# Indie on Steam, 2022 to 2026

> What a game in this niche actually earns today, measured across every
> tracked title released in the period: the ones that worked and the ones that
> did not. No survey, no survivor bias, no self-reported numbers.

**1455 games tracked.** Median: **$385/month** net to the developer. Bottom tenth: $53. Top tenth: $6.7k.

Only **335 of 1455** (23.0%) clear $2,000/month, roughly one full-time salary before tax in most of the world.

## Where the money actually lands

| Monthly net revenue | Games | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $100/mo | 302 | 20.7% |
| $100 to $500 | 502 | 34.5% |
| $500 to $2,000 | 316 | 21.7% |
| $2,000 to $10,000 | 223 | 15.3% |
| Over $10,000/mo | 112 | 7.6% |

## The typical game here

- Price: $11
- Reviews: 209
- Positive: 86%
- Still earning with no owner activity: **9** (see https://residualplay.com/radar)

## Your actual competition (games at the median)

| Game | Developer | Year | Price | Net/month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Logic Bombs](https://residualplay.com/game/3816700) | Matthewmatosis | 2025 | $5 | $385 |
| [Ludus Mortis](https://residualplay.com/game/2197650) | 68k Studios | 2024 | $18 | $386 |
| [I'm on Observation Duty 5](https://residualplay.com/game/1850550) | Notovia | 2022 | $10 | $384 |
| [Uktena 64 - Ultimate](https://residualplay.com/game/4121400) | KIRA LLC | 2025 | $7 | $387 |
| [Lihiman](https://residualplay.com/game/4504460) | Faithbulls | 2026 | $5 | $383 |
| [Lost In The Open](https://residualplay.com/game/2027380) | Black Voyage Games | 2025 | $16 | $388 |

## Top of the genre (context, not competition)

| Game | Developer | Year | Price | Net/month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Slay the Spire 2](https://residualplay.com/game/2868840) | Mega Crit | 2026 | $25 | $1.5M |
| [ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs](https://residualplay.com/game/3812600) | Mandragora | 2026 | $20 | $1.2M |
| [Cat Mail Co.](https://residualplay.com/game/4380490) | Maracas Studio | 2026 | $15 | $575.0k |
| [Esports Manager 2026](https://residualplay.com/game/2749950) | Neurona Games | 2026 | $20 | $508.1k |
| [Shift At Midnight](https://residualplay.com/game/3722330) | Bun Muen | 2026 | $10 | $502.2k |
| [DELTARUNE](https://residualplay.com/game/1671210) | tobyfox | 2025 | $25 | $351.3k |
| [Sovereign Tower](https://residualplay.com/game/4113940) | WILD WITS GAMES | 2026 | $20 | $346.7k |
| [Low-Budget Repairs](https://residualplay.com/game/3167920) | Gray2RGB | 2026 | $20 | $270.3k |
| [ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies](https://residualplay.com/game/2863680) | ZA/UM | 2026 | $40 | $225.3k |
| [The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian](https://residualplay.com/game/2936290) | Schisma Games | 2026 | $25 | $219.3k |

Estimates carry a 30-50% error range per title and are much tighter in aggregate, which is why the distribution above is the useful part, not any single row.
JSON: https://residualplay.com/api/v1/niche?genre=Indie&from=2022&to=2026