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https://www.theguardian.com/games/2022/oct/12/a-busmans-video-game-meet-the-people-who-play-job-sims-of-their-own-careers>
"The cliche about video games is that they’re all about escapism. When people
switch on a PlayStation or souped-up PC, they do it to lose themselves in a
mythical world or intergalactic conflict. They do not come here to power wash a
patio.
But increasingly, that orthodoxy is being tested. The surging success of the
job simulator, in which players take on seemingly mundane real-world careers,
shows that our relationship with games is a lot more complex. Type “job sim”
into the search window of PC digital games store Steam and a myriad of virtual
employment opportunities open up. There are complex and accurate farming, beer
brewing, bus driving, PC building, gas station managing and house selling sims,
alongside the more recognisable flight and train options. And if you do want to
jet wash a patio, there is
PowerWash Simulator, which became such a viral hit
on its release in July that it sold 3m copies within two months.
And if you think that everyone playing these sims is still engaging in a form
of escapism, tapping into jobs they never attempted in real life, you’d be
wrong. Some of the most ardent fans of job sims are people who do the jobs
themselves: the literal busman’s holiday."
Well, I admit I play games about computer programming. :)
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
