upcoming games: 207
Games on the store: 499

Boards

as of 30 Sep 2026

Where this pair stands on each board of the front page. Every value carries its 90% interval and its sample.

Simulation + 1990's on each board
Board	Value	Interval	Sample	Standing
Most anticipatedShare of all upcoming wishlist heat on Steam, with the number of upcoming games beside it. One game dominates the figure Listed after unflagged rows on this board	0.15%share of upcoming wishlist heat	0.06% to 0.30%	20 ranked of 208 upcoming gameswishlist rank 30 Sep 2026	#5,311 of 7,193pairs on this board
Launch successLaunches earning $100k or more, against the number expected for their price tier and launch quarter. One game dominates the figure	0.90xhits against expected	0.61x to 1.41x	96 launchesindie paid launches 31 Mar 2024 to 1 Apr 2026 (6 to 30 months old)	#3,431 of 6,324pairs on this board
Fewer new releasesFewer launches relative to players. Historically this did not predict better launches.	Below this board's minimum sample, so not ranked. Needs 15 or more tracked games and 20 or more releases in each 12-month period.
Rising demandGaining players faster than same-age games. Descriptive, not a launch signal.	Below this board's minimum sample, so not ranked. Needs 15 or more tracked games and 1,000 reviews in each window.

Pairs are noisier than genres: the demand boards at pair level are indicative only.

Launch success

launches 6 to 30 months old

Matured indie paid launches that earned an estimated $100k or more, against the number expected for games at the same price tier and launch quarter.

Hits: 6
Expected: 7.0

Launches: 96
Hit rate: 6.3%2.4% to 12.6%
Expected rate: 7.3%
Against expected: 0.90x0.61x to 1.41x

Launch window: indie paid launches 31 Mar 2024 to 1 Apr 2026 (6 to 30 months old). Hit odds are shrunk toward the Steam-wide rate by 3 expected hits.

Revenue spread

96 launches

Estimated lifetime gross of the same matured launches. Half earned less than the median; one in ten earned more than the top figure.

Bottom tenth: $30
Median: $1,669
Top tenth: $48,541

Estimated from Steam review counts. Lifetime to date, so it differs from the first-year price above.

Supply

raw release counts

Games released with both tags, last 12 months against the 12 before.

Last 12 months: 99
Prior 12 months: 55

Change: +80%

Parent tags

SimulationGenre pageRanked on every board, with its best pairs.
1990'sNot a genreA theme, mood, feature or presentation tag: never ranked as a market on its own, only inside pairs.

Comparable games

8 indie titles

The biggest indie games in this pair by estimated lifetime gross. Revenue is shown as a number at 50 or more reviews, as a range at 10 to 49, and not at all below 10.

More with Simulation

pairs with Simulation

Simulation + Shop Keeper$32,26936 launches priced, 330 releases in 12 months
Simulation + Cozy$15,70676 launches priced, 253 releases in 12 months
Simulation + Online Co-Op$11,02868 launches priced, 133 releases in 12 months
Simulation + Multiplayer$8,980122 launches priced, 253 releases in 12 months
Simulation + Base Building$7,38289 launches priced, 173 releases in 12 months
Simulation + Economy$6,979210 launches priced, 540 releases in 12 months

Every pair with Simulation

More with 1990's

pairs with 1990's

Old School + 1990's$1,80034 launches priced, 68 releases in 12 months
Retro + 1990's$1,41683 launches priced, 147 releases in 12 months
Shooter + 1990's$1,11239 launches priced, 63 releases in 12 months
Pixel Graphics + 1990's$657100 launches priced, 158 releases in 12 months
Horror + 1990's$58676 launches priced, 82 releases in 12 months
Exploration + 1990's$54553 launches priced, 86 releases in 12 months

Every pair with 1990's

Verdicts

in development

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