Idle games are all the rage as of late because who doesn’t wanna play games while also, let’s say, surfing for online sales, replying to emails, or getting lost in AITA Reddit posts about scandalous affairs and in-law drama. Valve‘s now boosting games that sit on the fringes of your desktop with the ongoing Steam Idler Fest, an event featuring tons of demos and deals for laidback sims of all kinds.
The Steam Idler Fest is live right now and runs through February 10. As always with the storefront’s genre-specific celebrations, you could lose hours just scrolling through everything that’s had its price tag slashed, so here’s a few recommendations from moi.
Rusty’s Retirement is probably the one that most people are familiar with. It’s essentially a Stardew Valley that plays itself, so, no surprise it’s racked up over 10,000 overwhelmingly positive Steam reviews. Rusty lives alone at the bottom of your screen and it’s your job to help him develop a flourishing, automated farm that becomes ever-complicated (and profitable).
Sticking with the ‘lonely animals that farm’ vibes, we have Ropuka’s Idle Island, which sees an isolated frog-person repeat a chill Groundhog Day. Ropuka lives on a floating island and does nothing but cut grass, nap to recharge stamina, and repeat. It’s quite horrifying when you think about it for too long. So don’t think, because Ropuka’s an otherwise great companion and you can decorate his adorable little home with the grass he gathers. Plus, the lo-fi beats oozing out from the island are perfect if you’re looking for something to help you focus – he’s sweating away while I bring you this very news, in fact.
I’d also recommend My Little Life, which is a largely condensed management game that came out on the very same day as The Sims re-releases and features a lot of the same quirks. You can’t trap your little digital friend inside four walls, delete the door, and watch as they slowly die, sadly, but you can help them progress through the happier stages in life. Decorating a home. Finding companionship. Working through a sustainable career – and that’s almost as fun as summoning the grim reaper.
Not all idle games exist on your desktop, however. Chillquarium has you collecting fish and selling them to turn a profit, while Chonkers makes you adopt cats, feed them until they’re laughably chonky, and then find them a good home. Then, for all the Baldur’s Gate 3 lovers, there’s Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms, a management RPG featuring characters from across the D&D canon.
Steam Idler Fest has discounts and/or highlights all of the above, plus so many more, and also has a page for upcoming idlers you might want to wishlist. Check it out.
For more, keep an eye on the upcoming indie games of 2025 and beyond.