While watching The Game Awards a few weeks back, it occurred to me how much of a turn-off the term ‘cozy game’ has become. I’ve developed an almost Pavlovian response to the genre. Every time a trailer was introduced by someone describing it as a “cozy” game, I got up and went to the bathroom.
Not every genre is for everyone. I’m the same way about sports games and fighting games too. While everyone foams out the mouth for every new Street Fighter trailer, I usually use that opportunity to browse my spam folder. It’s okay if there are certain genres you don’t like, and a lot of people just aren’t interested in cozy games.
Cozy Games Are Great, The Term Cozy Games Is Not
The thing is, I like cozy games. I’ve played and enjoyed tons of self-described cozy games, from serene puzzlers like A Little To The Left and Gorogoa, to emotional narrative-driven experiences like Venba and Spiritfarer. Cozy games got a lot of us through the pandemic, and their relaxing, escapist qualities are not lost on me. I like cozy games, I just don’t like the name “cozy games.”
Like Steampunk or Noir, Cozy Games aren’t a genre, they’re a vibe. It’s a sensibility used to describe the feeling the game will give you, rather than what the gameplay experience actually is. Puzzle games, farming sims, life sims, and adventure games are all described as cozy, but all of those types of games appeal to different kinds of players.
The problem with cozy games is that the term isn’t defined by what it is, but rather what it’s not. Cozy games aren’t combat-focused and they don’t center violence in the narrative or gameplay. They aren’t competitive, and they won’t test your reflexes or ability to make quick decisions. If you describe something as a cozy game you’re signifying that it’s not part of the mainstream hegemony of triple-A action games. There’s an inherent rejection of other games in the cozy game branding that’s starting to feel more and more insincere as time goes on.
More Useful Ways To Describe Games
It’s not a particularly useful label outside of marketing, which makes using it feel like PR speak. If I was telling a friend about House Flipper I would describe the game’s mechanics, explain what you do in it, and give them a sense of the aesthetic. I’d say it was a renovation simulator, it would never occur to me to describe it as cozy.
When I hear cozy games these days, I immediately think that someone is trying to cash in on a trend that has been oversatured for over a year ago. It’s an unnecessary and useless term. Just show us the game, describe what it’s about, and I’ll decide if it looks cozy to me. Ask one hundred people their favorite cozy game and they’ll all tell you it’s whatever game they play to feel relaxed. For some people, that could be Dark Souls. Dark Souls is a cozy game if you think it is. The term isn’t helping us define anything.
I haven’t written off cozy games altogether. There’s a few I’m looking forward to this year, including the time-killing simulator While Waiting and horror farming sim We Harvest Shadows, but the sooner we drop the cozy branding, the better.
Restore your grandfather’s farm to its former glory in Stardew Valley, a charming indie simulation role-playing game developed by Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone. Along the way you’ll meet new friends, romance villagers, and explore deep caves for the materials you’ll need to craft, build, and grow.