When we started Comfy Cozing Gaming, one of our first articles was about how “cozy is in the eye of the beholder,” and that’s something we still stand by. However, the landscape of cozy gaming has exploded since then, and nearly two years later, it’s a topic that I’d like to revisit.
The Stereotype of Cozy Games
Firstly, we should talk about the expectations of cozy gaming as a genre. While we think everyone has individual tastes, we can’t deny that there is a formula to the cozy game. There’s an expectation of what will be received when a developer labels their game as “cozy.”
Cozy isn’t so much an aesthetic as it is a vibe. You could have realistic graphics or present a game about being a cemetery attendant. The graphics and the story are not what make games cozy. Period. Full stop.
That doesn’t mean, however, that cute graphics and a heartwarming story don’t help to accentuate the good vibes of the game. They’re just not as important as the gameplay aspect.
When it comes to designing a game for cozy gamers, it really doesn’t matter what the subject matter is. You can make the tried and true farming sim (Wylde Flowers), a bullet heaven (Cozy Space Survivors), or even a horror game (Grunn). The important thing to keep in mind is that relaxation is the aim of the game.
There will always be exceptions to the rules. Cozy isn’t going to be a hard outline that must be followed. But, generally speaking, you’re looking to provide a game with no time limits, no hard difficulties, light to no boss battles, and flexibility to pace at one’s own speed.
The Illusion of Cozy Games
We touched briefly on what the illusion or the misunderstanding of what cozy gaming is, but let me be a bit more specific. With the rise of cozy gaming, I’ve noticed a trend pop up lately that has been a bit frustrating. I’m not sure where the disconnect comes in on whether this is a developer-led problem or a PR firm trying to capitalize on what’s trendy now.
I’ve noticed an uptick in my PR e-mails where a game is described as cozy based solely on the graphics. Dark Souls, but with little animal characters that you can dress up, is still Dark Souls. I’m exaggerating, of course. Though I’m not unconvinced that ‘Dark Souls but make it cute’ doesn’t exist.
Usually, these games are high-stress, on the rails, and timed, but because it’s full of soft colors and round shapes, it must be cozy! Nope. It’s just visually appealing. It’s still a hellscape designed to make my blood pressure rise and kick my adrenaline into high gear. Decidedly not cozy.
Honestly, a lot of people are getting behind the idea that cozy is what you make it and I have to wonder if there’s a correlation between that and the misunderstanding of the cozy formula, which leads me into the reality of cozy gaming.
The Reality of Cozy Games
The truth of the matter is that cozy games exist within two camps: personal and commercial. Personally speaking, cozy is what relaxes you. If that’s Dark Souls, then it’s Dark Souls. If FPS shooters, boss take-downs, or besting the ticking clock is your jam, then that’s your cozy game! But it’s your personal brand of cozy that may not be shared by the wider demographic.
Commercially, cozy gaming fits into a stereotype. This is what will appeal to the cozy gamer on a wide spectrum. Here is where you’ll find your hundreds of farming sims, your organization games, and charming explorations. There are so many of these because they fit the mold. Cozy gamers want to chill out without feeling pressure to perform.
But, as we’ve already discussed, there are exceptions to the rule. Not every cozy game will tick every box of the cozy stereotype and it doesn’t have to. So long as the gameplay supplies a way to enjoy the game at a less intense, more sedate pace, then it’s cozy.
The Conclusion
So, where does that leave us? Well, it leaves us with the need for a deeper understanding that the cozy gaming experience exists on a spectrum. On a personal note, there’s no right or wrong way to game cozily. But, on a commercial level, you’re going to find more pushback if the gameplay is catered to the minority rather than the majority.
The cozy gaming movement is far-reaching and spilling into games that you wouldn’t expect, like horror games that come out with cozy modes. I don’t think the cozy experience should stay in a box; the lines should blur in an effort to bring more genres to the cozy gamer.
I just think that we need to be a bit more honest about what that might actually mean. Saying a game is cozy elicits certain ideals about what to expect. Whereas, if your game may not be stereotypically cozy, saying that your game has cozy elements tempers the expectations that the average cozy gamer may have
It’s only natural that we see some growing pains as everyone tries to figure it out, especially as cozy gaming continues to pick up speed. I hope to see more games coming out that try to bring cozy into different settings. We just have to be mindful of how we present them with the knowledge that personal cozy and commercial cozy are viewed differently.
“Cozy” word count: 47 – And yes, my editor hates it.
