I have interviewed lots of very successful devs who have achieved the indie dream of releasing a hit game that earned the respect of gamers worldwide and more importantly made an ungodly sum of money that means they never have to work again.
One striking habit I see over and over among the most the successful devs is how many games they play. For their chosen genre, they play every obscure variant. They are like the Charles Darwin of games looking at every single evolutionary branch, analyzing why and how successful that decision was.
As I wrote in my blog about Deeprock Galactic: Survivor, in the early planning stage the development team split up and played EVERY SINGLE Vampire-Survivors-like and documented what unique features there were and then compared notes to see what mechanics should stay and what should go.
The Tiny Glade Team plays 25-50 demos during every Steam Next Fest. If they saw some interesting feature, they wrote it down and added it to their demo.
A “genius designer” isn’t some lone monk sitting upon a rocky outcropping designing new mechanics with a purity that is unaffected by the influence of the outside world. The true genius designers know EVERY SINGLE variant and why they work or don’t.
Don’t base your game’s design off your favorite game when you were 14 years old. You need to mash together every single variation of how that game has evolved since you were 14. Or maybe, don’t make a game that you loved when you were 14. Everyone is an idiot when they are 14. Some things are best left in the past.
Whatever you do, you need to know where the culture is evolving. Be a scientist of games.
You need to play more games
These Steam seasonal sales are excellent ways to fill in your scientific knowledge gaps with the latest evolutions of the genre.
This is a good, but not complete, list of the crafty-buildy-strategy-simulationy (and horror) games that were released in 2024 and 2025 AND are on discount right now.. Buy them. Play them. Write down what is different, what works, what doesn’t.
This list has 2 sections:
The top games: These are games that have hit 1000 reviews or more. 1000+ reviews typically indicates that something about this game has found a fanbase and the Steam algorithm has been pushing it to new people. It has found lift. (don’t Goodharts-law these 1000 reviews. It is just a number I found correlates to success, it doesn’t cause good sales)
On-the-Cusp games: These are games that have earned 150-400 reviews in about a year. These games didn’t quite hit. My opinion is that an experienced marketing team and publisher who are diligent about promoting a game can get a decent game to 150 reviews. After 150 reviews success needs players interest, and the Steam algorithm to push it up to the 1000+ review mark. However, if Steam sees soft sales, or content creators aren’t playing the game a second, third, or fifteenth time, or players aren’t recommending it to their friends, the game sales crest. Games that are “on-the-cusp” seem to top out at the 150-400 reviews. They are games that look and play well, but just lack that final je ne sais quoi that pushes them into orbit.
You must study these “on-the-cusp” games. Find out why they didn’t ignite. What are they missing? Read the reviews. Play them. Get a feel for it. Make theories.
IF YOU MADE THESE ON-THE-CUSP GAMES: I respect you. You did awesome. Sometimes, the game just doesn’t have IT. If you did make one of these and are willing to share your data and are open to me dissecting your game publicly, please email me: chrisz @ Howtomarketagame.com SUBJECT LINE: “2025 Winter sale”
If you need inspiration, look at “on-the-cusp” games. Some of them have really good ideas but there was some implementation issue that held it back. Bad control, boring levels, too easy, too hard, bad UX, bad post-release support, etc. Maybe you can pick up where this game ended and fix what was missing and turn it into a hit.
Genres
I am only featuring the genres that I think are in that sweet spot of what the Steam player base is looking for and the games that indie teams can make in a practical development period.
If you think I misclassified a game under the wrong genre, you are completely correct. Please write up a 1 paragraph reason why I am incorrect, and then put that paragraph in your game design journal and play another sister-game and also write a 1 paragraph reason why that game should be classified in that genre. That is a good use of your time. Do it for yourself, not me
Also, please appreciate how many successful games are in this list. 95% of them are from the last 2 years. Steam is a very vibrant platform. I am optimistic.
