Best niches
All pricesPairs that hit $100k+ beyond the oddsFree until launch
Lens checkChanged recently. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: moves the answer.
Open free previewTicker: 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.
Niches 1 Oct
Of 5,145 niches with 30+ launches at any price, Without the breakout, 1,928 beat the 1 in 16 base rate. Price moves the odds most: 1 in 192 under $5, 42 in 100 at $20 to $40.1,928 of 5,145 niches beat the 1 in 16 base rate.1,928 beat the base rate.
Cohort median $606
Every tag pair (two tags on the same game), screened by how often its indie launches earned $100k or more in their first year. Pick your price first: price moves the odds more than the tags do.
Indie paid Steam launches 6 to 30 months old, data 1 Oct 2026. A hit is an estimated first year of $100k+. The revenue estimate is soft: about 5 to 8 in 100 launches overall.
Pairs that hit $100k+ beyond the oddsFree until launch
Lens checkChanged recently. Standard: the yardstick. West-facing view: holds. Without the breakout: holds. Last 18 months: moves the answer.
Open free previewThe Without the breakout lens is computed across all prices only for now, so this list reads All prices. Pick Standard to read $10 to $20.
5,145 of 5,145 niches have 30+ launches at any price, Without the breakout. 310 match the search and chips. Sorted by chance of $100k+, highest first.
| Rank# | Niche | Chance of $100k+ | Typical year | Top 1 in 10 | Launches | Markers | Pin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All games at any price, Without the breakoutthe base rate: the row to beat | 1 in 161,804 of 29,637 | $606 | not computed | 29,637 | |||
| 1 | FMV + RPG26 in 100 earned $100k+, from 74 launches | 26 in 10019 hits | $24,033 | not computed | 74 | Audience | Pin FMV + RPG |
| 2 | Action RPG + Sandbox24 in 100 earned $100k+, from 45 launches | 24 in 10011 hits | $1,314 | not computed | 45 | SmallAudience | Pin Action RPG + Sandbox |
| 3 | Base Building + RPG22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 63 launches | 22 in 10014 hits | $8,255 | not computed | 63 | none | Pin Base Building + RPG |
| 4 | Online Co-Op + RPG22 in 100 earned $100k+, from 51 launches | 22 in 10011 hits | $4,207 | not computed | 51 | 1-hitAudience | Pin Online Co-Op + RPG |
| 5 | RPG + Turn-Based20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 49 launches | 20 in 10010 hits | $20,240 | not computed | 49 | 1-hitSmall | Pin RPG + Turn-Based |
| 6 | Action RPG + Isometric20 in 100 earned $100k+, from 66 launches | 20 in 10013 hits | $2,428 | not computed | 66 | 1-hit | Pin Action RPG + Isometric |
| 7 | Multiplayer + RPG19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 67 launches | 19 in 10013 hits | $1,778 | not computed | 67 | none | Pin Multiplayer + RPG |
| 8 | RPG + Sandbox19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 165 launches | 19 in 10031 hits | $2,185 | not computed | 165 | none | Pin RPG + Sandbox |
| 9 | Metroidvania + RPG19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 70 launches | 19 in 10013 hits | $2,367 | not computed | 70 | none | Pin Metroidvania + RPG |
| 10 | Action RPG + Loot19 in 100 earned $100k+, from 54 launches | 19 in 10010 hits | $4,048 | not computed | 54 | 1-hit | Pin Action RPG + Loot |
| 11 | Open World + RPG18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 249 launches | 18 in 10046 hits | $2,428 | not computed | 249 | 1-hit | Pin Open World + RPG |
| 12 | RPG + Tactical18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 49 launches | 18 in 1009 hits | $9,791 | not computed | 49 | 1-hitSmall | Pin RPG + Tactical |
| 13 | Story Rich + Strategy RPG18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 45 launches | 18 in 1008 hits | $2,183 | not computed | 45 | SmallAudience | Pin Story Rich + Strategy RPG |
| 14 | Inventory Management + RPG18 in 100 earned $100k+, from 40 launches | 18 in 1007 hits | $9,111 | not computed | 40 | SmallAudience | Pin Inventory Management + RPG |
| 15 | Action RPG + Character Customization17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 86 launches | 17 in 10015 hits | $1,011 | not computed | 86 | 1-hit | Pin Action RPG + Character Customization |
| 16 | Cinematic + RPG17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 58 launches | 17 in 10010 hits | $1,691 | not computed | 58 | Audience | Pin Cinematic + RPG |
| 17 | Action RPG + Dark Fantasy17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 99 launches | 17 in 10017 hits | $1,819 | not computed | 99 | 1-hit | Pin Action RPG + Dark Fantasy |
| 18 | Farming Sim + RPG17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 82 launches | 17 in 10014 hits | $8,294 | not computed | 82 | Audience | Pin Farming Sim + RPG |
| 19 | Crafting + RPG17 in 100 earned $100k+, from 125 launches | 17 in 10021 hits | $4,048 | not computed | 125 | none | Pin Crafting + RPG |
| 20 | Management + RPG16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 91 launches | 16 in 10015 hits | $4,613 | not computed | 91 | Audience | Pin Management + RPG |
| 21 | Loot + RPG16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 111 launches | 16 in 10018 hits | $1,718 | not computed | 111 | 1-hitAudience | Pin Loot + RPG |
| 22 | Building + RPG16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 62 launches | 16 in 10010 hits | $4,248 | not computed | 62 | none | Pin Building + RPG |
| 23 | Immersive Sim + RPG16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 176 launches | 16 in 10028 hits | $1,332 | not computed | 176 | Audience | Pin Immersive Sim + RPG |
| 24 | Life Sim + RPG16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 176 launches | 16 in 10028 hits | $3,305 | not computed | 176 | Audience | Pin Life Sim + RPG |
| 25 | Isometric + RPG16 in 100 earned $100k+, from 82 launches | 16 in 10013 hits | $1,943 | not computed | 82 | 1-hit | Pin Isometric + RPG |
Under 30 launches a chance is written as a count ("3 of 12"), never as odds. Typical year is the middle launch's first-year earnings. Lenses, the one-hit share and the audience split are measured across all prices. A game counts in every pair its tags make.
Ticker: 30 upcoming games dated within 90 days, with wishlist rank, release date and followers. The same list is on the Upcoming page.