16 Best Virtual Business Simulation Games of 2022
- Business simulation games allow you to experience certain aspects of running a business in a completely virtual, consequence-free environment.
- These simulation games can help you develop hard and soft business management skills.
- To play the 16 business simulation games on this list, you’ll need a PC with enough processing power for video games. Some games are also available on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.
- This article is for entrepreneurs interested in using business simulations to sharpen their skills without real-life repercussions.
Want to launch a business without the risk and hard work? Play a business simulation game. These apps can help you strut your skills without all the drama that comes with a real business. You can manage an amusement park, head a gaming development company or start a farm.
Here’s a look at how business simulation games can help burgeoning entrepreneurs and an overview of the best business simulation games of 2022.
What are business simulation games?
Business simulation games are precisely what they sound like. They’re “edutainment” tools that can help you sharpen your business management skills without any real-world consequences or workplace stress. Your game will resemble real-life business experiences, but any mistakes you make in the game won’t have any real risk or repercussions. All your mistakes happen only in the game.
Key takeaway: Business simulation games help you learn to be a good manager by recreating real-life business environments in fun, stress-free ways.
What are the benefits of playing business simulation games?
The startup mistakes and career mistakes you make in business simulation games can help you avoid similar errors in the real world. Business simulation games can also help you hone all sorts of soft business skills, such as communication, leadership, operations – you name it.
Some business simulation games can help you develop hard skills specific to your industry, as well as many other in-demand skills.
In fact, many of the examples on our list of excellent business simulation games are highly industry-specific.
Key takeaway: Business simulation games help you develop hard and soft business skills without your mistakes having any real-life impact.
The 16 best business simulation games
Ready to improve your business skills without making real-life mistakes that have actual consequences? Get started with the 16 business simulation games below.
1. Youtubers Life
While there was a time when operating a YouTube channel might not have been considered running a business, it’s hard to argue that now. Youtubers Life puts you in the humble shoes of a YouTuber trying to start a channel with some basic equipment.
Like real-life YouTubers, you are motivated by subscribers and views, building your arsenal of equipment to make better videos, building your following and growing your channel. In addition to building a social media presence, you must also manage a social life, education and eventually employees.
Youtubers Life is a single-player video game that was released in 2016. You can buy it on Steam and access it via Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
Youtubers Life 2 dropped in October 2021. It has new features, such as in-game real-life YouTubers, different types of content to cover, and a city you can explore to inspire your content. You can find Youtubers Life 2 on Steam and access it via Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
2. Virtonomics
Used for entertainment, training and leadership development purposes, Virtonomics is a series of multiplayer business simulation games that includes Virtonomics Entrepreneur, Virtonomics Mafia Manager and Virtonomics Tycoon.
In the Virtonomics series, there are no predefined rules to winning or losing, and the game does not end. Although users choose their goals in the game, the most common goal is to build a successful business in a competitive society.
Players can work within many industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, retail, finance, marketing and science.
Virtonomics is a massive multiplayer online game launched in 2006. It’s available in several languages and is free to play online after creating an account.
3. Two Point Hospital
When you play Two Point Hospital, you’re put in the role of a hospital administrator. You build and manage a hospital, cure diseases, and continually improve your hospital and staff.
Along with building a hospital and designing it to improve patient happiness, you’ll be tasked with finding a cure for highly unusual illnesses.
If you’ve been dreaming of running a hospital or want an idea of what being a doctor is like without going to medical school, try Two Point Hospital.
Two Point Hospital is the successor of the popular simulation game Theme Hospital and was released in 2018. It’s available on Microsoft Windows, Linux and macOS through Steam. You can also get it on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.
Tip: In real life, the best medical software, such as Kareo, can help you design a patient-friendly hospital software infrastructure. Read our Kareo review to learn more.
4. Tropico 4
Tropico 4 is one of the most highly reviewed simulation games in the eight-part Tropico series. In a game that combines city management and political manipulation, you are tasked with building an ideal nation across several islands.
