Should I ship a Sci-fi FMV?
FMV + Sci-fi
Of 28 developers who shipped a Sci-fi FMV 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.. 57 more are announced, ×3.8 for every developer who shipped in the last year.
Verdict: poor odds, for a 4 / 10 build.
The middle developer here made $52k, ×109 the market's $480 for a 4 / 10 build, and 3 in 10 made under $1.2k; 1 in 20 cleared $1.0M, ×2134 the market median. Revenue is down 95% on the market; 57 games are announced against 15 developers who shipped in the last year.
| Bottom 30% | $1.2k (exactly $1,199) |
|---|---|
| Median | $52k (exactly $51,716) |
| Top 25% | $166k (exactly $165,960) |
| Top 5% | $1.0M (exactly $1,013,594) |
| Developers, 2 yr | 28 |
| Released games | 114 |
| Announced | 57 |
| Effort | 4 / 10 |
| AI-buildability | Medium |
| Typical price | $9.99 |
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 down 95% on the market, supply 15% more developers than the period before.
Free games: 5%, excluded from money figures.
Can AI deliver it?
AI-buildability for this niche is medium: the lowest rating among its tags.
What it takes
- Effort
- 4 / 10 · mid 2D, writing-heavy, or simple 3D
- Systems
- FMV; 4 in 10 of the top 25% also carry Adventure, RPG, Dating Sim
- Price point
- $9.99 typical · top 25% priced $24.99 or above
- Art
- 6 in 10 of the top 25% ship with First-Person, Story Rich, Cinematic
Why players buy here
The top 25% priced at $24.99 or above; the middle game at $9.99.
The top 10 games average 88% positive over 11,403 reviews.
What kills games here
3 in 10 developers made under $1.2k. 2 in 10 of the 15 games released 1 to 2 years ago have fewer than 100 reviews. 57 games are announced against 15 developers who shipped in the last year, ×3.8 per shipper.
Adjacent niches
FMV with a different setting or mood, ranked by verdict then median.
- + SurvivalStrong odds
- + Post-apocalypticStrong odds
- + StrategyStrong odds
- + Multiple EndingsStrong odds
- + Immersive SimStrong odds
- + Choices MatterStrong odds
- + Dating SimStrong odds
- + RomanceStrong odds
- + SimulationStrong odds
- + JRPGStrong odds
- + Visual NovelStrong odds
- + RPGStrong odds
Comparable games
Quantum Break 2016 · $28M 
Command & Conquer™ Red Alert™ 3 2009 · $3.0M 
Obduction 2016 · $2.7M 
Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars™ 2009 · $1.8M 
The Complex 2020 · $1.5M | Capsule | Game | Released | Price | Reviews | Est. copies | Est. revenue | Developer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Quantum Break | older | $39.99 | 23,141 86% | 694k | $28M (exactly $27,762,258) | Remedy Entertainment |
| | Command & Conquer™ Red Alert™ 3 | older | $6.96 | 14,605 85% | 438k | $3.0M (exactly $3,049,524) | EA Los Angeles |
| | Obduction | older | $29.99 | 3,032 78% | 91k | $2.7M (exactly $2,727,890) | Cyan, Inc. |
| | Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars™ | older | $6.96 | 8,777 89% | 263k | $1.8M (exactly $1,832,638) | EA Los Angeles |
| | The Complex | older | $14.99 | 3,310 78% | 99k | $1.5M (exactly $1,488,507) | Wales Interactive, Good Gate Media, Lit… (Wales Interactive, Good Gate Media, Little Jade Productions) |
 | Stories Untold | older | $9.99 | 4,357 86% | 131k | $1.3M (exactly $1,305,793) | Screen Burn |
 | STASIS: BONE TOTEM | older | $19.99 | 2,025 93% | 61k | $1.2M (exactly $1,214,392) | THE BROTHERHOOD |
 | Command & Conquer™ 3: Kane’s Wrath | older | $6.96 | 5,499 93% | 165k | $1.1M (exactly $1,148,191) | EA Los Angeles |
 | Love is All Around 2 | $9.99 | 3,749 83% | 112k | $1.1M (exactly $1,123,575) | intiny | |
 | Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! | $24.99 | 1,352 92% | 41k | $1.0M (exactly $1,013,594) | Auroch Digital | |
 | Killed by Love 99 Times | $12.99 | 533 95% | 16k | $208k (exactly $207,710) | CineGame Interactive | |
 | Blippo+ | $14.99 | 398 95% | 12k | $179k (exactly $178,981) | YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, Noble Robot | |
 | I've Fallen For You! | $7.99 | 729 88% | 22k | $175k (exactly $174,741) | LOVE MOOD STUDIO LIMITED | |
 | Neyyah | $24.99 | 229 83% | 6.9k | $172k (exactly $171,681) | Defy Reality Entertainment | |
 | City Lights Love Bites Season 0 [Pilot Season] | $2.00 | 2,766 94% | 83k | $166k (exactly $165,960) | NaughtyOba | |
 | 我的机器人女友 | $4.99 | 911 90% | 27k | $136k (exactly $136,377) | 时娱游戏 | |
 | Sovereign Brain Empire | $9.99 | 413 78% | 12k | $124k (exactly $123,776) | Mountain and Sea Studio | |
 | Sex Desert: Mad Lust | $9.99 | 323 61% | 9.7k | $97k (exactly $96,803) | Carnality INC |
Estimates: copies = reviews × 30, gross = copies × list price.
Five niches a week, one death, one deep dive.
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