Who buys Truck Driving Simulator and Farming Simulator?

Who buys those "Farming Simulator" and "Truck Simulator" games? A new report finds out.

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Farming Simulator 2013 is a real game. And the title suggests a few things. One--there are people interested in farming simulator games. Two--there are people interested in annualized farming simulator games.

While games like "Euro Truck Simulator 2" won't sell Call of Duty numbers any time soon, they are successful enough to warrant yearly releases. SCS Software, "one of the biggest" developers of truck simulating games, says that they have a "small but very devoted fan community, people who keep coming back and supporting us." But who are these people?

A new report on Gamasutra explores the fascinating world of niche simulation games like "Bus Driver." According to SCS owner Pavel Sebor, these simulation games attract two groups of players. "There are kids 8-12 playing the games--players who are not yet into FPS or other core genres, but are captivated by the idea of driving these big vehicles. I guess every boy at age 7 or so wanted to drive a cement mixer or garbage truck or something similar," he said.

The other group is a male 35+ audience, "basically people who have some professional, or should I say emotional, ties to trucking or transportation industry." It seems that some professional truckers come home and relax by playing a virtual simulation of trucking. (It's like how some game developers play Game Dev Story.)

While these games are available in the States, it appears audiences in Eastern Europe and other developing countries gravitate to these titles far more. Why do these games appeal more to lower-income countries? "A trucker may be considered a low-prestige job in the UK," Sebor postulated. But, in countries where these games are popular, "the more this job smells of adventure and distant horizons--plus it's perhaps paying better than average in those countries."

Marc Schwegler, associate producer at Farming Simulator's Giants Software echoes many of the sentiments of Sebor, saying that his game also appeals to children and farmers. In fact, the game has been so successful, it's expanded to a number of other platforms. In fact, a PS Vita version is in the works for the franchise's 2014 release.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    March 15, 2013 4:15 PM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, Who buys Truck Driving Simulator and Farming Simulator?.

    Who buys those "Farming Simulator" and "Truck Simulator" games? A new report finds out.

    • reply
      March 15, 2013 4:52 PM

      I think it's because we're so used to unrealistic games that something like this becomes appealing. Like any driving/trucking simulator, having to stop at red lights and use your indicators actually becomes an appealing feature.

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        March 15, 2013 5:06 PM

        i bought euro truck sim 2 after trying out the demo and liking it. trucking freight around europe while listening to the radio is actually pretty relaxing.

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        March 15, 2013 5:12 PM

        I actually told Gran Turismo's Kaz Yamauchi that my most-wanted feature for the "real driving simulator" was exactly that. Which is why we won't see GT6 for another ten more years.

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        March 15, 2013 5:45 PM

        No, it's fun because you're supposed to stop for the red lights - it makes plowing through them at 55 on the wrong side of the road that much more enjoyable.

        I encourage anyone with even a casual interest in driving games to try the demo. It's very zen.

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      March 15, 2013 5:06 PM

      A friend and I both purchased Farming Simulator 2013. It was probably the most fun I have ever had doing wheelies in a tractor. http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=109833191

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      March 15, 2013 5:10 PM

      LOL WHAT THE FUCK. "It seems that some professional truckers come home and relax by playing a virtual simulation of trucking."

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        March 15, 2013 5:13 PM

        It's not really so different from NFL players playing Madden...

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          March 15, 2013 5:17 PM

          Yeah but one of them is actual work and one is play. My mind cannot comprehend. It's like a farmer playing Farm Sim 2013 on his free time. You dont hear NFL players saying they work, they say I'm an NFL PLAYER. Not worker.

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            March 15, 2013 5:19 PM

            what

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            March 15, 2013 5:21 PM

            I'm pretty sure if you told an NFL player that his job wasn't actual work he'd be pretty offended.

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            March 15, 2013 5:22 PM

            Yeah, except alot of those players work a lot harder than they play...

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            March 15, 2013 5:25 PM

            "heh, this thing that I'll likely only be at for three years and will likely suffer massive injuries from, lasting for decades after I'm done? just a game, yo"

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              March 15, 2013 5:27 PM

              Ok I get everyone point. I cant be the only one thinking truckers playing truck sim is weird...

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                March 15, 2013 5:55 PM

                I get it. I wouldn't play guitar hero but I'm all about rocksmith

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                  March 16, 2013 1:19 AM

                  Most musicians I know love Rock Band/Guitar Hero.

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                March 16, 2013 12:03 AM

                You think it's weird because you think it's dull. I could make the same assumption about NFL players and Madden because I think both the game and the sport is dull.

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            March 16, 2013 1:18 AM

            It's like a software developer coming home from work and writing software. HOW DO THEY DO IT??

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              March 16, 2013 9:34 AM

              No, a sowtware dev coming home and playing a game about writing software.

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            March 16, 2013 2:52 AM

            Farmers have free time?

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            March 16, 2013 9:36 AM

            I grew up farming and ranching. My family still owns a ranch that we grow and raise cattle and i work out there. Farming Simulator 2013 is pretty damn awesome and relaxing.

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          March 16, 2013 9:23 AM

          Where's my SimOffice and SimCubicle? With DLC TPS reports.

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      March 15, 2013 7:24 PM

      Wow. It took three paragraphs to get to the source of of the pasted text.

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        March 16, 2013 9:20 AM

        Andrew, sorry for being such an ass. I have been off my meds for too long. I like your work and appreciate you bring the article to our attention, I would have missed it otherwise. Feel free to nuke my dumb and evil comment.

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      March 16, 2013 3:34 AM

      Fuck I can't wait to get home and play SaaS:The Game!

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      March 16, 2013 2:03 PM

      Only for Americans. Pass.

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      March 17, 2013 9:33 AM

      farming simulator actually looks pretty awesome lol

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      March 17, 2013 9:42 PM

      Nothing bad about these games. I used to think they were dumb but I realized that with any sim, you can to experience something you wouldn't get to otherwise, from flight sims, racing sims, train to these games. Nothing bad about them. Some people find this entertaining.

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      March 18, 2013 6:40 AM

      I can't knock a sim about growing things. I mean, look at how stupidly popular Farmville ended up being. Granted that wasn't all about growing stuff, but w/o having played Farm Sim 2013, I'd guess there are quite a few similarities in terms of subject matter. Hmm... a more sophisticated FarmVille without having to have 200+ active friends, energy limits and f2p model would probably play very well in that light.

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