As the game progresses, you must learn to cope with being framed for murder and clear your name to eventually rebuild your nation. The game combines strategy, humor and intellect to complete 20 missions spread out over 10 different maps.
Tropico 4 is a single-player game that was released in 2011. Buy it on Steam and access it via Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and macOS. The more recent installation, Tropico 6, is also available for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.
5. Transport Fever
As a successor of Train Fever, Transport Fever adds airports and harbors to the mix, allowing you to become a true transportation magnate rather than simply a master of the rails.
The game starts in 1850, and as time marches forward, so do your transportation options. Your goal is to facilitate transportation both within and between settlements.
You need to make decisions regarding the most cost-effective vehicles to get this done and when to upgrade to new vehicles. You can run a campaign in either the U.S. or Europe, with both offering missions based on historical transportation challenges.
If you want to take a break from the business management aspect of things, there’s a sandbox mode that lets you be a big kid and play with your train, plane and boat lines.
Transport Fever was released in 2016. You can purchase the game on Steam and access it via Microsoft Windows, Linux and macOS.
6. RollerCoaster Tycoon
As part of an amusement park simulation series, RollerCoaster Tycoon takes you through the adventures of building and managing a theme park. As a member of management, you are tasked with constructing and customizing roller coasters and thrill rides.
You can build the ultimate theme park with various coaster types and in-park attractions.
RollerCoaster Tycoon was initially released in 1999, and it’s now available in nine versions. You can buy it on Steam and access it via Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.
7. Rise of Industry
Have you ever wondered what it’d be like to live in the early 20th century? When you play Rise of Industry, you become an early-1900s industrialist. During the game, you build and manage a growing empire. You can build factories and transport lines, keep an eye out for the next big thing, find gaps in the market, and negotiate business deals.
Rise of Industry was released in 2018. You can purchase it on Steam and play it on Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS.
8. Motorsport Manager
Motorsport Manager takes you from behind the wheel and puts you behind the team. In this simulation game, you manage the team responsible for putting a driver on the podium.
You will quickly find, as is so often the case with business simulators, that there is a whole lot more going on behind the scenes than you could have imagined. The early portion of the game is heavy on tutorials to ease you into things so that you aren’t just left spinning your wheels.
From minute details like car components and race-day decisions to big-picture tasks like assembling your team and voting on rules and regulations for the sport, there is a wealth of content at every level.
Motorsport Manager is a single-player game released in 2014. It’s available across several platforms, including Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux and Nintendo Switch.
9. Mashinky
If you love transportation and trains, you may want to check out Mashinky. In the game, you develop a transport business on a procedurally generated map, manage your empire, and improve your assets.
You start the game in control of a transport company. During the game, you lay tracks on hard terrain, buy new vehicles, manage routes, and try to make as much profit as possible.
While the full version of this game has been in development for years, you can be at the forefront and play in early-access mode while the game develops. It is currently available for Microsoft Windows.
10. Job Simulator
Probably no game title suggests business simulation more than the aptly named Job Simulator.
Unlike most business simulators that put you in charge of everything, Job Simulator places you in the role of an office worker, chef, mechanic and convenience store clerk. The game takes place in 2050, where robots have replaced all human jobs, so humans who want to get a taste of what work was like hop into the “Job Simulator.”
The game is a hilarious reimagining of all these jobs, with office workers tapping away at two keys on a giant keyboard, store clerks firing Roman candles at customers, chefs hurling food and mechanics jamming bananas in tailpipes to help cars pass emissions tests.
Job Simulator was released in 2016. It’s a VR game you can access via Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4.
11. Game Dev Story
Making video games for a living is a dream job for many, but if you aren’t ready to take the plunge on that career change, try Game Dev Story.
This game puts you in charge of a small game studio with big aspirations. You build from a few employees to dozens looking to produce a “million-selling game” or eventually create your own game console.
