Rethinking the concept of ‘cosy’ in video games
The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is like junk-food to me
I’ve postponed my monthly subscription as I focus on the start of my new apprenticeship through January (more about that coming soon). But no doubt I’ll end up returning to it at some point this year and begin playing again regularly, as I always seem to do.
ESO is comfort food in gaming form. It’s easy to consume, just like opening a packet of biscuits and not noticing how many you’ve eaten until it’s empty. This game welcomes me with open arms and its like I’ve never been away whenever I log in. Familiar mechanics, straightforward gameplay and no learning curve provide a refuge where I can forget about deadlines, meetings and to-do lists.
As lovely as this sounds, it isn’t a title many gamers would typically define as ‘cosy’. Cosy video games are generally regarded as those featuring charming environments, soothing soundtracks, a simple playing experience and low-stress objectives. Such releases evoke emotions of warmth and relaxation, and usually focus on creating an inviting atmosphere of tranquillity.
This is the reason why using the term to refer to a specific type of game annoys me a little. I’ve discussed this briefly over on the Later Levels’ Twitch channel several times. When you conduct a cursory analysis using the elements described above, ESO doesn’t quite fit into this genre of gaming – but it’s definitely a cosy experience for me personally. I get the same warm feelings from it as someone else might get from playing something like Animal Crossing, for example.
Common themes which probably spring to mind include exploration of cute worlds with an emphasis on community, relationships and creativity. Characters are often friendly anthropomorphic animals who like to take part in gentle activities such as farming and fishing. There tends to be a reference to the passing seasons too, either directly through the environment or represented by stages in the protagonist’s life, which allows the developer to use a warm colour palette to invoke nostalgia.
But in reality, what makes a game ‘cosy’ to an individual player is purely subjective. It depends entirely on their preferences and can’t be boiled down into a single genre. Look at the words I’ve used in the paragraphs above to describe a cosy experience: charming, soothing, simple and low-stress. This sums up how I feel about the time I spend with ESO, although to someone else it could be considered an overwhelming, stress-inducing nightmare that they want to stay away from.
Unsurprisingly, point-and-clicks are another type of cosy game for me because of my familiarity with them. There’s nothing I like better than having a new adventure ready to go on a quiet Saturday morning, knowing there’s nothing else I have to do for the weekend other than enjoy the story. But I understand that these releases don’t appeal to everyone. The thought of hunting for pixels, wading through dialogue trees and solving obtuse puzzles may put other players off immediately.
It works the same in reverse. For example, several blogger friends have recommended Witch Beam’s Unpacking to me several times – a release which is generally regarded as being cosy. I tried to play it last year during a day off work but it ended up being uninstalled around half an hour later. It may have received favourable reviews and several awards, but I found it rather boring; there was nothing there to keep me focused and my mind kept wandering off to other things I could have been doing.
Categorising video games as ‘cosy’ based on the predetermined elements described earlier therefore seems very limiting. An individual’s tastes and experiences shape their experience of comfort and it extends far beyond a warm colour palette or fishing mini-game. The essence of cosiness lies in the personal connection they make with a title, and what fosters this is different for everyone. It could be an engaging narrative, a charming setting, a serene atmosphere – or even the thrill of running into a dungeon with a sword in hand.
Perhaps I’m becoming a bit cynical in my old age, but I can’t help thinking that this is just another trend publishers are eager to jump on to boost their profits. I’m almost certain there are executives sitting in an office somewhere right now, declaring that slapping the word ‘cosy’ on their marketing material will guarantee sales of their latest release. The influx of emails I’ve received over the past couple of months that include the term in their subject line is ridiculous, so much so that I now ignore it completely.
Let me be clear: the type of game typically classified as ‘cosy’ will never really appeal to me. However, I do understand that titles like Stardew Valley, Cozy Grove and Lemon Cake have their merits and are loved by many. But adopting a broader perspective allows for a more inclusive view of comfort in gaming. Appreciating the diversity of tastes within the community enriches it as a whole and demonstrates that the definition of comfort is as varied as the players themselves.
