Went viral1:20:01Top 50 Indie Games
1.9M viewsfrom a 13.7K subscriber channel
13.7K-subscriber channel · This video earned ~$5Kest.$2K to $8.1K
YouTube niche
How much do Indie Game Hidden Gems YouTube channels make?
Small Indie Game Hidden Gems channels are getting videos with 9.5M views and earning real money from YouTube ads.
Channels in this niche typically earn $71 to $284 total from all their videos, based on 1.4K videos and 18 channels we analyzed.
Part of Indie & Retro Gaming
Make a Indie Game Hidden Gems video
Channels studied
18
1.4K videos tracked
Highest earner (all time)
~$177.1K est.
$70.9K to $283.4K total
Best single video earned
~$8.3K est.
$3.3K to $13.3K per video
Most-viewed video
9.5M views
from a 83.7K subscriber channel
Earnings breakdown
Distribution stats from 1.4K videos and 18 channels analyzed.
Average channel total
$71 to $284
Estimated all-time total per channel
Top 25% of channels earn
$70 to $281
Better-performing channels (all time)
Top 10% of channels earn
$231 to $924
Highest-performing channels (all time)
Average per video
$45 to $180
Typical single-video earnings
Average views per video
44.9K
May be higher due to viral hits
Top 25% of videos get
25K
Views on better-performing videos
Top 10% of videos get
112.9K
Views on the biggest videos
If you post 2 videos a month
$90 to $360
At this niche's typical per-video earnings
How often creators post
new video every 2.6 weeks
Average for channels in this niche
Is this niche growing?
Views are declining
Based on recent videos in this niche
Explore this niche
Browse Indie & Retro Gaming YouTube niches, compare earnings across the Niche Finder analytics hub, or review the top channels below. We track 18 channels in Indie Game Hidden Gems; this page highlights the highest-view examples.
18 total Indie Game Hidden Gems YouTube channels tracked
Breakout videos
Videos that pulled in far more views than their channels had subscribers.
Went viral1:20:01
Went viral25:37The ULTIMATE Indie Game Guide
1.4M viewsfrom a 391K subscriber channel
391K-subscriber channel · This video earned ~$2.7Kest.$1.1K to $4.4K
Went viral19:4210 Indie Games that CHANGED my life
810.2K viewsfrom a 9.2K subscriber channel
9.2K-subscriber channel · This video earned ~$2Kest.$810 to $3.2K
Went viral12:14The Best Game This Year
732K viewsfrom a 93.2K subscriber channel
93.2K-subscriber channel · This video earned ~$1.8Kest.$732 to $2.9K
Went viral17:155 Indie Games that are ACTUALLY "Hidden Gems"
689.1K viewsfrom a 44.8K subscriber channel
44.8K-subscriber channel · This video earned ~$1.7Kest.$689 to $2.8K
Videos like these are AI-made today. NoodleTomato writes, voices, and renders a Indie Game Hidden Gems video for you in minutes.
Make a similar videoWhy this niche works
Top Indie Game Hidden Gems videos usually run about 27 to 47 minutes and earn an estimated $45 to $180 per video, which works out to $90 to $360 a month if you post at this niche's typical pace of 2 videos a month. The best ones below pulled in far more views than their channels had subscribers, the clearest sign a brand new channel can still land a hit here.
The strongest recent example is “Top 50 Indie Games”, which reached 1.9M views from a 13.7K subscriber channel. Channels in Indie & Retro Gaming often post about new video every 2.6 weeks, so consistency matters as much as one viral upload.
Videos are usually 27 to 47 minBased on 18 channels
Typical Indie Game Hidden Gems video: 37 min · ~44.9K views per upload (niche average).
Compare with similar niches
See how Indie Game Hidden Gems stacks up against nearby opportunities.
Similar niches
Topics with overlapping audience and content patterns.
| Niche | Category | Avg. channel total (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| This niche | Current page | $71 to $284 est. |
| Steam Demo and Indie Discoveries | Gaming | $113 to $454 est. |
| Retro Game Retrospectives | Indie & Retro Gaming | $73 to $291 est. |
| Best Video Games Lists | Indie & Retro Gaming | $118 to $471 est. |
| Indie Game Dev Logs | Indie & Retro Gaming | $86 to $344 est. |
| Sonic Fan Games and ROM Hacks | Indie & Retro Gaming | $188 to $753 est. |
| Best RPG Recommendations | Gaming | $107 to $426 est. |
| FNAF Fan Game Reviews | Indie & Retro Gaming | $285 to $1.1K est. |
| Retro Games Worth Playing | Gaming | $33 to $133 est. |
Compared with adjacent niches
Related opportunities in neighboring categories.
| Niche | Category | Avg. channel total (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| This niche | Current page | $71 to $284 est. |
| Steam Demo and Indie Discoveries | Gaming | $113 to $454 est. |
| Best RPG Recommendations | Gaming | $107 to $426 est. |
| Retro Games Worth Playing | Gaming | $33 to $133 est. |
| Indie Game Art Style | Design & Creative Tools | $3 to $12 est. |
| Cozy Games Recommendations | RPG & Strategy Gaming | $23 to $91 est. |
| Video Game Reviews | Gaming | $94 to $377 est. |
How the numbers work
How earnings are estimated, what is public, and when this page was last updated.
- Last updated
- Jun 11, 2026
- Data source
- Public YouTube discovery
- Built from publicly available channels and videos matched to this niche.
- Confidence
- Confidence is highest when a niche has many long-form breakout videos with known subscriber counts. Percentile ranges are precomputed from the analyzed sample; thin niches may show wider ranges or missing percentiles.
- We take a video's public view count and estimate how much ad revenue it earned, using a typical pay-per-view rate for this niche. The result is a range (low to high).
- A channel's total estimated earnings are the sum of all its individual video estimates, across the channel's entire history.
- These estimates assume all views earned ad revenue. In reality many channels have not turned on ads, so real earnings are usually lower.
- Actual earnings depend on the creator's monetization status, audience location, ad formats, sponsorships, and more.
- Verified data comes from visible YouTube channel pages and video listings. Estimated data is filled in from related channels when direct info was not available.
- Data is independently sourced from public information. NoodleTomato is not affiliated with or endorsed by YouTube.
Read the full methodology on the Niche Finder methodology page.
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YouTube shares ad revenue with creators who monetize their channels. Estimated earnings are calculated independently by NoodleTomato from public view data and estimated rate ranges. They are not actual earnings, are not from YouTube, and may not reflect real revenue. Data independently sourced. Not affiliated with or endorsed by YouTube.
How we estimate ·