Players and creators say that audiences of all ages are embracing games with cartoonish art styles, relaxed pace and accessible game design.
Kelly, who is a Melbourne-based game design student and gaming journalist, said she's noticed wholesome gaming become more popular as people seek relief from the stresses of everyday life during a global pandemic.
Brier attributes the growing demand for wholesome games as validation of the movement's approach to design, which includes low-stress game mechanics that make failure difficult or even impossible. Melbourne-based game designer Olivia Haines first noticed the diverse, underground community of creators making a different type of games when she started publishing her own projects.
Some games are set in distinctive Australian locations, like the bushland setting of studio Paper House's Paper Bark. These games, Haines said, are an exploration of Australian identity."I think it's for anyone who doesn't fall into 'gamer culture'. A lot of mainstream games are very violent, and there are a lot of other issues," Haines said.
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