We may play video games for different reasons, but there’s a thread that connects everyone. We all want to escape the real world for a while by immersing ourselves in digital lands and forming emotional connections with the characters that reside in them. The thrill of ESO might be the perfect game to achieve that for some, while the simplicity of Animal Crossing might provide it for others. The beauty of gaming lies in its ability to cater to all kinds of preferences so there’s a realm for every player to find solace in.
Dammit. I’ve now written yet another post that mentions ESO. I guess that means my subscription will now be renewed within the next week.
Mr. Wapojif
8 months agoThe “cosy” genre thing is a bit of a lazy title to slap over things, but I guess it works if you want to categorise certain titles together. It’s just a bit of an annoying word.
But I must add, your blind hatred of Unpacking and campaign against it has GONE TOO FAR this time!! When I get round to streaming, I’ll get my vengeance with a 48-hour solid Unpacking stream with no breaks. Revenge is a dish best served unpacked (yeah, that didn’t work but it’s first thing in the morning).
Kim
8 months ago48-hour Unpacking stream? Pfft, that’ll send everyone to sleep faster than Snorefield.
Mr. Wapojif
8 months agoOkay then, 24 hours of Unpacking followed by 24 hours of Snorefield. Best stream eva!
Kim
8 months agoWhere do I sub?
Mr. Wapojif
8 months agoI DO NOT KNOW YET!!!
Frostilyte
8 months agoCozy is absolutely being used as a marketing term because it’s ‘hot’ right now. Stardew Valley opened the floodgates for a bunch of indie devs, but I think the overwhelming success of the latest Animal Crossing game really did it. When Disney gets involved then you know it’s all about the money.
Kim
8 months agoI guess it’s the same as when publishers started putting ‘indie’ on all their marketing years ago. The ‘cosy’ term now seems to be associated with anything, including games which wouldn’t typically be classified as such – which is kind of the point I’m promoting in this post, except that it’s associated with profit rather than player experience.
One of these days I’ll finally get around to writing something about why I hate Disney so much… 😆
Frostilyte
8 months agoI hadn’t thought of that, but it’s an excellent parallel, yeah. Marketing people out here driving language into the ground all so they can show that they helped move 10% units sold of something.
It was a deliberate decision to call-out Disney there, and I’d certainly be interested in reading your thoughts on them. My dislike for them is quite simple: they’ve attempted to kill the public domain. Multiple times. Despite the majority of their properties originating from the public domain. Talk about poisoning the well water. >_>
Kim
8 months agoI had to watch a case study video this week and, funnily enough, it featured Disney. It was hosted by the Disney+ director for content management and he made a comment about how moving to an AWS product allowed them to provide an ‘even more magical experience’ to their customers, because ‘magical is a word we use a lot in our business’. I mean, FFS.
Cozy Bear
8 months agoI 100% agree that cozy/cosy gaming is entirely subjective. There is, ofc, certain titles that are categorized as cozy, such as animal crossing, but I do think it’s whatever game can offer a sense of comfort for you. I think lots of people find comfort in MMOs too! In fact, my cozy MMO is FFXIV, but I actually played ESO too for several years and that was definitely a comfort game for me too! For me, cozy often implies inclusion too. For example, with MMOs, a lot of them really do offer something for everyone, and I think that can really foster community, a sense of belonging, and connection. Some people might want to go about it solo, exploring, questing, clearing maps. Others might want to challenge themselves by getting all the dungeon achievements. Some might want to RP. Craft. Fish! It’s something I really appreciate about MMOs such as ESO and FFXIV – you’re likely to find something you enjoy in it.
Kim
8 months agoI love what you say here about inclusion. That sense of belonging and community around game definitely helps to make it feel cosy!
