Simulators: farms, business/tycoon, management

Custom Simulation Game Development: Farming, Business/Tycoon, Management

Simulation games are one of the most stable and profitable genres in the gaming industry. They encompass a wide range of genres, reaching huge audiences worldwide. These games captivate players with their immersion, freedom of action, and progression mechanics. They allow players to build their own virtual worlds, manage them, make strategic decisions, and see the results.

Custom game development for simulation games (farming, business/tycoon, management, etc.) is in demand among a wide range of clients due to their long project life cycles, broad reach, high engagement, and monetization models that ensure a stable income.

But creating simulation games is a technically complex task, requiring high-level industry expertise, conceptual development, unique mechanics, and game design. Off-the-shelf solutions cannot ensure the necessary level of competitiveness in this niche. That's why such projects should be entrusted to professionals.

What are simulation games?

Simulators aren't just a genre, but an entire gaming supercategory. In these games, players manage various systems, processes, or characters' lives. The goal is development, completing tasks, and optimization. These titles recreate real-life chains of events, allowing for experimentation and unique experiences. These can simulate driving, city building, managing an army, a corporation, and so on.

The main types and subgenres of simulators:

• Life Simulators . Life, dating, and survival simulation games.
• Economic and management (Management and Tycoon) . Tycoon games, business simulators (cafes and restaurants, shops, company and corporation management), city construction and development, colonial and space management.
• Farming and farming (agriculture simulation games) . Farms, crafting/artisanal options, gardening/ecology.
• Transport. Driving simulator games (cars, racing, taxis, trucks, etc.), airplane, ship/submarine, and spaceship control.
• Military and combat (war simulators). Army tactics, tanks, air and naval battles.
• Professions. Doctors/surgeons, firefighters, police, rescuers, construction and blue-collar workers.
• Social and creative. Music, dance, art and design, culinary, etc.
• Sandbox. Sandbox games with physics, gravity simulators, and destruction, where player freedom of action takes precedence over a scripted or linear progression.

The theme can be anything from sports, evolution, and detective investigations to dragons, zombies, and the post-apocalypse, as well as all kinds of flying games, shooters, and adventure games.

According to the degree of realism, the following are distinguished:

• hardcore simulators with maximum realism,
• arcade (simplified), aimed at entertaining a mass audience,
• hybrid, combining simulation with elements of RPG, strategy games, management or adventure.

You can order project development from Arionis Games for all existing platforms – simulation games for PC, Android, iPhone, VR/AR devices, as well as browser-based, console, and online solutions.

Who is this service relevant for?

Simulators are useful for a wide range of companies, as they can solve a wide range of problems in business, education, and investment areas.

The main categories of clients who order simulation development services are:

• Studios and publishers – to expand their product line through a popular, profitable genre with a large, dedicated audience and a long life cycle.
• Business – for staff training, simulations of complex processes (training, equipment operation instructions, etc.) with minimal risks.
• Educational institutions – for gamified learning. Simulations simplify and enhance the learning of practical skills in a safe, interactive format.
• Military and government agencies – for combat training, practicing emergency response strategies, and modeling crisis scenarios. Simulations allow for the accurate imitation of real-world conditions.
• Marketing companies and retailers use game mechanics to promote brands and services. Gamification increases engagement, helps convey product value, and builds loyalty among target audiences.
• Game development startups and investors – to launch their own product with high monetization potential. Such projects allow them to capture narrow, profitable market segments (e.g., creating a simulation of delivery, construction, hunting, cooking, etc.).

Popular types of simulators

Arionis Games Studio can develop a simulator of any complexity, focus, and genre. Our most frequently requested projects fall into the following categories:

Farms

In farming simulators, players manage a farm—growing crops, caring for animals, and selling produce. These titles combine elements of economics, management, and the daily life of farmers, from livestock farming and agriculture to managing expenses and income.

Examples: Stardew Valley, FarmVille.

Peculiarities:

• simple mechanics;
• long-term progress;
• engaging gameplay;
• cyclicality and realism – changing seasons, limited resources, realistic equipment mechanics;
• gradual expansion – land purchase, upgrades, process automation.

