The rise of cosy gaming: is this the closest many young people will get to home ownership?
Summary
Cosy gaming is a style of video games that focuses on gentle, relaxing activities like farming or decorating virtual homes. These games have become more popular, especially among young people who face challenges like high unemployment and difficulty buying real homes.Key Facts
- Cosy gaming began with games like Harvest Moon (1996) and The Sims (2000).
- These games focus on low-stress, calming activities rather than violence or competition.
- The number of cosy games on Steam grew from 19 in 2020 to 616 in 2025.
- New cosy games like Hozy let players decorate and fix up virtual abandoned houses.
- Many young people cannot afford real homes due to high prices and unemployment.
- In the UK, 29% of people aged 20-34 still live with their parents.
- Cosy gaming offers a sense of control and satisfaction not often found in real life for young adults.
- Although virtual home-owning is popular, real home ownership comes with many challenges like taxes and repairs.
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