Data platform for indie devs Video Game Insights has launched a new tool that highlights genres that make the most money and genres that are oversupplied.
Karl Kontus, one of the creators of the platform, explains that a lot of indies choose to make games they want to play. It wouldn’t hurt though, he argues, to also take the market situation into account and maybe target “a type of game that no-one else is making, but everyone would love to play.”
And this is something that Video Game Insights’ Steam Genre Comparison feature can help with.
The chart is interactive if you go to the VG Insights website. Each of the bubbles represents a sub-genre, while bubble size indicates average revenue.
The top left box on the chart includes sub-genres such as 4x, colony sim, and open world survival craft. Very high revenues there and not a lot of competition. On the flip side, these games demand more polish and take longer to develop. Plus, you’ll be up against high quality competitors, even if they are scarce.
The bottom-right box include puzzle, arcade and platformer games. While the top 5% of platformer games make, according to VG Insights, over $2 million, it’s pretty hard to stand out in this crowded genre.
Kontus emphasizes that the data does not imply that devs should stay away from platformers. Rather, he suggests, these stats should be considered in context.
“Start by looking at which sub-genres are more likely to give you the revenue you want. Look at the games within these sub-genres. Do those fit your expertise? How long does it take for you to make a game like that? Make sure you also care about that sub-genre,” he elaborates.
Generally, Kontus encourages indies to “just do the damn research.”