Farm simulators for PC, Android, and other operating systems are often used as the basis for hybrid solutions – agricultural activity + RPG, economic strategy, or social interaction.

Business simulators / Tycoon games

In tycoon games, users manage business processes and companies, make investments, develop growth strategies, and make personnel decisions.

Examples: RollerCoaster Tycoon, Game Dev Tycoon.

Peculiarities:

• emphasis on business development strategy, profit growth, economics;
• resource management – budget, materials, personnel;
• construction and development of infrastructure;
• optimization of logistics processes, maintenance, etc.;
• long-term development from a small business to a successful corporation.

Tycoon games are strategic, economic projects with a focus on business development.

Management

In management simulators, players manage companies, teams, clubs, projects, and organizational processes. They focus on resource optimization, planning, and tactical decisions. Themes can range from sports to hospitality.

Examples: Football Manager, Two Point Hospital.

Peculiarities:

• human resource management – hiring, training, motivation, personnel decisions;
• process coordination – distribution of tasks, resources;
• planning – building strategies to achieve goals through management initiatives;
• imitation of real situations (crises, conflicts, redistribution of resources).

Stages of creating simulation games

Arionis Games develops simulation games in stages:

• Analytics . We study the project, determine the game genre and technical requirements, study the target audience and niche, and create a game design document and specifications.
• Prototyping . We create a basic gameplay loop, test controls, key mechanics, and physics.
• Development of the simulation game core . We program physics (aerodynamics, vehicle and object movement, etc.), and develop economic systems, ecology, weather conditions, and more.
• Working with content and environments. We create 3D models of equipment, buildings, and characters, and animate them. We create locations, maps, weather, and other scenarios.
• Control integration. We configure input from various devices and a control customization system (if applicable).
• AI implementation. We model the behavior of opponents, assistants, and other participants in the environment.
• UX/UI design. We create menus, dashboards, HUDs, tutorials, and training scenarios.
• Testing and optimization. We check physics, performance, balance, compatibility, and more. This stage is described in more detail on Game Testing page.
• Network implementation (optional). We integrate multiplayer and simulation synchronization.
• Release and support. We prepare the game simulator for launch, transfer access rights, and provide instructions to the client's team. By agreement, we provide post-release maintenance, including updates, mod support, and more.

The stages of game project creation by Arionis Games specialists are described in more detail on the Game Development page. Examples of our latest projects can be found in our Portfolio.

Specifics of Simulation Development

When designing and creating simulation games, it is necessary to consider a number of conceptual and technical features of the genre, which determine the quality, realism, and success of the product with the audience.

🔧 Engineering specifics of simulator development:

• Realistic physics – it is important to take into account and recreate the laws of motion, collisions, gravity, aerodynamics and hydrodynamics;
• Detail, high-quality 3D models and textures – photorealism is often required, as is painstaking work with lighting and weather conditions for high-quality UX;
• Performance and optimization – simulators typically feature a large number of objects on the scene (equipment, cars, NPCs, etc.), requiring a balance between realism and the load on players' devices;
• Control systems – flexible configuration for controllers and gadgets familiar to the target audience is important; the game should support gamepads, steering wheels, pedals, joysticks, VR controllers, and/or other equipment;
• AI and NPC behavior – AI logic in 3D simulation games is complex, requiring attention to the plausibility of character and enemy behavior, routing algorithms, user interaction responses, and ecosystem modeling;
• Mod support – modularity, open APIs, and editors can significantly extend the life cycle of a project, as communities of such titles often create user content (new maps, modifications, etc.).

Also, if you plan to create a multiplayer simulator game, its network component must ensure seamless synchronization of physical processes and gamers' actions, with minimal ping.

🎮Game design and content specifics:

• A balance between realism and accessibility. To maintain interest, gameplay needs to be challenging enough, with crises and unexpected situations, but it's important that the tasks remain manageable. Mastering complex mechanics often requires simplified modes for beginners and tutorials.
• Simulation depth. Developing games in this genre requires meticulously crafted environments and details, with cutting-edge graphics and animations. Aviation projects include weather conditions, fuel systems, and navigation; automotive projects include tire wear, fuel consumption, and suspension behavior; and farming and construction projects include economics, growth cycles, logistics, and more.

