An entrepreneurial spirit is an amazing thing to have: it can drive you to fantastic success, introduce you to like-minded innovative people, and help you realise your wildest dreams.
That spirit needs to be cultivated, though. And while classrooms and offices across the world are great places to train and refine your skills, there are some more unique methods of forming that inner entrepreneurial clay. Most surprisingly? Video games.
Yes, video games are not just wastes of time or things you should grow out of once you leave your teenage years behind. They’re exciting, innovative and surprising forms of art that hold a lot of life lessons. Let’s explore four games that can help grow that entrepreneurial spirit and let you have fun while doing so.
Game Dev Story
Ever wondered what it’s like to develop your own video game? Game Dev Story might not be the most sophisticated simulation game in the world, but it’s an addictive and rewarding title that might just inspire you to get that startup rolling.
This mobile game allows you to always keep your entrepreneurial brain engaged. You start with a small-time games studio and slowly work your way up to industry leaders with a great office, tons of talented people working for you, and critically-acclaimed titles. Whether you want to develop games or not, Game Dev Story gives you insight into your startup dream.
Addictive without relying massively on strategy, Game Dev Story forces you to try new things and consider what audiences will like. It’s not exactly the deepest game, but it teaches your inner entrepreneur to critique your ideas and consider whether mass-market audiences will appreciate what you’re offering.
Overall, it’s a great little title you can play in between meetings or on long commutes without feeling like you’re wasting time. Give it a shot.
Online Poker
Poker, an online game? Absolutely. It may have begun as something people played in back rooms or glittery casinos, but today it’s a massive online enterprise. But why’s it worthwhile?
Well, a key part of becoming an entrepreneur is forming a solid grasp of what you can and can’t control. Which situations are yours to shape? When do circumstances force you in certain directions? The most successful people understand how things work. They know how to accept the whims of fate and apply pressure to shape things in their favour.
Poker offers a great combination of luck and skill, and the mechanic of bluffing shows people that they can get dealt hands but still win if they’re able to project confidence.
There’s also the vital element of money management to consider. The online world has plenty of ways to make money, of course. Work as a freelancer. Invest in projects big and small. Dabble in modest risks if you’d like: games available at Lotto247 present classic opportunities to grab for jackpots, and options like cash4life are about as practical as you can get in that context (offering steady rewards instead of one-off payments).
But if you want a way to make money, hone your instincts, and test your adaptability, poker is the perfect all-around choice. Risk, technique, even body language: if you can win a heated game of poker, you can nail that big business pitch.
Stardew Valley
The go-getting aspirations of a young entrepreneur and a relaxing life on the farm don’t seem like a natural pairing — but wait until you play Stardew Valley.
Full of charm, wonder, and a whole lot of farming, Stardew Valley is one of the most beloved indie games of the last decade. The game drops you in a small town with just an old farmhouse to your name. You must build up your operation and presence in the town by planting crops, tending for cattle, and adventuring for treasure.
What does all this have to do with finding funding for a startup or creating the next great tech innovation, though? Well… nothing, technically. But if you look closely, you’ll find that Stardew Valley is a crash course in stock management and keeping yourself organised. There’s no slacking in this serene farming town. You get what you put in.
This title may not keep you on the edge of your seat, but if you give it some time then you’ll learn a lot about what it means to be independent and how to grow a business. Who’d have thought that discipline and growth could be spurred by such a whimsical game?
Football Manager
As touched upon earlier, being an entrepreneur takes more than having a bright idea and the cash to back it up. You need dedication and the organisational skills to make sure jobs get done, hard decisions get made, and the fine details get suitably tracked — and few games demand these things to the extent of Football Manager.
This football simulation game (for football, read soccer if you’re American) is hugely popular, with an engaged fan base eagerly awaiting the annual releases for almost two decades now. As TalkSport reported, the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic saw record numbers of players delve into their virtual football leagues to pass the time.
Unlike in many sports games, you’re not tasked with scoring goals, hitting three-pointers or making your opponent submit. Instead, you’re the mind behind the method. As the manager of a team of your choosing, you get free rein over tactics, transfers and just about everything but the outcome (you still need to earn that).
Football Manager might be a bit imposing for new players and non-soccer fans (especially considering how complex some of the latest editions have become in an attempt to replicate real life), but there are some excellent lessons about the importance of organisation and learning from your mistakes that any entrepreneur can take into their work lives.
The only downside is that many entrepreneurs may find themselves spending more time navigating the complexities of virtual football than managing their businesses!
There you have it, then. Four different types of online games to challenge different aspects of your entrepreneurial brain. They’ll help you unwind, inspire new ideas, and teach you key skills — so give them a try.