Despite the simple 16-bit graphics, the game is remarkably deep; players are responsible for every aspect of the business beyond creating games, including advertising, conventions, licensing, office space, and hiring and training employees.
Gamers familiar with the console wars of the ’80s to the early 2000s will particularly enjoy Game Dev Story, as there are many nods to classic consoles and events.
Game Dev Story was initially released in 1997 on Microsoft Windows and has since been ported to other platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Nintendo Switch.
Tip: Love gaming and developing games? Become a video game tester who checks for glitches, notes broken applications and ensures game functionality.
12. Farming Simulator 17
Business simulation doesn’t always mean you’ll find yourself in an office. Farming Simulator 17 lets you go hands-on and spend some time driving various vehicles while doing jobs on your farm or other farms.
However, farming is still a business, so at some point, you are going to need to attend to those spreadsheets. These will show your profits and loss on every crop, livestock and forestry. Make the call on when to net the biggest gains from your goods, and you can buy or lease new equipment to make the next season even better.
Farming Simulator 17 was released in 2016. It’s available for purchase via several outlets and can be played on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows and macOS.
13. Cities: Skylines
Running a city can be a lot like running a business. While SimCity started this genre, Cities: Skylines is the reigning champ.
In this game, you wield vastly more power than any mayor or city planner, with the ability to build and destroy as you see fit.
However, the basic strategy is operating within your budget and keeping your workers and customers (in this case, the population) happy.
The scale of Cities: Skylines is truly astounding. While most city builders feel like densely populated islands, if you build out the entire nine regions available to you in this game, you will have a sprawling metropolis on your hands. You can even add an extension pack, such as Industries, where players can customize industrial areas.
Cities: Skylines is a single-player game released in 2015. It’s compatible with PlayStation 4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux.
14. Anno 1404
Anno 1404 (Dawn of Discovery in North America) is part of the seven-game Anno series. It’s a city-building and economic simulation game that takes place in an era mimicking medieval and Renaissance history.
The primary strategy of the game focuses on engaging in trade, stockpiling building material and constructing monuments like a Gothic cathedral and an Arabic mosque.
As the leader, you must colonize islands, create factories and farms for your citizens, embrace diplomatic relationships with AI players, and eventually take part in combat to protect your empire.
Anno 1404 can be a single-player or multiplayer game. It was released in 2009 and is available on Microsoft Windows.
15. Constructor Plus
In Constructor Plus, you’ll build a town full of quirky characters and (hopefully) thriving businesses. You’ll also be responsible for all the town’s architecture, and you can choose from 147 buildings and 65 pre-built cities.
You can decide which gameplay objectives interest you, but your main goal is typically making the greatest profit off your developments. Unusual game features include hitmen and giant cockroaches that can rid your town of undesirable people. Just watch out for the Housing Authority.
Constructor Plus was released in 2019, following the original Constructor game in 1997. It’s available for Nintendo Switch or on Windows via Steam.
16. Space Company Simulator
Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard about the billionaire space race. You can get in on it via the business simulation game Space Company Simulator. Your goal is to make your space travel company the industry’s leading name. While you’re at it, you’ll plan the first human-crewed mission to Mars. As you do so, you can hire new employees, refine your technology, design rockets and so much more.
Space Company Simulator was released in 2019. You can purchase it through Steam to play on Windows.
Max Freedman contributed to the writing and research in this article.
the best PC driving simulators for beginners
Last updated: October 21st, 2022
Since we usually focus on elements of sim racing such as gaming hardware, setup tutorials, and how-to guides here at SimRacingCockpit, I thought it would make a nice change of pace to discuss some of the best sim racing games for any beginners looking to dip their toe into the world of digital motorsport.
Assetto Corsa Competizione
I’ve played many racing games over the last 20 years, resulting in an accumulation of experience and knowledge. Having already shared my advice on building a simulator from scratch, in this post I want to suggest five of the best games, that’ll get your sim racing career started, plus a few more honourable mentions thrown in for good measure.
