We all know videogames are fun to play, but Game Dev Tycoon proves they can also be fun to make. After playing this riveting simulation, you’ll understand just how rewarding managing a videogame studio can be.
When Game Dev Tycoon starts, you’re a one-person operation working out of a garage. Resources are limited. To create your first game, pick a platform, topic, and genre, as well as specific elements—like level design, graphics, or sound—to focus on.
Minutes later, your new game has launched (things move fast in this world), and you can see how crucial those decisions really were. Perhaps devoting resources to sound instead of dialogue limited the appeal of your mythological RPG. Or maybe it was choosing to build a rhythm-based adventure that doomed you from the start.
Chances are you won’t craft a chart-topper right out of the gate, but a postrelease sales report offers feedback that’ll help with future projects.
As you strive to grow your company, the industry evolves with you: At the start of the game, in the ’80s, you develop for a computer based on the Commodore 64. By the late ’90s, you’ll target the “Playsystem.” These shifts in the landscape are among the many factors you’ll have to consider now that you’re successful enough to rent an office and hire a team.
Salaries, marketing, interviews, cost control. The bigger you are, the busier it gets. But it’s worth it for the thrill of releasing a monster hit that earns 10 out of 10 reviews. Sounds like a great opportunity for a sequel...