What is Cozy Gaming and Why is it Everywhere?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for some time, you’ve likely heard the term ‘cozy gaming.’ However, if you’re not a particularly avid gamer yourself, you’re unlikely to know what this refers to. You’d be forgiven for thinking cozy gaming meant something like playing chess by the fire, or solving crosswords while snuggled up with a blanket, and although that does sound lovely, cozy gaming tends to refer to something a little different and a little more specific than that.

In general, cozy gaming refers to a genre of online, mobile, and video games that celebrate low-stress and low-stakes gameplay. You won’t see epic battle cutscenes or intimidating boss fights in cozy games. Instead, you’re likely to find yourself sowing seeds, building communities,  raising animals or following heart-warming plots with loveable characters.

Of course, for some gamers, cozy games just aren’t their thing. They prefer thrill, excitement, and high stakes and are much more likely to be enticed by fast-paced, action-thriller video games like Call of Duty, open-world RPGs like Game of the Year winners Elden Ring and Baldur’s Gate 3. There are also online casino sites, such as the ones listed on 99Bitcoins and other trusted gambling guides, that give players access to instant transaction speeds through the integration of cryptocurrency.

Some of us, however, would prefer settling down in a cozy coffee shop like Sweet Talk Coffee in Toowoomba with a relaxing video game in hand. In many ways, this is why cozy games have become so popular; they give us space to slow down and take a moment away from our fast-paced lives, offering fun without stress or stakes.

Some of the most popular cozy games out there include Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, both of which are video games that involve building a community, talking with locals, growing and collecting crops and tending to the land. Those more creatively inclined might favour the famous Minecraft, which gives players the ability to build just about anything, as long as they do so with blocks. There are even cozy games with complex and deep narratives at their heart, like Spiritfarer, which can pull at our heartstrings without causing us too much emotional stress.

One of the best things about cozy games is that they can be played on handheld devices, like your phone, or on portable consoles such as the Nintendo Switch and the Steam Deck. This means you could head out into the world, visit places like Picnic Point Lookout or one of Darling Downs’ many sunflower fields and take a moment to settle down with your game while surrounded by the beauty of the natural world.

We now understand what cozy games are, but you might still be wondering why they seem to be such a big thing right now. As hinted at before, cozy games can act as the perfect antidote to our fast-paced, productivity-driven lives. They are a way we can have fun, without having to stress about succeeding or failing. In fact, cozy games are known for their simple gameplay; you simply cannot play the game wrong, and there is a lot of freedom in that.

Cozy games often also present characters living an idealised life. This is not to make us feel miserable about our own lives in the real world, but instead to inspire us to build a life for ourselves that we can feel comforted by. They promote a sense of whimsy and innocence that is certainly missing from our capitalist society and offer a welcome relief from the pressures of everyday life.

In fact, cozy games have become so popular that many people have been able to make a living from recording their gameplay and sharing the footage on platforms like YouTube and Twitch. Their audiences like to watch these videos as they often find them just as relaxing as playing the games themselves. This has also caused large communities of fans to form around many of the games, which in turn has crafted safe spaces where like-minded people can come together and discuss their passions for the games they play.

A recent study analysed why people across the globe enjoy playing cozy games, and the results were not surprising. When asked to select the reasons why cozy gaming appealed to them, 53% of respondents stated that cozy games helped them to switch off from stress and anxiety. 52% also said that they enjoyed getting lost in a world where they could play at their own pace, and 51% stated it helped them to feel calmer and improve their mood. With this in mind, it makes sense why cozy games seem to be everywhere in the modern world, and why so many people are enjoying them.