Getting started: What to consider
When I consider what elements constitute making the best games, two critical factors immediately come to mind: physics and difficulty. Of course, these are not the only considerations to take into account, and it’s also essential to think about the cost, ease of installation, level of support available, and expertise level required. It’s important not to confuse realism in terms of physics and difficulty, because a realistic game could be easy, while a less realistic game could be challenging, and vice versa.
It’s worth investing in the right equipment. See our guide to getting started and building a sim rig here.
Before I mention any gaming titles, I want to point out that if you’re going to start your sim racing career seriously, it’s implicit you own a steering wheel, and preferably a set of pedals. Other peripherals will enhance your experience, but these two pieces of kit are fundamental to getting the most out of any driving game. Naturally, the next item on your list should be a sim racing rig of which there is a range to suit lots of different budgets.
iRacing
First released in 2008, iRacing is the oldest racing game to feature in this guide. Despite that, the fanbase is stronger than ever, and many ingredients attribute to iRacing’s lasting success. The game is available on PC only, and notwithstanding its age, iRacing is updated continuously.
Without a doubt, it’s one of the most realistic racing simulations you can find on the market, and it’s used in most competitive eSports tournaments. Plus, there are a lot of sponsored championships where you can win real money.
BMW Motorsport at Daytona (source)
Moreover, the community is probably the cleanest one on the track compared to other racing games, and there are a few reasons why. It’s partially due to the fact you have to pay a subscription to play the game, generally more than $10 per month. Adding to the subscription price, you need to pay for individual cars and tracks within the game itself for selected rounds. A plus point to this is that there are many tracks and cars to choose from, and the costs vary between $3-$15.
Onboard at Silverstone
Another reason is that if you’re dirty on the track, or generally ignore the rules, you can be banned. There’s also a safety rating (SR) and iRating (iR) system that most drivers seek to improve to allow them access to bigger and better championships.
So, if you don’t want to experience a significant loss of money, you have to be a careful and considerate driver. As a result, people playing the game tend to drive very cleanly on the track, which attracts many new people looking for somewhere to learn the ropes without getting rammed or punted into a barrier.
Of further interest to rookies, the game features many slow and comfortable cars to drive, as well as a lot of easy tracks to learn. However, one thing to keep in mind is that the only available view is from the cockpit. Furthermore, you can’t disable the damage, so if you crash your race is over which many new drivers might not find enjoyable, and for those reasons, I’ve placed it at number 5. Luckily in the last few updates, iRacing introduced artificial intelligence (AI), allowing you to practice in offline races. If you’re keen to get started, check out our guide to iRacing here.
Assetto Corsa Competizione
If it wasn’t for the fact it only features GT4 and GT3 championships, Assetto Corsa Competizione might have been my top recommendation.
Anyway, these limitations take nothing away from what an epic game it is, and when you drive a GT4 car, which is, in my opinion, one of the best car classes to start with when you begin your sim racing career, you can learn the necessary skills involved in motorsports without too much difficulty.
GT4 pack in Assetto Corsa Competizione (source)
GT4 cars have between 350-450 horsepower (hp), making them quite drivable and easy to control.
Additionally, Assetto Corsa Competizione evaluates your skills like car control, track knowledge, pace, etc., which is pretty useful to see how you’re progressing. The AI is highly customizable in terms of aggression and speed, plus for a safe learning environment, you can disable the car damage.
The game is available to play on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and in my opinion, Assetto Corsa Competizione is the game with the best ratio between graphics and realism. That is to say, realism in terms of physics. Lastly, its community continues to grow well, so it earns a solid 4th place on my list.
Assetto Corsa Competizione
RaceRoom
RaceRoom is somewhat the hidden gem in the sim racing world, often overlooked or forgotten. However, it would be foolish not to consider this game as an entry into racing simulators, as it features a great variety of cars, including many front-wheel-drive cars which are easier to control than rear-wheel drive, and this allows new players a great choice to start with, but that’s not the best part; you can download the official game for free! Yes, you read that right.
