Most games compete in saturated spaces. Clones, lookalikes, and genre comfort zones dominate — but the biggest wins often come from seeing what others don’t. This isn’t luck. It’s method.
This guide outlines how to identify untapped market spaces, using data, strategy frameworks, and AI.
1️⃣ Understand What “Untapped” Really Means
An untapped market is not just “something no one has done.” It’s a space where demand exists but hasn’t been fulfilled well.
There are typically four directions:
Direction | Question | Example |
Genre Mutation | What if we flipped the loop structure of this genre? | Inscryption (deckbuilder + meta) |
Audience Shift | What underserved player fantasy or need can we target? | Dream Daddy (queer dating sim) |
Platform Misfit | What genres haven’t been adapted to this platform yet? | Dead Cells on mobile |
Tone Gap | What mood/style is missing in current offerings? | Dave the Diver (cozy + deep systems) |
Blue vs Red Ocean • Red Ocean = the bloody genre soup where dozens of titles fight for the same mechanics, audience, and price points. • Blue Ocean = an uncontested space where clear demand exists but few (or zero) games compete. It rarely requires inventing a new genre — more often it comes from a fresh mix of fantasy, tone, platform, or business model.
Quick test: If a single screenshot + seven-word pitch instantly separates your concept from today’s hits, you’re likely sailing in Blue Ocean. If you need a paragraph to explain why you’re “slightly better,” you’re in Red Ocean — and you’ll win only through marketing muscle and extra polish.
2️⃣ Use Data, Don’t Guess
To find real gaps, don’t rely on instinct alone. Use tools.
Tool | Purpose |
SteamDB / PlayTracker | Spot rising or stagnant genres |
GameSensor / VG Insights | Analyze revenue vs visibility across Steam |
Itch.io tags | Explore what’s bubbling in indie microgenres |
Reddit / Discord search | Find complaints, unmet expectations, wishlists |
Steam reviews (negative) | Harvest raw pain points from players |
TikTok / YouTube trends | Surface emerging tone/meme/mood shifts |
📍Look not only at what works — but what almost worked. Failed games often contain seeds of brilliant ideas.
3️⃣ Apply Strategic Filters
Before you commit to a niche, test it across core dimensions:
Filter | Question |
Desire | Do players want this? (proof: wishlist comments, mod scenes, clones) |
Contrast | Does this stand out clearly in thumbnail + 5 seconds? |
Feasibility | Can a small team build a viable vertical slice of this? |
Scalability | Can it grow into systems, content, community? |
Meaning | Is there a clear fantasy, story, or emotion behind it? |
📍You don’t need 10/10 on all of these. But you need a reason to exist.
4️⃣ Use AI as a Pattern-Detector, Not Idea Generator
Don’t ask AI to “make a new game idea.” Ask it to help you:
- Analyze underserved combinations (e.g. “cozy game” + “stealth”)
- Map genre loops and highlight where friction usually kills retention
- Scan review datasets and extract patterns of unmet needs
- Generate variations of high-potential but failed concepts
- Validate your fantasy with personas or simulated play styles
Use AI to accelerate exploration, not replace insight.
5️⃣ Source List: Where to Look
Here’s a practical shortlist to scan for opportunity:
- Steam “New & Trending” vs “Most Wishlisted” (spot gaps)
- Reddit subs: r/patientgamers, r/ShouldIbuythisgame, r/IndieDev
- Steam tags sorted by descending revenue and ascending visibility
- TikTok trends under cozycore / horrorcore / solarpunk
- Failed Kickstarter games with strong concepts but bad scope
- Abandoned early access titles with high fantasy appeal
- Unity Asset Store — trends in prototyped systems
- Twitch/YouTube clips that get traction despite small games
✅ Opportunity Mapping Checklist
Summary
Step | Purpose |
Understand structures | Know how genres create expectations |
Use data | Replace instinct with observable gaps |
Frame sharply | A pitch is only good if it's obvious and different |
Test for resonance | Find proof of life early |
Use AI | Pattern-match at speed, not to skip thinking |
You don’t need to predict the future. You just need to notice the gaps that others trained themselves to ignore.
Mini-Challenge
- Pick a saturated genre (e.g. farming sim).
- Identify 3 dimensions where 90% of titles follow the same structure.
- Flip one. Now ask: who would this actually be for — and where are they hanging out?
💡Bonus constraint: Describe the game in 7 words. If it doesn’t stand out — iterate.