Anytime I mention to someone that I am a gamer I always get asked basically the same questions, “What do you play?” “What types of games do you like?”, or “Do you play Call of Duty, Fortnite, or something else competitive?” But once I say that I play cozy games it’s like they shut down and stop talking. Cozy gaming is getting really popular but it usually attracts a certain crowd and people who play competitive games, tend to not enjoy cozy games.
When I think cozy gaming, I think something that has no fighting, no hard puzzles and is just something to relax to. For example I am a huge fan of farming life simulators. I fell in love with games like harvest moon where you farm, take care of animals, meet the residents and even fall in love. In the earlier years for them you could only date the opposite gender, and there was no divorce option.
Now though, the newer games you can date as many people as you want, and be with any gender you want, some games even let you be non-binary. But cozy games are not strictly farming life simulators, it can be anything that you play that is just relaxing and doesn’t have the pressure of fighting off monsters or trying to kill the other team.
Cozy games are its own genre and it’s even seen as one on major platforms like playstation, and steam and nintendo has directs, where they just talk about upcoming cozy games. But even then there is only a group of people who tend to flock towards those types of games. I can’t see anyone who is a competitive gamer wanting to play stardew valley with me. But I would’t want to play with them as well.
If more people focused on cozy games, I think gamers would be less toxic in some communities. I avoid some games strictly because the people in those communities are very rude. But when it comes to cozy gaming, the communities are always looking out for the other, helping people who are just starting out and youtubers like making “tips i wish i knew when playing…” to help the new players in that genre or a certain game.
Cozy games are amazing and should be more respected and enjoyed!
