If someone invents Working In An Office Simulator, then I’m boned
Despite mainly playing all my games on PC, I’ve never been bitten by the simulation bug. There’s no copies of Euro Truck Simulator or Farming Simulator lurking in my Steam library. Still, I’m keen to know who plays these games. A recent BBC article has talked to a number of simulator fans and what’s really interesting is the fact that a lot of people are playing simulators of their own jobs. Yes, truck drivers and farmers are actually playing simulators of those occupations.
Dale and Ross are two guys living in the South West of England that love playing Farming Simulator whilst also working on an actual farm. “I love the game to be honest,” Ross says. “It cheers you up if you come home and you’ve had a horrible day at work in the rain.” A poll on a UK Farming Sim forum asked the users why they play the game and the surprising (to me at least) results were that a lot of players were indeed farmers who just enjoyed playing the game, just as much as non-farmers enjoy the experience.
Other players, like Victoria, say the community in games such as ARMA are the reason she spends long hours playing. She unfortunately has suffered an illness that’s left her with limited mobility and so playing Euro Truck Simulator has allowed her to virtually travel and see the sights of Europe, something she wouldn’t normally get the chance to do. I suppose the thing to keep in mind is that people enjoy videogames for different reasons — I mean, it sounds obvious but it begs repeating, sometimes.
What’s the appeal of playing ‘mundane’ simulator games? [BBC News]