Cozy game
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Cozy game refers to a video game genre that emphasizes non-violence and relaxation. Initially derived from the life simulation genre, cozy games commonly include activities such as gathering and growing plants and nurturing other characters. They often have open-ended goals that encourage self-expression.
While developers have suggested the style may have appeared in games as early as Little Computer People (1985) and The Sims (2000), it became a more common term following the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020). Following its release, dozens[specify] of games on the Steam began being marketed as being cozy.
Characteristics
Colin Campbell of Gameindustry.biz described cozy games as being video games that generally have players functioning in activities such as farming, gathering, growing and nurturing and generally assisting other characters through non-violent acts. Campbell summarized that the core of the games was self-expression, and that progression goals are generally open-ended. Unlike other video game genres that apply gameplay mechanics such as first-person shooter or turn-based strategy, Campbell said that cozy games are best defined by how they make the player feel.[1]
Campbell found that cozy games often feature cute characters such as anthropomorphic animals or child-like humans. Non-playable characters (NPCs) who are disagreeable, are often played for comic effect.[1] Alternatively, Jess Rutland of Game Developer suggested that cozy games involved satisfying, but not overly challenging gameplay, complementary colors, and mindful music and expanded that the style would include games like Brewmaster: Beer Brewing Simulator.[2]
Campbell suggested in 2022 that cozy games were aiming to move beyond "gather and grow" themed gameplays, citing A Short Hike (2019) as an example.[1]
Rutland stated that cozy games were the most accessible genre to people who did not consider themselves to be gamers and are easier for smaller independent developers to create.[2]
History
Some developers suggested the style evolved from the life simulation game, which originated with games like Little Computer People (1985), Harvest Moon (1996) and The Sims (2000).[1][2] Vice suggested in 2018 that the element of "Coziness" in games could be "one of the most significant game design trends of recent years", noting its hybrid of escapism and the ability to appeal to players not seeking action-oriented gameplay.[3]
The intense popularity of cozy games has been connected to the release of Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020), which was released during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Digital game distributors such as Steam listed dozens[specify] of games under its "cozy" rubric, with only a handful[vague] of them described in this way before 2020. Alexandre Stroukoff, one of the founders of Alblune who created the game The Spirit and the Mouse commented on cozy games, said in 2022 that "People get depressed, and they need to relax. This has always existed in gaming, but it was a less marketable idea in the past. Now, we recognize that it's an important part of playing games."[1]
Cultural influence
Merchandise from cozy games such as Animal Crossing expanded beyond selling from dedicated websites, to being connected with house hold brands such as Puma and Build-a-bear. In 2023, The Sims released its first official line of merchandise to an overwhelming response which led to nearly all items available selling out in less than a day.[2]
Rutland noted the influence of the Cozy aesthetic inspired by the games in social media. This included the #CozyDeskSetup hashtag use as doubling in use in March 2024, from March 2023. These set-ups echoed elements from the games such as calming lighting, pastel or muted tone furniture and accessories from popular cozy video games franchises.[2]
References
Sources
- Campbell, Colin (November 28, 2022). "What are Cozy Games, and What Makes Them Cozy?". Gameindustry.biz. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
- Rutland, Jess (March 1, 2024). "The Quest for Cosy | A Deep Dive into Cosy Gaming". Game Developer. Archived from the original on March 1, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
- "Cozy Games Make Winter More Bearable". Vice. March 13, 2018. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2024.