Simulation Games Aren’t Taking Over by Accident
Simulation is having one of those Steam moments where the tag means almost nothing on paper and everything in practice. It covers farming, trucking, colony collapse, conveyor-belt obsession, zombie drudgery, and floating-shack survival — which is exactly why it’s trending. Players aren’t chasing one fantasy right now. They’re chasing games that let them settle in. The easy, lazy explanation is that “people want cozy.” That’s only half true. The better answer is that simulation games are currently winning because they’re good at turning routine into drama, busywork into ownership, and systems into stories you accidentally tell yourself. ...