RaceRoom
Just head over to Steam and grab the game at no cost. That said, not all that glitters is gold, and there is a lot of downloadable content (DLC) you need to buy since the basic game features a limited number of cars and tracks. Of course, this also means the game is only available for PC users.
RaceRoom Spain Funny Cup WTCR Sponsored by simracingcockpit.
com
Released in 2013, it’s now one of the more mature titles on the market, but even though it’s an older game like iRacing, it too continues to be updated by its developers, although the community is far smaller. To build up a decent number of tracks and cars, you’ll probably need to spend anywhere from $20-$30, and there’s no need to pay to race online, in fact, there are no subscriptions at all.
Bathurst 2 Hours on RaceRoom (source)
The driving system is very simulative, and you need to spend a lot of time practising if you want to become competitive, but the cars, especially the less powerful ones, are relatively easy to drive. Of course, if you opt for highly powerful cars, RaceRoom can become very challenging, even for pro drivers. My advice for new drivers would be to stay under the 300 hp mark until you feel more confident. In terms of AI, you can only configure the opponents’ speed, meaning there is no option to tweak the aggression.
All-in-all, RaceRoom is an excellent alternative to the mainstream simulation options, even if the graphics are a bit outdated, putting it in 3rd place, and given that it’s free, why not give it a try!
Rfactor 2
Despite its release in 2012, Rfactor 2 is probably the most realistic game you can get today in terms of physics, and it earns a well-deserved 2nd in terms of the best simulation games available.
Some of its features like tyre deformation and tyre damage are yet to be beaten by other gaming developers, and the way tyres behave in a racing simulator is a crucial factor in determining how realistic it feels. This is because it allows you to feel grip-loss, and it also lets you know when the car is at its limit when cornering. Rfactor 2 is also fantastic in how it relays force feedback to your steering wheel, giving you the feeling and information needed to get the best lap times.
BMW SIM GT Cup on rFactor2 (more)
The main difference with this game compared to the previous three I mentioned is mods. Mods make it easy to add tracks and cars, making the game perfect to learn the basics of car reactions. Basically, you can fully customize the game according to your needs; a huge element that beginners should consider. Also, the game features multiple weather conditions and continues to be regularly updated. The number of players falls somewhere between RaceRoom and iRacing, and similar to these two games, it’s for PC only.
But wait, why no Rally?
Before getting to my last entry in the top five games for sim racing, I want to point out why I’ve excluded games from my favourite driving discipline: rally. There are some great rally simulations on the market such as the World Rally Championship and Dirt Rally franchises, and Richard Burns Rally, which does a great job of teaching rally driving skills, but ultimately, I left these games out for a straightforward reason. Rally is hard. Before buying a full rally simulation, it’s better to learn the basics on a track.
Dirt Rally
So, you ask, why have I not included games from the Formula One franchise, given that they’re track-based games after all. Even though F1 is driven on a track, you mustn’t forget that F1 cars are mighty machines, with around 1000 hp, and before driving cars with such immense power I think it’s better to start with a slower one and develop your skills gradually. That’s what real race drivers do anyway.
Assetto Corsa
My ultimate suggestion for any sim racer new to the party would be Assetto Corsa.
The game is, of course, the older brother of the Competizione title I mentioned above. Released in 2014 on PC and in 2016 on PS4 and Xbox One, the PC version of Assetto Corsa is customizable like Rfactor 2, but with a more significant number of mods. The fact that is available across multiple platforms makes it slightly more beginner-friendly and therefore puts it into my number 1 spot.
The game can be extremely easy or extremely hard in terms of difficulty, depending on the car you want to drive, which makes it the perfect game for training and learning for beginners. The fanbase is more extensive than Rfactor 2, and it’s easier to find people at your skill level to compete against if you search in forums online.
