Metroidvanias
An average niche: demand and competition are roughly balanced — the idea and execution decide. Average across 4 platforms: niche 42/100, demand 54/100, competition 63/100, development cost 43/100. On Steam: 1,448 games and 17,942 players online; 22% of games reach 500+ reviews, average spend per player is $13.44.
Niche
42/100
Demand (0–100)
54/100
Competition
63/100
Dev cost
43/100
Spend per player
$13.44
Hit rate (500+ reviews)
22%
Key findings
- Ranked #81 of 100 in the overall niche ranking.
- The niche looks best on itch.io (53/100) and weakest on App Store (25/100).
- Competition is above typical: 63/100 vs a median of 57/100 — standing out will take a strong hook or marketing.
- Development cost is typical: index 43/100 vs a median of 39/100.
- On Steam, 22% of games reached 500+ reviews — more often than usual (median 16%).
- Small-studio games make up 66% of all Steam games with this tag.
By platform
| Platform | Popularity | Games / leaders’ share | Competition | Niche | Dev cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam | 45/100 | 1,448 | 53/100 | 42/100 | 49/100 |
| itch.io | 76/100 | 6,689 | 63/100 | 53/100 | 43/100 |
| Yandex Games | no data | ||||
| Google Play | 43/100 | 65% | 46/100 | 48/100 | 40/100 |
| App Store | 51/100 | 89% | 88/100 | 25/100 | 41/100 |
Example games — Steam
AAA / big hits
Ori and the Will of the WispsMoon Studios GmbH · $29.99
Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive EditionMoon Studios GmbH · $19.99
Ori and the Blind ForestMoon Studios GmbH · free
Indie
Hollow KnightTeam Cherry · $14.99
Dead CellsMotion Twin · $24.99
Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship EditionDrinkbox Studios · $14.99
Related genres
Data updated October 12, 2026 Methodology