Business doesn't always have to be serious. Business can be fun. Also, companies usually have a strict set of rules and revolve around resource allocation. In a way, business in the real world is already kind of a game. But if you want to play this game, it's actually much easier to fire up your PC and play one of the many simulations big business tycoons.
There is a special flavor for everyone. Historical trading simulation? Ended. Current town planning? I got it. Science fiction space station companies? Yes why not.
It's a very eccentric genre on PC, there are few ports on consoles that are above all "passable". Curiously, it seems mobile touchscreen devices are seeing the most innovative new entries here, leading to a small renaissance of a genre that had been on a steady decline into obscurity for years.
Honorable mention
Satisfactory
- Developer: Coffee Stain
- Publisher: Coffee Stain
- Platforms: PC
- Sortie: Early Access mars 2022
Currently available through Early Access at the time of this writing, Satisfactory is a unique look at the factory building tycoon. Players are dropped on an alien planet and with only a few tools. Your job is simple, go around the planet, create resources and build a complex factory for your employer. As you gather more resources, you'll be able to upgrade and build your factory, but you'll have to deal with the hostile aliens that inhabit the world. The game has already become a success and it has not yet been fully launched.
Despite early access, there are updates in the game with the latest addition of new locomotive transport units to the addition of nuclear power sources. Apart from the content, the developers also worked on the actual locations of the environment, such as adjusting the biomes to make it flesh out from other parts of the game world. Once this game releases an access anticipated, the developers plan to offer even more machines, resources, landmarks, creatures, mod support, and even a full narrative. So if you feel the game is currently lacking in any particular area, it should be pretty complete when it releases. Since this game isn't fully released yet, we won't officially rank it on this list, but instead give it an honorable mention.
Zoo Tycoon Series
- Développeur: Blue Fang Games, Frontier Developments, Behaviour Interactive
- Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
- Platforms: PC, X360, XBO
- Released: 2001-2022
Main games
- Zoo Tycoon
- Zoo Tycoon 2
- Zoo Tycoon (2022)
- Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection
The Zoo Tycoon series has a number of installments available on a variety of platforms. Initially, the game came into existence in 2001 by Blue Fang Games development studio. Players are given the leader position when it comes to a working zoo. This means players build the design of the zoo, what animals are on display, businesses available in the zoo location as well as other entertainment for its guests.
Throughout the game, players juggle zoo upkeep and making profits, which can mean listening to patrons' interests at the zoo and their dislikes. Over the years, the game series has swapped different development studios, but the games have continued to follow the same groundwork that Blue Fang Games laid down with the first installment.
As it stands, Frontier Developments has released the latest main installment in the series, with Zoo Tycoon, a reboot of the original video game title. This title was released in 2022 for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 platforms and while both held the same general mechanics that fans of the series are familiar with, there was a campaign mode that offered players a variety of challenges.
That said, if you're looking to enjoy the main classic Zoo Tycoon titles and their various expansion packs, you might want to check out Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection which launched in 2022 for the Xbox One and Xbox One platforms. pc. This collection included the first two Zoo Tycoon games with their expansion packs while also including some new animals and 4K HDR resolution.
# 15 Jurassic World Evolution
- Developer: Frontier Developments
- Publisher: Frontier Developments
- Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
- Released: June 12, 2022
If you enjoy building parks and attractions while managing the business side of things, then you'll want to check out Jurassic World Evolution. The video game was also developed by Frontier Developments who had worked on other beloved tycoon franchises such as RollerCoaster Tycoon and Zoo Tycoon.
With this release, players are in control of building their very own Jurassic Park where you'll manage the design while managing the business when it comes to transporting guests back to the Jurassic Age.
Likewise, there will be a section based on the development of new creatures, similar to the story of Jurassic World. Unfortunately, if you enjoy more in-depth city building and management titles released in the market, you might find this game a bit disappointing but on the other hand, if you find some of the city building and simulation games popular ones to be too overwhelming, we suggest you try this game.
# 14 Tropico 6
- Developer: Limbic Entertainment
- Publisher: Kalypso Media
- Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
- Released: March 29, 2022
Tropico received a new episode in 2022 and if you have played past episodes you will be quite familiar with Tropico 6. This is a series where players take on the role of a leader, known as a El Presidente, who controls a Caribbean. Isle. As a leader, you will have control over a variety of aspects ranging from political situations, laws and overall management to the island itself. Now, as done before, players will take control of the island over a period of four eras, but depending on how you handle various situations will determine whether your island thrives or you end up facing a revolt.
# 13 Surviving Mars
- Developer: Haemimont Games
- Publisher: Paradox Interactive
- Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
- Released: March 15, 2022
Within Surviving Mars, players will be on the cold red planet where their only objective is to manage and oversee the colonization of the new world. Of course, there will be challenges that arise, giving players difficult obstacles to overcome.
It is also a city builder type game where players will have to build their colony and gather resources to maintain their colonization. As a result, the game will have a bit of a strategy element to the gameplay.
# 12 RollerCoaster Tycoon Series
- Développeur: Chris Sawyer Productions, Frontier Developments, n-Space, On5, Nvizzio Creations
- Publisher: Hasbro Interactive, Infogames, Atari
- Platforms: PC, Xbox, iOS
- Released: 1999-2022
Main games
- Roller coaster creator
- RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
- RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
- RollerCoaster Tycoon World
The RollerCoaster Tycoon series is very similar to Zoo Tycoon. Players control a theme park where they must design the layout, hire employees, bring in businesses and maintain the various rides. Essentially, instead of animals like Zoo Tycoon, you trade them in for amusement park rides while retaining the behind-the-scenes adventures of running a business and keeping operations running smoothly.
RollerCoaster Tycoon was also an IP that traded hands between several different development studios where it was created by Christ Sawyer Productions in 1999, but even with the games launched in different development studios, the overall goal and mechanics are intact. For example, the last major video game release, RollerCoaster Tycoon World, launched in 2022 where players again build rides, shops, and manage peer while tweaking the visuals of the latest PC platform components.
This franchise isn't slowing down as Atari has taken note of other installments currently in the works, like RollerCoaster Tycoon for Nintendo Switch.