What sets this game apart from its competitors is that it doesn’t only offer racing. You can also set up track days with your friends or drive on mountain roads. This simulation is almost a sandbox which you can customize according to your needs. So, if you want to start your sim racing career, you can’t go wrong with this game.
Honourable Mentions
It wouldn’t be fair to write a post about the best racing games and skip some great titles like the legendary Grand Turismo series, Forza Motorsport, or the Project Cars franchise, although we’ll just pretend that Project Cars 3 never happened. While not precisely true simulations, these games are still fantastic ways to learn to drive and offer some truly stunning graphics to boot. These games also tend to cater more to the console-gamer market, where many sim racers find their love for the hobby.
WCP [F-ULTIMATE] 2019 SEASON for Automobilista
Finally, I’d like to give a shout out to Automobilista, which like RaceRoom is considered a bit of an underdog. The title offers fantastic gameplay and has received an increase in attention thanks to praises from the growingly popular YouTube sim racer, Jimmy Broadbent.
Related articles:
How computer simulations help in training managers
The price of a managerial error is high, and cataclysms and crises raise the stakes.
The ability to act in conditions of uncertainty can be improved in simulators — virtual «laboratories» for decision-making
About the experts: Petr Tutaev, head of the Simulizator computer simulator development team; Dara Melnik, head of the research group at the Education Transformation Center of the Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO.
Decision-making in the absence of information, contradictions in matters of pragmatics, ethics and interests of various players can and should be trained. It is safer and more efficient to do this in an artificial play space — ideally, regularly, like going to the gym.
Simulation is a fairly ancient form of learning. They originated from initiations, that is, rites of initiation of new members into society. Modern educational simulations are associated with the gamification trend. Education can be built as a test, and a test as a game: for example, a line employee of a bank gets the opportunity to manage all his assets in a virtual space.
Who else can train virtually through activities:
- Science and technology professionals
They are most suited to virtual labs like those offered by the Danish company Labster. They allow you to work with reagents and equipment that mimic physical counterparts.
This is how you can conduct experiments in real life — impossible, unacceptable or dangerous: to influence the orbits of the planets or change the human genome.
Video: Labster
- Managers
Here, instead of the physical world, you need to work with social reality — manage people, compete and cooperate. The task of managerial «laboratories» can be performed by educational simulators.
- Military
The market for simulation, simulation and virtual reality software for military enterprises was estimated at $10.25 billion in 2018 and continues to grow.
- Medical workers
In Russia, there are about a hundred centers of simulation medicine for training doctors, and their number both here and in the world will grow due to changes in patient status and the high cost of medical errors.
These can be roughly divided into skill-building simulations—for example, flight simulators for pilot training—and situation simulations.
One of the most notorious in recent years is A Day in the Life of a Refugee, which was used as part of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Participants had to pretend to be refugees and operate for 75 hours in conditions of involuntary relocation, lack of resources for basic needs, and extreme vulnerability. This is an immersive experience in the real world, but the virtual experience can be just as powerful.
Virtual simulators, usually in combination with the subsequent “debriefing”, are actively used in top educational institutions around the world: at the Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Sloan School of Management at MIT in the USA, the French INSEAD and many others. The Frank Batten School of Leadership and Management at the University of Virginia has a center for the development of virtual simulations and management games.
Some Russian universities are also actively implementing the format. Among them are RANEPA, HSE, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Ural Federal University. Simulators are used in the training of managers at the Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO and the Graduate School of Management of St. Petersburg State University.
Most of the existing simulators are aimed at the formation of one specific competence or illustration of one idea or principle. For example, in Stanford’s Venture Capital Game, participants are divided into entrepreneurs and venture investors. The simulation is focused on the economic effect of investments.
In the acclaimed game Tragedy of the Tuna, teams represent countries with fishing fleets that need to prevent a critical decline in the tuna population by balancing income and sustainability. This is where the idea of the «tragedy of the commons» unfolds — the conflict between the interests of individuals and the common good.
