When gaming first originated, not many people would have predicted the form of entertainment would be used by people who wanted to spend their spare time delving into business ventures.
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Although business simulators may not sound like the most exciting games on paper, many of them have provided players with engrossing, enjoyable, andimmersive experiences. For anyone looking to get into the business simulator genre or for those who are already fans and want something new to play, here are some of the best games available.
Updated on July 07, 2025, by Jack Pursey:It may sound odd, but many business simulators actually providelaid-back, casual experiences. There’s something immensely satisfying about watching a business grow, with the knowledge that any unexpected financial disasters are all just part of the fun.
There are plenty of excellent games from the genre currently on the market, so we’ve updated this list to include some more ofthe best business sims.
13Farming Simulator (Series)
TheFarming Simulatorseries is one of the most recognizable names in the business simulator genre today. The game was influential in changing public opinion on business sims, as the game was joked about and became a bit of a meme in the mid-2010s, though people soon realized that there was value in games about real-world jobs and business growth.
TheFarming Simulatorseries is addictive for how much room there is for players to grow their business, with better vehicles, bigger land, and new business opportunities all being obtainable.
12Euro Truck Simulator 2
Like theFarming Simulatorseries, many people struggled to see the appeal ofEuro TruckSimulator 2before playing it. After giving it a try, however, many people came to appreciate the game’s simplicity and how the game lets them drive a type of vehicle that many of them never will in real life.
Euro Truck Simulator 2is aperfect podcast game, as it’s easy to switch off mentally, put headphones in, and drive across some of Europe’s roads while trying to build a business empire. The game also has anexcellent modding communitythat continue to expand on the game.
11Tropico 4
Tropico 4was released on Xbox 360 and PC in 2011 before coming to Mac just under two years later. The game is the first, but certainly not the lastcity-building gameto appear on this list, thoughTropico 4differentiates itself from the other games with its emphasis on politics.
Tropico 4was fairly well-received by fans and critics, exemplified by its impressive PC and Xbox 360 Metascores of 78 and 77, respectively. The non-Mac iterations of the game were developed by Bulgarian-based development studio Haemimont Games, the team behind 2018’sSurviving Mars.
10Zoo Tycoon 2
Arguably the second most well-known business simulator series behindRollerCoaster Tycoon,the originalZoo Tycoongame was released in 2001 by Microsoft to impressive commercial success.Zoo Tycoon 2was released just over three years later and continued the series' trend of achieving excellent sales figures.
Despite the success,Zoo Tycoonwasn’t a huge hit with critics, as many of them felt that the Campaign mode was too easy and simplistic. It’s hard to argue against this point, though it’s not what most fans spent their time doing in the game. Instead of playing the campaign, manyZoo Tycoon 2players spent their time in the Freedom mode, which allowed them to flex their creative muscles and build the best, or in most cases, worst Zoo imaginable.
9RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
As alluded to before,RollerCoaster Tycoonis by far the most universally recognized business simulator that the genre has to offer, so much so that many people who have virtually no interest in video games are aware of the theme park management title and often have fond memories of it.
Similar toZoo Tycoon2, players can either complete set objectives in the Scenario mode or create their own experience using the Scenario Editor. Impressively,RollerCoaster Tycoon 2was designed and programmed by just one person, Chris Sawyer.
8Cities: Skylines
Cities: Skylinesis one of the most successful business simulators released in the last decade. As well as its commercial success, the game has also received praise from fans and critics, exemplified by itsPC Metascore of 85andSteam All Reviews mark of Very Positive.
Cities: Skylinesadopts a more serious approach than the previous twoTycoongames on this list, though it can still be great fun to play. To be successful in the game, players need to build a city that takes realistic factors into account, such as pollution, travel, employment, and finances.
7Harvest Moon: Back to Nature
The farming business has been one of the business sim genre’s most successful institutions, and theHarvest Moonseries, now known asStory of Seasons,was one of its pioneers.Harvest Moon: Back to Naturewas the third game in the franchise to be released on home console, followingHarvest Moon 64and the original SNES game simply titledHarvest Moon.
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Like many games in the farm management genre,Harvest Moon: Back to Naturebegins with the player inheriting a farm from a relative before being tasked with restoring the farm to its former glory.
6Game Dev Story
A video game about making a video game may sound like an odd concept at first. However, the Japanese development team Kairosoft did a fantastic job at makingGame Dev Storyan enthralling experience.
Game Dev Storywas initially released on PC exclusively in Japan all the way back in 1997. However, the game finally got a worldwide release over ten years after it initially hit stores in Asia, as it came to iOS and Android devices in 2010.Game Dev Storywas then released on Nintendo Switch in 2018, making the classic Japanese game available to even more players.
5Motorsport Manager
Motorsport Managerwas initially released on iOS devices in 2011 before coming to Android, PC, Mac, and Nintendo Switch in the years that followed. The racing business andmanagement gameis among the most in-depth simulators available on mobile devices, leading to the game’s impressive critical reception and subsequent88 Metascore.
Sports fans may also want to check out Sports Interactive’sFootball Managerseries, which can certainly compete withMotorsport Managerin terms of quality, though it doesn’t feature on this list due to its lack of business elements.
4Two Point Hospital
Running a hospital may sound like the most stressful task in the world, though ironically,Two Point Hospitalis one of the most enjoyable and bizarrely entertaining entries on this list. The game begins with players needing to create normal hospital facilities such as reception areas,wards,and pharmacies, before swiftly requiring players to build peculiar rooms such as a Clown Clinic after a circus comes to town.
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Two Point Hospital’s main strength is that it never takes itself too seriously but still offers a well-balanced game that is rewarding to play.
