Simulation games have been around for ages, but they keep getting better — and way more niche. While our gaming days of yore included lengthy SimCity sessions and seriously unsafe amusement parks in RollerCoaster Tycoon, more modern entries put players in control of some odd and offputting life experiences.

Career sims are among the most popular, but even those champing at the bit to become a grazing goat have options, too. 

These 10 oddly specific indie titles give gamers the chance to try their hand at a new career without the weight of real-world stressors. All games listed are available on digital video game distributor Steam today!

Sticky Business (2024)

 

Create a cozy sticker shop from the comfort of your couch in Sticky Business. Charming pixel graphics, unfettered creativity, business basics, and touching customer testimonials — all yours to relish in Sticky Business, provided you don’t let your small business go belly-up.

Once your creations are ship-ready, package them up and deliver them directly to your loyal sticker shoppers.

Not For Broadcast (2022)

Not For Broadcast is an unsettling full-motion propaganda simulator from British studio NotGames. From inside a television studio control room, players curate, change, withhold, or otherwise control the information audiences receive. 

Be careful — your actions will impact the world you live in; you just might not see it yet.

TCG Card Shop Simulator (2024)

Open a small (and hopefully stank-free) card shop in TCG Card Shop Simulator. As a shop owner, players can distribute sought-after booster packs, raise and lower prices, host exciting events, and hire or terminate staff, among other small biz fundamentals.

Gamers can even expand their storefront if they play their cards right (see what I did there?).

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Schedule I (2025)

A viral sensation for its adult themes and absurdity — and, more recently, a potential lawsuit — Schedule I gives gamers the chance to channel their inner Walter White.

Manufacture illicit substances, distribute them to community members, and graduate from your position as part-time pusher to citywide problem.

BeamNG.drive (2015)

If you’re on TikTok or Instagram Reels, there’s no doubt you’ve seen those wild 3D car crash simulation clips. While players won’t exactly issue the next J.D. Power award, they CAN tinker with various vehicles risk-free, smashing and skrrrt-ing to their heart’s content.

No one’s playing for realism; in BeamNG.drive, crash your car in a controlled environment (i.e., your Steam Deck).

A Game About Digging A Hole (2025)

The name’s the game, bestie. As a shovel-wielding new homeowner, gamers get to take landscaping to the next level. Dig a massive hole, collect resources, and manipulate leveled-up equipment to hasten the destruction of your private property.

If you’ve ever wanted to dig ’til you popped out on the other side of the planet, you might like this super-straightforward sim.

PC Building Simulator (20191)

Use the PC you built to build another! I reckon this one’s a lot cheaper, though…

Take the lead in your own workshop, where gamers can tinker with customers’ gaming rigs, repair components, or remodel with reckless abandon in the game’s “Free Build” mode. No waiting in line for a GPU is necessary, but you’ll be able to toy with real-world brands’ components.

PowerWashing Simulator (2022)

If you enjoy watching ASMR, rug-cleaning videos, or hoof-trimming clips, PowerWash Simulator‘s ultra-satisfying gameplay is right up your alley. Upgrade nozzles, spray intricate stages, and renew your waterproof apparel down to the gloves. The popular title will soon get its long-awaited sequel, but today, antsy cleaners can hose down new locations found in PowerWash Simulator‘s stacked DLC selection.

Let’s School (2023)

You’ve returned to your old-school alma mater, but this time around, you’re running the show. Recruit pupils, hire and fire staff, and construct your perfect campus using Let’s School‘s awesome in-game tools. Monitor faculty and student performance, put the kibosh on any on-campus antics, and turn your old classroom into a pupil’s paradise. You’re in charge, after all.

Thief Simulator (2019)

Roam your neighborhood and cause trouble in Thief Simulator, a crime-based sim that lets players take advantage of their five-finger discount.

Scout locations, observe behaviors, and pick up on patterns — all elements that’ll help you optimize your B&Es.

Will you get caught, or will you leverage learned info to become the best burglar ever?

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