Gaming doesn't have to be stressful. Whether you're trying to finish "Through the Fire and Flames" on Guitar Hero or carrying the burden of being your team's sole healer in Overwatch, some video games really get your pulse racing. However, not all games make you so stressed out that it's difficult to grip the controller in your sweaty palms.
In fact, more and more developers have been pivoting away from high-stress scenarios and embracing the slower, simpler side of gaming. Since 2020, cozy, calming games with a cute aesthetic have been taking over the market. While we don't think farming simulators will out-sell GTA VI when it eventually releases—if it ever does—a cozy gaming movement is definitely under way.
The Start Of Cozy Gaming
It doesn't take a genius to figure out why cozy gaming took off like a rocket in 2020. People were stuck in their homes under immense amounts of pressure and fear over health concerns. The last thing many people wanted was to face the reality they were living in. Cozy, low-stress gaming offered a comforting alternative to doomscrolling or dwelling on possibilities.
While there were cozy games on the market before 2020—think farm simulators like Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley—they didn't have their own niche. Out of a hundred given games, only a couple could be described as "cozy". No, the rise of cozy gaming was thanks to the release of Animal Crossing.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released at the exact right moment in time. The free-to-play mobile game, Pocket Camp, had been released three years earlier and introduced many new players to the franchise. Additionally, apart from the WiiU-released amiibo Festival (did anyone actually use their WiiU?), there hadn't been an Animal Crossing Game since 2015.
All this to say that, even if it hadn't been for lockdown, New Horizons still would have been a massive success. It was because people were stuck at home that New Horizons became one of the best-selling games of all time. In its first month, New Horizons sold a record-breaking five million digital copies.
With people cut off from their social circle, at least physically, New Horizons filled an emotional hole many weren't even aware that they had. New Horizons wasn't just an escape from stress, it allowed them to connect with loved ones across miles and timezones. New Horizons also offered a creative outlet for players who were feeling stagnant.
Seeking New Horizons
In short, New Horizons changed the idea of what video games were—and who could be a gamer. The game was particularly popular amongst young women, many of whom realized their love for video games through New Horizons. Once developers realized that there was an audience for cozy games, indie studios prioritized these ideas.
Cozy gaming made video games accessible to people who wouldn't otherwise be interested in them, or call themselves gamers. The video game space can be...toxic to say the least. This is especially the case when women or those who don't fit the gamer "mold" try to enter what used to be closed spaces.
Now, we're not saying that games with low-stakes premises are automatically cozy, or are we saying that cozy games can never be stressful. After all, we've heard stories of Stardew Valley players running their farms like the navy and New Horizons players creating borderline ethnostates on their islands. We're just saying that in times of turmoil, people are naturally going to gravitate towards comfort anywhere they can find it.
If New Horizons brought players comfort during an enormously stressful time, or unlocked a love of video games, we say the more the merrier! Society is always shifting. There's no reason why games can't change too.