Idle games
| Title | Sale Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount % | Demo? |
| THE LONGING | $11.24 | $14.99 | 25% | No |
| Nodebuster | $2.02 | $2.69 | 25% | No |
| Tower Wizard | $2.24 | $2.99 | 25% | No |
| the Gnorp Apologue | $3.84 | $6.99 | 45% | No |
| Nomad Idle | $7.99 | $9.99 | 20% | No |
| Desktop Defender | $3.99 | $4.99 | 20% | No |
| Astro Prospector | $3.99 | $4.99 | 20% | Yes |
| Click and Conquer | $2.99 | $3.99 | 25% | Yes |
| A Game About Feeding A Black Hole | $4.89 | $6.99 | 30% | Yes |
| Cauldron | $7.49 | $14.99 | 50% | Yes |
| Rusty’s Retirement | $4.68 | $6.99 | 33% | No |
| Nubby’s Number Factory | 2.49 | $4.99 | 50% | Yes |
On-the-cusp Idle Games:
| Title | Current Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount % | Demo? |
| Whimside | $4.68 | $5.85 | 20% | Yes |
| Idle Waters | $3.99 | $4.99 | 20% | No |
| Village Tale | $4.79 | $5.99 | 20% | No |
Builder / City Builder / Tower Defense
| Title | Current Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount % | Demo? |
| The King Is Watching | $9.74 | $14.99 | 35% | No |
| Super Fantasy Kingdom * | $9.74 | $14.99 | 35% | No |
| Gnomes | $7.99 | $9.99 | 20% | Yes |
| Whiskerwood * (**) | $29.99 | $19.49 | 35% | No |
| Border Pioneer | $7.49 | $14.99 | 50% | Yes |
| Tower Dominion | $11.71 | $17.49 | 33% | No |
| Songs of Syx | $18.74 | $24.99 | 25% | Yes |
| From Glory To Goo | $8.99 | $11.99 | 25% | No |
| 9 Kings | $9.99 | $19.99 | 50% | No |
*Xbox Games Pass too
** Another (!) Woodland creature city builder
On-the-cusp Builder / Tower Defense / Factory
| Title | Current Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount % | Demo? |
| Buggos 2 | $16.99 | $19.99 | 15% | No |
| Mini Settlers | $8.44 | $12.99 | 35% | Yes |
| Block Factory | $7.99 | $9.99 | 20% | No |
RTS / Autobattler
| Title | Current Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount % | Demo? |
| Overlooting | $7.99 | $9.99 | 20% | No |
| Knightica | $9.74 | $14.99 | 35% | No |
| Gladiator Guild Manager | $4.94 | $14.99 | 67% | No |
| There Are No Orcs | $7.19 | $8.99 | 20% | Yes |
| Backpack Battles | $11.99 | $14.99 | 20% | Yes |
Roguelike / Roguelite / Deckbuilder
| Title | Current Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount % | Demo? |
| KeeperRL | $9.99 | $19.99 | 50% | No |
| Death Howl | $19.99 | $19.99 | 0% | Yes |
| Dungeon Clawler | $6.99 | $9.99 | 30% | No |
| Ballionaire | $6.17 | $12.34 | 50% | Yes |
| He Is Coming * | $9.99 | $19.99 | 50% | No |
| BALL x PIT * | $11.99 | $14.99 | 20% | No |
On-the-cusp Roguelike / Roguelite / Deckbuilder
| Title | Current Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount % | Demo? |
| Kingdom’s Deck | $5.99 | $9.99 | 40 | No |
| Monster Battles | $8.99 | $14.99 | 40 | No |
| Merge Maestro | $2.79 | $3.99 | 30 | Yes |
| DOG WITCH | $7.99 | $9.99 | 20 | Yes |
| Lost For Swords | $9.99 | $9.99 | 0 | Yes |
| Gods vs Horrors | $10.64 | $14.99 | 29 | No |
| Replicat | $9.99 | $9.99 | 0 | Yes |
| Flick Shot Rogues | $11.24 | $14.99 | 25 | No |
| Slot & Dungeons | $6.39 | $7.99 | 20 | Yes |
| Dicealot | $10.04 | $14.99 | 33 | Yes |
| Runeborn | $11.19 | $13.99 | 20 | No |
| Clonizer | $8.99 | $14.99 | 40 | No |
| Stash: A Card Looter | $6.99 | $9.99 | 30 | Yes |
| Pairs & Perils | $5.99 | $9.99 | 40 | No |
| Dice Legends | $13.99 | $19.99 | 30 | Yes |
Management / Tycoon
| Title (linked) | Current Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount | Demo? |
| Blood Bar Tycoon | $9.99 | $19.99 | 50% | No |
| Beholder: Conductor | $9.09 | $13.99 | 35% | No |
| Upload Labs | Free | No | ||
| Tiny Bookshop | $15.99 | $19.99 | 20% | Yes |
| Wanderstop | $14.99 | $24.99 | 40% | Yes |
| Star Birds | $15.99 | $19.99 | 20% | No |
| Ship, Inc. | $4.99 | $9.99 | 50% | No |
| Blacksmith Master | $9.99 | $19.99 | 50% | No |
| Esports Godfather | $13.99 | $19.99 | 30% | No |
| News Tower | $19.99 | $24.99 | 20% | Yes |
| Kebab Chefs! – Restaurant Simulator | $13.49 | $17.99 | 25% | No |
| Feed the Cups | $14.39 | $15.99 | 10% | Yes |
| Minami Lane | $3.49 | $4.99 | 30% | No |
| Coal LLC | $11.99 | $14.99 | 20% | No |
On-the-cusp Management / Tycoon
| Title | Current Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount % | Demo? |
| Loafing Town | $6.29 | $6.99 | 10% | No |
| Rentlord | $3.49 | $4.99 | 30% | No |
| Ultimate Theater Simulator | $10.39 | $12.99 | 20% | Yes |
| Corner Kitchen Fast Food Simulator | $9.09 | $13.99 | 35% | No |
| Dealer’s Life Legend | $12.59 | $17.99 | 30% | No |
Job simulator
Too many Indies turn their nose up at Job simulators saying they are AI-generated capsule slop, or money grabs, or jank junk. Look past what they are now and think about what is possible. Players really like these games. Ask yourself how can you take the core gameplay that makes these appealing to people, and add some of that indie authenticity. Indies are surrendering this ground. Go take it. There is opportunity here. Just look at what David Wehle did with We Harvest Shadows, or Lushfoil Photography Sim
Just because they aren’t “cool” doesn’t mean there isn’t potential here.
