The Business genre in video games focuses on economic management, entrepreneurship, and financial strategy. Players take on the role of a business owner, manager, or tycoon, making key decisions to grow and sustain a company, industry, or economy.
Key Characteristics:
Economic Management & Strategy:
Players must balance income and expenses, manage resources, and make smart investments.
The goal is often to maximize profits and expand a business empire.
Business & Industry Simulation:
Many games simulate real-world industries, such as retail, real estate, media, and stock markets.
Some games let players run companies, build infrastructure, or trade goods.
Decision-Making & Risk:
Players must analyze market trends, set prices, and outcompete rivals.
Some games feature economic crises, market fluctuations, and business rivalries.
Realistic or Lighthearted Approach:
Some games aim for realism, like Capitalism or Transport Tycoon.
Others are simplified or humorous, such as Game Dev Tycoon or Lemonade Tycoon.
Single-Player & Multiplayer Options:
Some business games allow competitive or cooperative multiplayer gameplay, where players build and manage rival companies.
Popular Business Simulation Games:
RollerCoaster Tycoon – Build and manage a profitable theme park.
Capitalism – A highly detailed business simulation covering trade, manufacturing, and finance.
Game Dev Tycoon – A lighthearted simulation about running a video game development studio.
Transport Tycoon – Players build transportation networks for profit.
The Sims: Open for Business – A business expansion where Sims run their own shops.
Monopoly (video game versions) – Digital adaptations of the classic economic board game.
Why Players Enjoy Business Games:
Sense of Achievement – Building a small company into a corporate empire is rewarding.
Deep Strategic Gameplay – Players enjoy solving economic challenges and optimizing profits.
Real-World Application – Business games help players understand economics, markets, and management.
Creative Freedom – Many games let players design and customize their business operations.
The Business genre is perfect for strategy enthusiasts, aspiring entrepreneurs, and players who enjoy financial challenges and economic simulations.