Now there is a growing demand for modeling complex social systems: city, region or university. Thus, in the Russian simulator «Universities World Rankings», which simulates the development of a university, over the past three years, about two thousand university managers have taken part.
The growing popularity of these games is due to several factors.
- Complex control objects are most often represented as a «black box». Even the most thoughtful university rector sometimes does not know how exactly the processes of education and research are connected, how the interests of students and teachers are intertwined, and why everything is organized in this way.
- The high dynamics of the modern world creates a need for the same dynamic, even «action-packed» forms of education.
- Learning by doing is the standard for most developers of modern educational programs.
Similar to the request for collective training: in complex simulators, participants usually work in teams with people in different positions. Team play allows you to form a general picture of the object «from above».
They feel like immersion in reality and reflect its contradictions. They cannot have the only right decision, because any decision has a price and negative consequences. For each of the players, the “best” solution will be different, and you need to learn how to find a compromise.
If we are talking about a regional development simulator, then business, NGOs, authorities and ordinary citizens will have completely different interests. At the same time, the manager needs to take into account both them and his personal code of ethics. For example, the goal might be to turn a single-industry city into a world-class city, or a startup into a global technology company. Such simulators put managers in situations in which it is impossible to act according to familiar patterns, and are aimed at developing what one manages, and not just about maintaining functioning.
In the future, management simulations can be improved by taking readings of the psycho-emotional state — for example, heart rate. Not only the quality of an individual decision is important, but also the state in which it is made. Action taken in a state of annoyance or panic cannot be systematically effective. Simulators should, among other things, teach how to work on the reaction.
Management simulators have their limitations. The design of the game is based on real cases, and what is needed is not so much a set of situations as an understanding of the reasons behind this or that scenario of events. Not every manager can identify general principles in his practice that will serve as material for teaching others. Despite the storm of the digital revolution, as many years ago, management is, first of all, learning from people to people.
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Top 10 PC simulators — from pilot to trucker
Among video games, simulators occupy a special place — whether it be racing, city-building or more highly specialized. Some of them allow you to temporarily get used to the role of carriers of various professions and try yourself as a mechanic or, for example, a chef. Cybersport.ru offers a look at ten “professional” simulators – of course, you won’t choose a dream job based on them, but you can easily expand your horizons!
Trucker — Euro Truck Simulator 2
Perhaps the most famous trucker simulator, which managed to surpass even the cult Truckers 2 in popularity. With all the additions to Euro Truck, you can visit most of the European countries, including capturing a piece of Russia. Of course, you should not expect the full romance of the life of a truck driver, such as dining in roadside eateries, repairing in the pouring rain and sleeping in uncomfortable conditions, but the key — a leisurely journey from point to point — the game conveys perfectly.
The bonus is the non-trivial task of learning how to properly park with a trailer, which is unlikely to be done on the first try. And for completeness of perception, you can set up something like the radio «Chanson» for yourself and roll across the expanses of Europe to the right soundtrack.
Restaurateur — TasteMaker: Restaurant Simulator
If you’ve ever wanted to open your own restaurant, you can practice this with TasteMaker. Tykun offers a full cycle from the acquisition of a plot of land and the construction of a building to the management of personnel and the purchase of products necessary for the operation of the restaurant. Do not forget about compliance with sanitary standards, working out your own menu and many other nuances. Right now, TasteMaker is in very early access and doesn’t offer a wide range of features, but the developers are enthusiastic and promise to expand all aspects — over time, there should even be visitors with different preferences and the ability to grow your own vegetables in the garden.
Farmer — Farming Simulator 19
A title for those whose soul lies in agriculture. You can play both for pure pleasure and in a «hardcore» mode with a more realistic economy. In any case, you have to take care of your piece of land: cultivate crops on it, raise animals, buy more and more new machines for working in the fields and, in general, do farming. The choice is to develop a farm in the USA or in Europe, and most of the things have to be done manually. Picking cotton after a hard day at work is quite a relaxing experience when it happens at the computer monitor, and not live. In addition, now you can grow horses on your farm — and you can ride them, which is not only interesting in itself, but also allows you to improve the performance of horses.