| Title | Current Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount % | Demo? |
| Parcel Simulator | $13.49 | $17.99 | 25% | No |
| Wrap House Simulator | $9.59 | $14.99 | 36% | Yes |
| Lushfoil Photography Sim | $9.74 | $14.99 | 35% | No |
| Laundry Store Simulator | $5.99 | $11.99 | 50% | Yes |
| TransSiberian Railway Simulator | $13.99 | $19.99 | 30% | Yes |
On-the-cusp Job Simulator
| Title | Current Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount % | Demo? |
| Console Shop Simulator | $11.19 | $15.99 | 30% | No |
| Medieval Crafter: Blacksmith | $8.99 | $11.99 | 25% | No |
| Ultimate Theater Simulator | $10.39 | $12.99 | 20% | Yes |
| Bakery Cafe Simulator | $11.99 | $11.99 | 0 | Yes |
Horror
| Title | Current Price | Original Price | Discount % | Demo? |
| Home Safety Hotline | $10.49 | $14.99 | 30% | No |
| Mouthwashing | $9.09 | $12.99 | 30% | No |
| Garten of Banban 7 | $6.99 | $9.99 | 30% | No |
| Shipwrecked 64 | $3.19 | $7.99 | 60% | No |
| Buckshot Roulette | $1.79 | $2.99 | 40% | No |
| [Nightmare Files] Clap Clap | Free | No | ||
| Indigo Park: Chapter 1 | Free | No | ||
| Psychopomp | Free | No | ||
| Rental | Free | |||
| Clover pit | $7.99 | $9.99 | 20% | Yes |
On-the-cusp Horror
| Title | Current Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount % | Demo? |
| Trench Face | $2.69 | $2.99 | 10% | No |
| Knock On The Window | $3.59 | $3.99 | 10% | No |
| IN THE FACADE WE TRUST™ | $1.74 | $6.99 | 75% | No |
| Mirrored Phantoms | Free | No | ||
| Dementium: The Ward | $7.49 | $14.99 | 50% | No |
| Hired 2 Die | $5.99 | $9.99 | 40% | Yes |
| The DeadLine | Free | No | ||
| Ghost Frequency | $3.74 | $4.99 | 25% | Yes |
Wholesome cozy builder / simulation / management
Not enough indies grasp that the majority of successful “cozy” games are management games. Going on an adventure is not cozy. Staying home and running your super cute bakery, that is cozy. You can’t just turn your game pink and call it a “cozy wholesome” game. There are genre restrictions to finding success in wholesome.
| Title | Current Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount % | Demo? |
| Kabuto Park | $3.99 | $4.99 | 20% | Yes |
| Furnish Master | $9.74 | $14.99 | 35% | No |
| Lost But Found | $4.19 | $6.99 | 40% | No |
| Sticky Business | $4.99 | $9.99 | 50% | No |
| SUMMERHOUSE | $2.99 | $4.99 | 40% | No |
On-the-cusp Wholesome cozy builder / simulation / management
| Title | Current Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount % | Demo? |
| Book Bound | $3.49 | $6.99 | 50 | Yes |
| The Succession of Changing Kings | $6.69 | $9.99 | 33 | Yes |
| Urban Jungle | $7.19 | $11.99 | 40 | Yes |
Other games I don’t know how to classify but I think they are cool
| Title | Current Price (USD) | Original Price (USD) | Discount % | Demo? |
| Easy Delivery Co | $10.39 | $12.99 | 20% | No |
| Shelldiver | $3.74 | $4.99 | 25% | No |
| PANOPTYCA : Idle RPG Manager | Free To Play | No | ||
| FlyKnight | $4.79 | $5.99 | 20 | No |
Other recommendations
These aren’t games but they were films I saw this year that were really inspirational meditations on creativity, and the process and business of making things. I think you would like them. Here are a couple thoughts about them.
Nouvelle Vague – A good movie to watch as we are entering this game development era of “rapid release games.” It is all about art coming from 1 take, and 2 hours a day of filming.
Albert Brooks: Defending My Life – Rob Reiner’s second to last film. A story about a well regarded artistic career despite being a rather obscure one and how fame doesn’t come from what you want. Apparently Albert Brooks agreed to be the subject of this documentary because he didn’t want to be remembered as a fish.
Paris Is Burning – An old one but I first watched it this year. Absolutely amazed by the amount of creativity concentrated in such a singularly small “scene.” Also one of the saddest reveals in documentary history. I support House of Ninja, and the realness competition.
Hundreds of Beavers – This was an independent film but you can totally see how much of an influence games have had on other media.
I haven’t watched this documentary yet, but I have heard good things. It is also free and on youtube.