In 2024, the gaming landscape has seen an intriguing evolution with the emergence of retail simulation games. Titles such as Supermarket Simulator, Supermarket Together, and TCG Card Shop Simulator have captivated players, streamers, and content creators alike, tapping into the unique allure of arranging products on shelves without the burdens of real-life retail challenges. The genre’s rapid ascent, while unexpected, resonates deeply; it offers a whimsical escape from the drudgery of actual retail work.
New Frontiers in Retail Simulation
However, as I explored the standout demos from this month’s Next Fest, a curious trend emerged: a wave of upcoming games that seem intent on amplifying the chaos of simulated retail work. Currently, there are at least four distinct titles in development that revolve around managing convenience stores while contending with a host of intergalactic, supernatural, and undead threats.
One standout, Roadside Research, has players engaging in typical gas station duties—stocking shelves, exchanging currency, and pumping gas—but with a twist. Here, players assume the roles of cleverly disguised aliens using the gas station as a covert research outpost, gathering intel on humanity in preparation for an impending invasion.
Another intriguing entry, Hellmart, places you as the sole operator of a 24-hour convenience store in a remote northern locale. Patrons sport unsettling, toothy grins, and shadowy figures lurk outside, creating an atmosphere thick with suspense. As night falls, the challenge intensifies: you must barricade the store while fending off a grotesque creature with limbs that stretch for meters. Some reviewers have noted a disparity between the game’s pre-rendered trailer and its actual gameplay, raising questions about its presentation.
The Walking Trade takes a different approach, situating its shop sim within a zombie apocalypse. Despite the chaos, commerce persists; players must stock shelves with supplies and weaponry for fellow survivors, all while generating profits to fortify their defenses against the occasional zombie horde. Even in this grim scenario, the mundane task of taking out the trash remains a necessary evil.
Shift At Midnight introduces a more psychological element to the mix. While serving gas station customers, players must scrutinize their behavior and identification to determine if they are who they claim to be or if they are predatory doppelgangers reminiscent of horror classics. Failing to identify a doppelganger can lead to frantic shootouts, turning the gas station into a battleground of body horror.
For those willing to venture further from traditional retail simulation conventions, a variety of more sinister convenience store experiences await. Service with a Shotgun blends retail customer service with narrative-driven gameplay and first-person wave defense mechanics. Meanwhile, [Herror] Gas Station Case is set to join an ongoing horror anthology, while Exit: Gas Station, released earlier this month, offers an “anomaly detection game” where players labor under the watchful eye of a towering, bald overseer in pursuit of advancement.
The emergence of these subgenres raises intriguing questions. What drives this sudden fascination with chaotic retail environments? Is it a reflection of societal anxieties surrounding rising gas prices or grocery inflation? Or perhaps it’s simply an acknowledgment that transitioning from grocery store simulations to haunted gas stations is a natural progression in game design. As the retail sim genre continues to evolve, one can only speculate what bizarre twists it may take next—perhaps a foray into the world of Mahjong parlor simulators awaits.
