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Should I ship an Asynchronous Multiplayer Simulation game?
Asynchronous Multiplayer + Simulation
Of 61 developers who shipped an Asynchronous Multiplayer Simulation game in the last 2 years: 3 in 10 made under est. revenue: est. copies × today's US list price; gross, before Steam's cut, taxes and refunds. See method., the middle one made est. revenue: est. copies × today's US list price; gross, before Steam's cut, taxes and refunds. See method., 1 in 4 cleared est. revenue: est. copies × today's US list price; gross, before Steam's cut, taxes and refunds. See method., 1 in 20 cleared est. revenue: est. copies × today's US list price; gross, before Steam's cut, taxes and refunds. See method.. 92 more are announced, ×2.2 for every developer who shipped in the last year.
Verdict: poor odds, for a 5 / 10 build.
The middle developer here made $1.7k, ×2.7 the market's $630 for a 5 / 10 build, and 3 in 10 made under $210; 1 in 20 cleared $330k, ×528 the market median. Revenue is up 225% on the market; 92 games are announced against 42 developers who shipped in the last year.
| Bottom 30% | $201 (exactly $201) |
|---|---|
| Median | $1.7k (exactly $1,676) |
| Top 25% | $25k (exactly $25,424) |
| Top 5% | $332k (exactly $331,879) |
| Developers, 2 yr | 61 |
| Released games | 188 |
| Announced | 92 |
| Effort | 5 / 10 |
| AI-buildability | Low |
| Typical price | $6.99 |
momentum: how a niche's revenue percentiles and developer count moved between two equal, adjacent periods, divided by the market's own move. See method., 12 months: revenue up 225% on the market, supply 110% more developers than the period before.
Free games: 23%, excluded from money figures.
Can AI deliver it?
AI-buildability for this niche is low: the lowest rating among its tags.
- Asynchronous Multiplayer
- effort 5 / 10 · low · a backend with accounts and persistent turns
- Simulation
- effort 5 / 10 · medium · effort 5 sits in the medium band
What it takes
- Effort
- 5 / 10 · real systems or entry 3D
- Systems
- Asynchronous Multiplayer, Simulation; 3 in 10 of the top 25% also carry PvP, Strategy, Management
- Price point
- $6.99 typical · top 25% priced $24.99 or above
- Art
- 3 in 10 of the top 25% ship with 3D, Realistic, First-Person
Why players buy here
The top 25% priced at $24.99 or above; the middle game at $6.99.
The top 10 games average 76% positive over 35,953 reviews.
What kills games here
3 in 10 developers made under $210. 8 in 10 of the 32 games released 1 to 2 years ago have fewer than 100 reviews. 92 games are announced against 42 developers who shipped in the last year, ×2.2 per shipper.
Adjacent niches
Asynchronous Multiplayer with a different second tag, ranked by verdict then median.
- + Turn-BasedStrong odds
- + Artificial IntelligenceStrong odds
- + Immersive SimFair
- + Board GameFair
- + WarFair
- + Turn-Based StrategyFair
- + Strategy RPGFair
- + SpaceLong shot
- + Tactical RPGPoor odds
- + Inventory ManagementPoor odds
- + AutomationPoor odds
- + MedievalPoor odds
Comparable games
| Capsule | Game | Released | Price | Reviews | Est. copies | Est. revenue | Developer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Planet Coaster 2 | $49.99 | 13,047 74% | 391k | $20M (exactly $19,566,586) | Frontier Developments | |
| | Halloween: The Game | $39.99 | 11,868 68% | 356k | $14M (exactly $14,238,040) | IllFonic | |
| | Assetto Corsa Rally | · EA | $29.99 | 8,757 87% | 263k | $7.9M (exactly $7,878,673) | Supernova Games Studios |
| | Turmoil | older | $12.99 | 13,154 92% | 395k | $5.1M (exactly $5,126,114) | Gamious |
| | Root | older | $14.99 | 5,049 90% | 151k | $2.3M (exactly $2,270,535) | Dire Wolf |
| | Shadow Empire | older | $39.99 | 1,431 82% | 43k | $1.7M (exactly $1,716,771) | VR Designs |
| | TRYP FPV: Drone Racer Simulator | · EA older | $16.99 | 3,155 85% | 95k | $1.6M (exactly $1,608,103) | UNDEAD BATTERY |
| | Through the Ages | older | $15.99 | 2,188 90% | 66k | $1.0M (exactly $1,049,584) | CGE Digital |
| | Twilight Struggle | older | $9.99 | 2,568 86% | 77k | $770k (exactly $769,630) | Playdek, Inc. |
| | Kayak VR: Mirage | older | $22.99 | 1,006 82% | 30k | $694k (exactly $693,838) | Better Than Life |
| | Territory: Farming and Warfare | $14.99 | 738 84% | 22k | $332k (exactly $331,879) | Wit Studio | |
| | Disc Golf Masters | · EA | $24.99 | 427 83% | 13k | $320k (exactly $320,122) | Spinoff Games |
| | Exo Rally Championship | $24.99 | 374 90% | 11k | $280k (exactly $280,388) | Exbleative | |
| | Three Kingdoms:BOND | · EA | $7.49 | 408 83% | 12k | $92k (exactly $91,678) | Get Wrapped Up Inc. |
| | Quantum Odyssey | · EA | $17.99 | 141 92% | 4.2k | $76k (exactly $76,098) | Quarks Interactive |
| | RENNSPORT | $24.99 | 87 50% | 2.6k | $65k (exactly $65,224) | Teyon, Competition Company | |
| | EXOcars | $19.99 | 106 69% | 3.2k | $64k (exactly $63,568) | XOCUS |
Estimates: copies = reviews × 30, gross = copies × list price.
Five niches a week, one death, one deep dive.
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