Recently, one of the things that Gyro Jun must do when he goes to work every day is not to hang up the iron, not to brush the daily mobile game, but to use the WeChat PC client to play various WeChat games.

Another important reason for this, in addition to chasing hot products in the industry, is that I find the WeChat PC client very convenient now: it not only allows you to open more mini programs (mini games), but also has all kinds of mobile functions such as game circles, rewarded videos, and recharges.

In addition, some landscape games perform quite well on PC - almost the same as client-side games. In other words, in this scenario, the WeChat mini game on the PC side has covered, or even surpassed, the mobile phone experience to some extent.

I believe that there are not a few people like me who use computers to play WeChat mini games. Accompanied by the office communication software WeChat, there is no need to install software programs on the office computer, the window can be hidden at any time when you click the mouse, and you can get a lot of positive feedback in a short period of time with a click of the mouse.

From this, I would like to introduce a concept - the workplace, that is, the corporate scene that focuses on the PC gaming experience.

You may ask: since I am fishing at work, why don't I use my mobile phone? But what Gyro Jun wants to point out is that in fact, for some office workers with a relatively relaxed working atmosphere, the frequency and efficiency of using a PC to fish during working hours is much higher than that of a mobile phone.

As we've reported before, utility games such as Virtual Table Pet Simulator, Spirit City: Lofi Sessions, and Flow Sessions are quietly becoming cyber workers for office workers. Here Gyro-kun can appear and say: Every morning, I go to the company to turn on the computer, start Steam, open a companion tool, and work with me (moyu) is my first process.

Not only tool games, stand-alone is also one of the choices of the "workstation party". For example, in 2021, when "Eight Desolations of Ghost Valley" was the hottest, I saw players publicly say in the game community that Ghost Valley was the best choice for them to go to work. On the one hand, the game has very low requirements for computer hardware, even the company's old antique computers can be played without hindrance; On the other hand, as a kind of monster farming and cultivating immortals, Guigu has no threshold to get started, and workers can open it for a while at any time.

In fact, there are early signs of the rise of "workstation games". As early as 2013, an idle browser game called Cookie Clicker (commonly known as "Cookie Grandma" or "Cookie Clicker" in China) was quite popular among fans of idle games.

Cookie Clicker gameplay is very simple: players collect cookies with one mouse click after another, unlock more automated production tools through them, and then the game goes on endlessly. But it's just such a boring and repetitive game that makes players so addicted. After many years of landing on the Steam platform as a PC game, Cookie Clicker has received rave reviews, nearly 60,000 player reviews, and is expected to sell millions of copies.

It's easy to see why Cookie Clicker is so popular with players: after a busy study schedule, the interactive cookie game with instant feedback is a very decompressive and relaxing break, and it is especially friendly to office workers who can't do without a computer.

You can click on the window in the corner of your computer

If Cookie Clicker was just a stepping stone to "lazy games", then Rusty's Retirement, which was released in April this year, took idle games a step further. What's more, the opening scene of this pixel art game is very clear - workstations, and the target group is also aimed at office workers who can use the computer to fish moderately.

As a farming simulator, Rusty's Retirement doesn't need to be overstated, but it's subtle, and the gameplay is almost tailor-made for office workers: the interface can be scaled and adjusted at will, and you can even place it in any corner of your computer screen (for example, with word open on the full screen and the game on the right side); At the same time, thanks to the various automation tools on the farm, there is no need for players to distract themselves from harvesting vegetables while they are doing their business.

As you may have noticed, the so-called workstation is a fairly lightweight game friendly scenario - it doesn't take up much of the player's attention, but it's a bit of gameplay (it doesn't matter), and a random click of the mouse can generate positive feedback in a fraction of the time...... For the specific scenario of the workstation, the positioning of such game products is quite clear; And users can also have fun in this scene where space and choices are very limited, through those "headless and brainless" mini-games.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not encouraging people to play games during work hours, nor do I mean advocating manufacturers to customize games for workstation scenes. However, I would like to remind you that when proper entertainment during working hours has become one of the ways for office workers to empty themselves and clear their brain caches, then game products that cater to the needs of workstation players should also have a place in this scene - in any case, it is not wrong to consider a little bit of workstation scenarios in product development.

In my opinion, the quietly thriving workstation game also explains why casual idle games such as Let's Go Muffin can shine in this era where "content is king" is arguably the case. Fighting the plot, the picture, and the style, after going around all the way, the game product may have returned to the era of embracing the real needs of players.

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