Repairman — House Flipper
If you’ve ever had the idea of doing private repairs, you can try your hand at this difficult business at House Flipper. The game offers a full cycle from buying a wreck with dead walls to choosing wallpaper and furniture for decor and subsequent resale.
Redevelopment, selection of colors, repair of minor faults (for example, with wiring) and even the conclusion of contracts with customers — the game diligently reproduces most of the situations that arise. Unless you need to quarrel with contractors because of missed deadlines and try to make money on cheaper materials. But with additions, you can do the decor of the bunker, landscaping the garden, or even equip your home in the spirit of cyberpunk — there are a lot of options.
Cook — Cooking Simulator
If you can feel like a restaurant owner in TasteMaker, then Cooking Simulator invites you to get into the shoes of a chef and try to cook a couple of dozen different dishes. The bonus is realistic physics, a sea of ingredients and kitchen utensils, as well as a bunch of spices. Alas, it will not work out to fully experiment, since you need to adhere to the recipes laid down, but, fortunately, they are in abundance here even in the basic version. Those who want more can pay attention to additions with pastries and pizza, plus the developers promise to add a full-fledged opportunity to experiment with products.
And if everything gets boring, no one bothers to peddle — for example, a fire extinguisher explodes well in the oven. It’s clearly not worth doing this live, but why not experiment in the game?
Car Mechanic — Car Mechanic Simulator 2018
If you’ve ever dreamed of opening your own auto repair shop, you can do it virtually — the Car Mechanic Simulator series comes to the rescue. The developers meticulously reproduced more than four dozen cars that can be disassembled literally by a screw in search of breakdowns. Add-ons bring a couple dozen more licensed cars to the game (ever wanted to get under the hood of a 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner?) and various tuning gadgets. And if for some reason you want something more hardcore, simulators of a tank mechanic (by the way, there is a T-34/76!) or an aircraft from the same developer come to the rescue.
Live director — Not For Broadcast
What to air, what to leave behind the scenes, who to censor and when to include commercials — all this is part of the tasks of a live director, whose role can be tried on in Not For Broadcast .
At the same time, unlike most of the simulators from the collection, there is also a plot here: the player’s actions directly affect many details from the political angle of the channel to the fate of individuals. Is it worth mentioning that the game doesn’t try to keep a serious tone and regularly throws out really funny jokes? For those who are not sure whether the game suits them or not, the developers have kindly provided a free prologue, the events of which unfold in 1980s.
Football Manager — Football Manager 2021
It’s one thing to kick the ball on the grass, albeit at a professional level, and quite another to try to put together a team, taking into account the wishes and budgetary restrictions. But you still need to negotiate with the players and the press, select tactics taking into account the strengths and weaknesses of the players, do not forget about training and, of course, analyze the results of the games. All this gives you to experience the Football Manager series in your own skin, and its latest version makes the process even more realistic and difficult compared to its predecessors.
Fans of the most popular sport will have a place to roam here: more than 2.5 thousand clubs can take under their wing — from regular tournament winners to outsiders.
Dispatcher — 911 Operator
Managing a joint control room is not so easy: you need to distinguish real calls from pranks, be able to navigate the situation using confusing explanations and make many difficult decisions. Should I send a police squad or an ambulance? Who from the extensive list of employees will best cope with the task? And how to distinguish a joke from a real threat of a terrorist act? The choice of the player is given both the opportunity to go through the campaign with unique tasks, or simply play in any city in the world — the map is downloaded directly from the Internet. Of course, there are funny mistakes: in a town of ten thousand people there can be regular shootouts with the participation of policemen and skyscrapers on fire, but the game manages to convey a unique experience perfectly.
