Rusty’s Retirement is a new farming game on Steam that has a very special twist: It only takes up about a quarter of your screen and runs automatically while you do other tasks on your PC. Its success could change the life of a developer.
This is what the developer is celebrating: On X, formerly Twitter, Jordan Morris, the solo developer behind Rusty’s Retirement and the popular Metroidvania Haiku, the Robot, reported on May 13 that his new farming sim has sold 200,000 copies just over 2 weeks after its release.
The developer writes that he has mainly worked on fixes for the game since launch and is just starting to process it all: “I am only now realizing how life-changing this is. From the bottom of my heart, thank you very much.”
Just 5 days after its release, Rusty’s Retirement surpassed 100,000 sales. As Morris emphasizes, he is not just focused on financial success when developing his games. He is incredibly proud to have created something that genuinely brings joy to people.”
Stardew Valley was one of the obvious inspirations for Rusty’s Retirement.
Gaming for multitasking artists
What kind of game is this anyway? Rusty’s Retirement is an idle game in the style of Stardew Valley that sits at the bottom or side of the screen. This way, players can watch their farm grow and thrive while doing work, writing assignments, or completing mundane tasks on the PC.
The concept is reminiscent of so-called screenmates, a kind of Tamagotchi for the desktop that was popular a few years ago. The concept is being received exceptionally well: On Steam, Rusty’s Retirement has achieved a top rating of 96% positive.
However, not all players manage to resist the temptation to look at their farm constantly instead of working productively. As a productivity tool, Rusty’s Retirement is therefore only recommended with reservations. We have compiled some reviews for you here.
- SeaKingNeptune: “I’m reviewing it while playing it! I can watch my TV shows and check on my farm, which is great!!! If you’re looking for a cozy idle game, this is it!”
- Lightclaw: “It’s a very good semi-idle game for my tendency towards divided attention. At 135 hours, I managed to complete this game 100% while working, being away, and only taking care of the farm in between.[…]”
- [GWJ] Unicycles: “This is what I call ADHD gaming. It’s really very cute and as someone with ADHD who spends a lot of time learning/working at home, it’s pleasant and unobtrusive enough to be a nice little dopamine rush between tasks.[…]”
If your interest in farming games with an unusual twist has been piqued, you should check out a new game that looks like Stardew Valley meets Don’t Starve. But beware: The charming building game is much darker than it appears at first glance, so don’t let the appearance of this farming game fool you, as absolutely anything can kill you.