I think that’s one of the reasons why I keep returning to ESO. When I’ve had a bad day, I can find a solo spot and do a bit of fishing. When I’m online with friends, we can find a few monsters to battle (and usually some high cliffs to jump off). And when you’re in an area with lots of other players, it’s almost guaranteed that something funny will happen.
kaytalksgames
8 months agoI’ve felt this way about horror games before, so I definitely agree it isn’t a one-size-fits-all label!
Kim
8 months agoCoincidentally, I started thinking about horror games after I’d finished the draft for this post! My conclusion was that most genre titles describe something you ‘do’ – action, shooter, point-and-click, for example. But there are two exceptions to this as they more describe a feeling: cosy and horror. Maybe that’s part of the reason why they lend themselves better to a more open interpretation.
I’m sure there’s an idea for another post in there somewhere…
Amcdaniels
8 months agoYou really made me think about what I consider “cosy”. I enjoy titles like Stardew and Animal Crossing, but I’ve never really thought of the word “cosy” as a genre. It’s more something I would use to describe a game that I find comforting in some way, like…returning to an old friend after being away for a few months, for example.
Although I would consider Stardew that for me personally, other titles I would consider “cosy” for me would be games such as Dead Space & Bioshock. Games I’ve plenty multiple times, and love to jump back into every year. I suppose you could say my definition of “cosy” is akin to “comfort” games.
Kim
8 months agoI was having a conversation about this with friends over the weekend and we came to a similar conclusion. The notion of ‘cosy’ seems to be really closely tied with nostalgia and comfort. One of them said that Unpacking makes them feel nostalgic, even though it’s quite a new game, because some of the objects remind them of their childhood.
Amcdaniels
7 months agoI can understand the idea behind that. To me, I think “cosy” games are around what you said, and when thinking about nostalgic, I suppose Pokemon comes to mind. I always feel comforted when playing a Pokemon game, new or old, because I grew up with it as a series.
Kim
7 months agoAh, this is exactly the same with Monkey Island for me! I loved the series as a kid so it always make me feel really nostalgic when I replay any of the games. 🙂
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Nikki
7 months agoI love that ESO is a comfort game for you, as its the same for me and my partner. It’s one we love to go back to.
Kim
7 months agoI haven’t yet renewed my subscription… but it’ll happen at some point, I always end up going back. Perhaps I’ll see you around!
iainmew
7 months agoI like your reframing of cosy! I just started playing Forza Motorsport 4 for my blog, and while I’ve never played it before and it’s a series that I’ve barely played, I’m finding it a decidedly cosy experience in just the ways you talk about. It’s a genre that I’ve spent so long playing that I can settle into something new and it feels low stress and low stakes. Plus I can happily stick on my own music without it detracting from the experience too much, which is always a plus to cosiness.
Kim
7 months agoI love this! It’s lovely to hear you’ve found a new cosy game while completing the challenge for your blog. Although racing games aren’t really my thing, I have a few friends that play them and they all say the same thing: they allow them to zone out after a day at work and switch off for a while.
Looking forward to seeing if there are any other unexpectedly-cosy games that crop up in the number ones! 😀
Murmillo Mint
5 months agoCertainly cozy is not fully accurate, but I think a game calling itself cozy would imply that there will be no aggressive elements like death or heavy themes such as war or abuse etc. A game can become cozy through experience, but not every game is made to be so.
What I might experience playing deep rock galactic solo, a sometimes stressful game that has become “cozy” to me through repetition, is what stardew valley and animal crossing hope to deliver immediately without that familiarization period.
Otherwise yes, I do find many genres like the dreaded “souls like” are thrown around more for marketing weight than anything else and cozy seems to be another casualty of that kind.
Kim
5 months agoSome great points raised here. It has been a while since I wrote this post and, thinking back over it now, maybe the issue I have is more with lazy marketing than the term ‘cosy’ itself. There are certain words which make me switch off instantly because I feel like I’ve been bombarded with them. I guess this subject is a whole new post in itself… 😉
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