The quality of a simulation depends on how accurately it models real objects and processes.

• Progress and motivation. Players should see the results of their efforts – career advancement, new cards, opportunities, equipment, and business development. A ranking and achievement system helps to stimulate interest.
• Maintaining replayability and engagement. For long-term sessions, it's important to provide endless play options, engaging updates, seasonal events, and so on.

When creating farm, management, tycoon, and business simulator games for PC, Android, and other platforms, a strong technical foundation and proper game design are essential. The project's success depends on how much the audience "believes" in your simulation, how immersed they are in the virtual world, and what results they can achieve.

Technologies and development tools

We use a wide range of technologies to develop simulation games. The main ones are:

• 🎮 Engines – Unity, Unreal Engine.
• ⚙️ Physics engines – NVIDIA PhysX, Havok, Bullet Physics, Custom Physics.
• 🎨 Graphics and modeling – Blender, 3ds Max, Maya, Cinema 4D, Substance Painter, ZBrush, Photogrammetry, and Motion Capture.
• 🤖 AI – behavior trees, ML-Agents, Pathfinding (A* and Dijkstra algorithms).
• 🌐 Multiplayer, network architecture – Photon, Mirror, Unreal Networking, AWS, Azure PlayFab, Firebase.
• 🕶️ VR/AR – Oculus SDK, OpenXR, SteamVR, ARKit, ARCore.
• 💻 Infrastructure and DevOps – Git, GitHub/GitLab, CI/CD (Jenkins, GitHub Actions), Docker, Kubernetes
• 🧪 Testing and analytics – Unity Test Framework, Unreal Gauntlet, Playtest Cloud, Firebase Analytics, GameAnalytics.

The final list of tools and technologies depends on the specifics of your project. Farming, business/tycoon, and management simulators typically require an engine, physics, artificial intelligence, network infrastructure, and 3D/VR technologies, complemented by custom solutions tailored to the client's needs.

Why is custom simulation game development profitable?

Despite the steady audience interest, customers planning to launch the simulator face numerous problems and challenges:

• It's difficult to compete in this genre – the market is oversaturated with similar releases, and without a unique idea and mechanics, a product quickly gets lost among its peers;
• Retaining players is not easy – to make your audience want to return to the game, the project needs to be created specifically for them, with relevant progression systems and social features;
• Maintaining a product can be problematic if the architecture or technology stack is chosen incorrectly—for example, a project on an outdated engine requires costly modifications when adding multiplayer and other features necessary for success.

Opting for out-of-the-box solutions or hiring a team without industry experience almost always leads to miscalculations in game design, technical implementation, and/or monetization. For example, a business simulator may prove too complex for your audience or fundamentally misaligned with their interests, resulting in poor sales.

How custom development helps create a product with long-term value and solve problems for customers planning to launch a simulation game:

• Implement a unique project that stands out from the crowd, ensuring high engagement among target audiences. For example, you could create a farming simulator with elements of economic strategy, resource exchange, and trade chains.
• Supporting long-term monetization through the careful integration of donations, in-game purchases, advertising collaborations, and other modern models. A well-designed in-game economy ensures project profitability not only at the start but also years later.
• High competitiveness through the integration of cutting-edge technologies —AI for personalization, AR/VR for a deeper gaming experience and emotional connection, multiplayer, and cross-platform support—for expanding and retaining users. For example, a VR factory management simulator or an AR project about building a business empire in a real city.
• Cost optimization. The cost of developing simulation games is higher than, for example, clickers or platformers. However, with a well-designed architecture, stack selection, and streamlined production processes, it's possible to optimize the project budget without sacrificing quality, for example, by using a single engine for both the mobile and desktop versions of a simulator.

When you order custom simulation game development from Arionis, you gain complete control over the product's architecture, monetization, style, and lifecycle. As a result, your game will effectively address your business needs and align with audience interests, the competitive landscape of your chosen niche, and market trends.

Another advantage of working with us is a transparent development process with predictable deadlines, budgets, reporting, long-term support, and the ability to quickly scale the project.