10 Best Games To Run Your Own Business
Video games are always a good way to make money.
You might want to play a certain video game for a lot of different reasons. To feel like a hero by saving the world from aliens or to relax by playing a simple race game. But sometimes, the best way to forget about work is to act like you have a different job.
If you’re in that kind of mood, why not go all the way and play a game where you get to run your own business? Entrepreneurship can be scary, but when it’s all done online, it sure takes some of the stress away. These are some games to try out if you want to start a new life as a rollercoaster engineer or have always thought what it would be like to be a space bounty hunter.
The first game in the Tycoon series, Rollercoaster Tycoon, was released in 1996. Since then, a lot of people have had fun with their jobs thanks to the Tycoon series.
Even with the basic form of Rollercoaster Tycoon, you can have a crazy amount of detail and creativity. Who hasn’t wanted to own their own theme park, watch families run around and have fun, and maybe trap a few rowdy guests in an endless loop?
This is a game you can spend hours on, whether you’re interested in business planning or just want to try your hand at building roller coasters.
Two Point Hospital
Healthcare is an important business that is often hard to understand. What better way to try it out than to start from scratch and build a hospital in Two Point Hospital?
It’s also true from the ground up. You can make your hospital do whatever you think is important, floor by floor. There are a lot of people waiting for care, and there will also be other situations that need your attention. It’s a fun, fast-paced way to play a business simulation game that you won’t forget anytime soon.
Game Dev Tycoon
What about making a game or watching one? If you don’t find that too meta, then you should check out Game Dev Tycoon.
It’s a game about starting your own game company, and it’s pretty bright and happy. It’s fun to make decisions about your game and move it to different stages of growth. But the schedules can be stressful, and you may end up having more respect for the people who make the games you love to play.
Rise Of Industry
When you want a game about having a business, you might want to think about something bigger than a gas station or hospital. Rise of Industry is a game to play in those situations.
You start from scratch with your own profitable set of business routes. Everything is here for you to figure out: supply lines, crops, industry, and money. There’s something so satisfying about seeing your business grow from a small start to a real company. This is your best bet if you want to feel like a powerful business owner.
Stardew Valley
It can be messy to run a farm, but it’s a little easier when all the dirt is virtual. Stardew Valley is a great game for people who want to run a farm but also want a game that is good for them.
Your grandfather died suddenly, but it gave you a chance to start over. Plant crops, fix up and improve the family farm, and even talk to the people who live nearby. It’s certainly less difficult than running your own business.
Prison Architect
Prison Architect is a weirdly fun game to get into, but it’s not for people who don’t like how the jail industry works.
Building and running your dream jail is an odd idea, but it doesn’t get old fast at all. It’s drawn in a funny cartoon style, but as your lines start to go down, the needs of your prisoners and guards will often feel too serious. It’s a fun and strange take on management games, but it’s easy to get started with.
Industry Giant 2
You just want to go big sometimes. Industry Giant 2 can show you what it would be like to be the next Rockefeller if you’ve ever wanted to.
In Doodle Baseball game, you don’t deal with the nuts and bolts of business. You always look at the bigger picture instead. In this game, you have to keep an eye on the stock market, do better than your competitors, and become an all-around economic giant. Be careful, though, because there are a lot of things that can get in the way.
Eve Online
Even though Eve Online isn’t advertised as a business game, you can spend a lot of time running one of the many trades in space.
MMOs are great for roleplaying as any character you want. In this game, you can play as a bounty hunter, a ship sales agent, a spy, or a guide, among other things. The best part is that, as long as you’re serious, the other players will probably be glad to let you play any role you want.
Hardspace: Shipbreaker
Normal jobs in the modern world can get a little boring at times. Sometimes you think about what you might do for work in the future. Shipbreaker has the answers to these questions in Hardspace.
Imagine working in a space dump. That’s how the game starts, but it’s a lot more fun than that makes it sound. Cut apart high-tech planes to get useful materials that can be used to make even better tools. Even though it’s not as action-packed as most science fiction, it’s still a lot of fun.
SnowRunner
Blue-collar jobs also deserve to be talked about. Why not make yourself comfortable at your desk or on the couch and pretend to be a rescue driver in the wild?
SnowRunner is a great simulation game where you have to balance materials and different types of vehicles to get around on cold trails. For an easy game, it can get pretty complicated. It makes you think about physics and what some vehicles can do that others can’t. If you want something different from driving games, you don’t have to look any further.